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'Store-bought is fine': Ina Garten's go-to jarred tomato sauce is also my fave
As an Italian-American, I'm really picky about grocery marinara, but this one's as close to homemade as I've ever tasted.
Ina Garten might encourage us to make our own vanilla extract or chicken stock, but when it comes to tomato sauce? She certainly appears to believe her own mantra that "store-bought is fine." The Barefoot Contessa is a fan of one brand in particular, so much so that she mentions it on her website several times. It's Rao's Homemade Marinara, and learning this little tidbit made my Italian-American self so happy — because it just so happens to be the only jarred sauce I (or my family) will buy.
This sauce hails from an impossible-to-get-into, members-only restaurant in New York City, which is why it's so good. Fun fact: My husband and I once got all dressed up and tried to go early to see if they'd give us a table. No dice. At least I can have their delicious sauce whenever I want!
On the Barefoot Contessa's website, there's a section called "Ask Ina," where Ina answers questions submitted by fans. In response to a query about what she keeps on hand to serve to last-minute guests, she writes, "I always have pasta and jars of Rao's marinara sauce in the pantry for dinner in less than 15 minutes!" She also recommended Rao's to someone who asked what a college student should stock up on, and when someone asked, "What's your favorite jarred marinara sauce?" she simply wrote, "That's easy! Rao's marinara sauce."
While it pleased me to learn that my favorite cooking show host shared my love of Rao's, I can't say it surprised me. It is, after all, the best store-bought tomato sauce I've ever tried — and I've tried tons. My family has been buying it for as long as I can remember, but because it's on the pricier side for grocery store sauce, I did experiment with a few others to see if I could find a more affordable replacement. Alas, I failed! But trust me, it's worth the splurge.
What sets this sauce apart is its short ingredients list: just Italian whole-peeled tomatoes, olive oil, onions, salt, garlic, basil, black pepper and oregano. You know, the stuff you'd actually use in a homemade sauce and none of the filler. Many jarred tomato sauces are too sweet for me (a lot of them have added sugar). Rao's, on the other hand, lets the tomatoes shine for a fresh, punchy flavor that can't be beaten. It's the ideal, slightly tart (but not bitter) complement for al dente spaghetti (or my favorite, rigatoni), but I've also used it in lasagna and with roasted vegetables and seafood. Honestly, I can't think of many savory things it wouldn't taste great on. Oh, and don't tell my mom that I'm spilling her secret, but she always adds a little Rao's to her homemade tomato sauce on Christmas — it's that good.
Amazon shoppers have also discovered this crimson condiment — and more than 6,500 agree with Ina that it's a five-star buy.
"This is the best jarred sauce out there," raved one reviewer. "I have a family recipe that I love but don't always have half a day to make it. This actually comes pretty close! I love that it is not sweet like some other jarred sauces I've tried and that you can actually see the olive oil in it. Delicious!"
"I have spent enough time in Italy to understand and appreciate why their pasta is better than American pastas, and their sauces are better as well," shared another. "This sauce brought me right back to Italy, and is so balanced, perfect and delicious! I can just eat it with a spoon from the jar. So as long as I can get Rao's from Amazon, or in America, I won't get any other pasta sauce."
"I love Rao's Marinara and keep several jars in my pantry for those times when I need to toss together a quick meal," explained a third. "It's a sauce that leaves others in the category in the dust because it's not overly salty and is seasoned to perfection. I love it for a quick pasta dish. It's also quite magical as your lasagna sauce. You can also use it as a dip for your mozzarella sticks!"
"I like to buy everything organic, so my only criticism of this product is that it is not. Organic, that is," wrote a mostly pleased buyer. "However, the flavor is more authentically Italian than any commercial sauce I've ever tasted. It has none of the bitterness often associated with tomato-based sauces."
Said a final fan, "'You know this Rao's is a restaurant in New York and this is their sauce, right?' My husband reminds me [of that] every time we use a jar. It is pricey for a jar of sauce, but it is very tasty. We like the wide selection too."
Want something with a little kick? Their spicier sauce gets an A+ from me too.
Doesn't a pasta night sound nice and cozy right about now? Here's everything I use for the most satisfying (and super-easy) meal:
I prefer a large pot like this for boiling pasta because it has a built-in strainer and can accommodate both long varieties like spaghetti and linguini, as well as shorter noodles like my beloved rigatoni, ziti or penne. This set includes a 12-quart stockpot, pasta insert, lid and steaming basket for cooking vegetables, seafood and more. A very versatile kitchen staple, indeed.
Tongs are a must in my kitchen for just about anything I make, but I especially love them for pasta because they allow me to toss the noodles in the sauce with more control so that everything gets evenly coated. Nonna's wooden spoon could never!
If you're boiling shorter noodles in a pot without a built-in strainer, this handy tool lets you lift a good amount of them out at a time so you don't have to pour the excess water into your sink to drain. Doing that inevitably leads to me losing a few noodles (unacceptable!), so I rely on my trusty spider instead. It's also great for deep-frying!
Last, but certainly not least, you can't forget about grated cheese! I have a bit of an obsession with this tool because it does the job quickly and is so much easier to clean than a big box grater. Plus, I can grate the cheese right over my pasta bowl, meaning fewer dishes to clean. I also won't zest lemons with anything else.
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
