Click here to visit the new home of KitchenDaily!

Hot on KitchenDaily:

AOL ˇ
More Sites You Might Like
- Slashfood
- ParentDish
- Holidays
- Health
- Fitness
- Games
- Living
- DIY Life
- Green Daily
- Horoscopes
- Lemondrop
- Morning Rush
- Pets
- Patch
- ShelterPop
- Shortcuts
- StyleList
- Weddings
- WalletPop
Mail

Kitchendaily

The Best Marinara: Our Taste Test Results

By KitchenDaily Editors

read all comments (523)

Filed under:
kitchen fundamentals

Joseph Erdos, AOL

When you just don't have the time to cook tomato sauce from scratch The Godfather-style, jarred marinara sauce is a godsend. But if you've fallen into a rut and buy the same brand every time you're at the market (probably because it's on sale, right?), you may want to change things up. We've tasted 30 brands of marinara sauce to find the very best, saving you time and money (and sparing you from tasting some clunkers).

We conducted a blind tasting of brands that range in price from $1.29 to $10.99, judging texture, flavor and the general level of quality. Some were oily, some were pleasantly tomatoey, and others were ... fishy. Yes, fishy. Frankly, we were surprised at the winner (it's from Target!?), and shocked at the poor ratings we gave sauces with very high expectations.

How does your favorite sauce rank? Is it time to switch things up? (Several of our taste testers have discovered new favorites.) Check out the slideshow below to find out the results.

As always, our taste tests are in no way influenced by or sponsored by the brands included.

Click the Arrows to Browse the Results

Marinara Sauce Taste Test

In Season: 10 New Ways To Cook Cauliflower By KitchenDaily Editors

Katie Workman's Fork-In-The-Road Butterscotch Pudding By Katie Workman

Cilantro: Love It Or Loathe It? By KitchenDaily Editors

Katie Workman's Fork-In-The-Road Asian Chicken Breasts By Katie Workman

In Season Now: 5 Concord Grape Recipes By KitchenDaily Editors

Win A Krups Citrus Juicer From KitchenDaily! By KitchenDaily Editors

related videos

What do you think?

Add a Comment

Sign in »

523 Comments

Filter by:

Tanya Sosnowski

Yayyy My favorite sauce from Rao's got #2! Should be #1, look up Rao's there is a lot of history there, and I used to live right around the block! Real old school Itallian American sauce, im getting hungry now.

September 28 2011 at 8:32 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Get real.

ALL of these bottled sauces are terrible compared to what you can prepare at home in just a few minutes. Learn to cook!

September 28 2011 at 3:17 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Get real.'s comment

Get real.

...and Prego and Ragu are two of the most vile and disgusting products on the grocery shelf. I wouldn't feed them to my neighbor's pet rat - and I dont' even like that rat.

September 28 2011 at 3:18 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to Get real.'s comment

joerorl

I totally agree. They should not even be compaired with the others. I grew up on my familys home made sauce/gravy & I miss it. all my family members are now gone. Dummy me never learned to make it..My Mother was the last one & she passed last year at age 96....

October 10 2011 at 12:31 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down

robwayne1

your comments about the Greenway organic sauce are totally wrong........there is not added sugar, try reading the label before you make your comment. it is one of the best jarred sauces for the money!

September 28 2011 at 12:14 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Melissa

I have cooked Spaghetti for years....I see that Wal-mart's brand sauce was not on this list. The Great -Value brand from Wal-mart is the best sauce I have ever tasted. I can buy Ragu or Prego and it is not that great. I get a lot of compliments when I use Wal-mart brand. Oh, yeah, it's only about $1.50.

September 27 2011 at 11:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

sjpxmas

BARILLA TASTE BETTER, BUT I STILL RATE THIS A ,, C+ ...

September 27 2011 at 10:06 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

sjpxmas

THIS GIADA DE LAURENTIIS TOMATO SAUCE, IS THE WORST TASTING PASTA SAUCE I HAVE EVER TASTED, AND I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. I HAVE BEEN EATING SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS ALL MY LIFE, AND I'M 71 YEARS OLD. I WILL NEVER
BUY THIS CRAP AGAIN....

September 27 2011 at 10:02 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

gbnmvbn

Your satisfaction is our eternal pursuit. --------- http://www.goodoye.com/ ---------we are specialized in Wholesale and wishes to enter into business relations with you.Our company has been in this line of business for many years and enjoys high international prestige.1)wholesale price down to $10. 2)pay-pal,,Credit Card accept .3)Drop ship accept.4)Ship by EMS, DHL, TNT, door to door.5)Delivery in 7-9 dayshttp://www.goodoye.com/ Our principle"SAFETY QUALITY FAST DELIVERY GOOD PRICE = PERMANENT CUSTOMER.

September 27 2011 at 6:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

louis revilla

Someone had a good statement: "How many people tested these products?" Doesn't say.
Did they EACH "have a spoonful"? Did they each have a plate of pasta made with EACH sauce?
How was the test conducted, and by whom? Some college kids who don't cook? Some REAL "Italian" people? Chefs?
Rednecks?

And since there are so many brands, who really "knows" what is best, once you "doctor" it up, and add all the junk to the dish?

I am certainly surprised at the numbers of various brands. Wow, I guess EVERY "cooking guru" and every big-name supermarket has its own "select" issue?

I would say the ones "most authentic" might be those made by the companies that sell in Italy?
But what would I know.

Heck give me a plain-wrap Walmart brand. I will LEARN to enjoy it.

September 27 2011 at 6:05 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

1 reply to louis revilla's comment

rounder44

Typical Italian that thinks he knows everything about everything

November 20 2011 at 11:11 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

eatatjoes2

this has got to be the worst survey ever. Did they use only 5 people? none of these comments really make any sense with the rankings. i really hope the editors did this for free because it's pretty bad.

September 27 2011 at 4:13 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

mklpn86

MARIO BATALI BRAND WAS TASTELESS & NEEDED SEASONINGS, & THIS GUY JUST GOT HIS OWN COOKING SHOW? REALLY, HIS OWN SHOW...THANX TO ABC CANCELLING OUR DAYTIME DRAMAS THIS GOOF THINKS HE CAN HAVE HIS OWN SHOW...WHAT WILL ABC DO WHEN THIS SHOW GOES BELLY UP.....

September 27 2011 at 1:56 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply