13 Pasta Sauce Brands That Use The Highest Quality Ingredients
Not many things in life are more satisfying than a bowl of pasta. Besides being a restaurant favorite, pasta is also a staple in home kitchens. The main reason it's so popular is the fact that it whips up fast but provides the ultimate comfort feel. Though you might occasionally have a crack at preparing fresh homemade pasta and sauces made from scratch, the most convenient option is your favorite box of dry pasta and jarred sauces that only require heating.
Unfortunately, many of those pasta sauces are packed with questionable ingredients, flavor enhancers, artificial flavorings, and generous doses of additives, resulting in sauces that can't compare with homemade versions. Producers opt for cheaper alternatives and additives to cut costs, ultimately compromising the flavor and texture. Luckily, some brands go for a different approach, using ingredients of the highest quality and time-honored methods that best preserve the flavors of fresh veggies and herbs. We've collected the leading options to bring you a list of the best pasta sauce brands that will compare to any homemade marinara recipe.
1. Yo Mama's
Yo Mama's is a brand that celebrates family traditions and uniting people, regardless of origin or culture. As you can guess from the name, founder David Habib was inspired by his mother, and each product carries a loving signature that commemorates this connection. A lot of effort has been put into product development, and besides flavor, Habib also focused on health aspects to build a brand that would use only the best quality ingredients. Yo Mama's includes nine classic pasta sauces featuring familiar options such as Original Marinara, Tomato Basil, and Roasted Garlic, complemented by less standard, wine-laden sauces. There is also a specialty line with pizza sauces and three Alfredo varieties.
The list of ingredients in the classic marinara sauce reveals that the high-end brand offers great quality. Fresh tomatoes, onions, and garlic are used in the production, and the only other ingredients are white wine, olive oil, fresh basil, salt, oregano, black pepper, and parsley. Of course, other varieties feature slightly different ingredients, but they are always fresh. None of the sauces contain added sugar and most of them are low-sodium. Additionally, the brand avoids using GMO products or preservatives. Though heavier and packed with more calories, even the Alfredo sauces consist of fresh, high-quality ingredients.
Yo Mama's sauces don't hide any questionable ingredients and deliver flavor and quality. The brand is widely available online and in many retail stores, including Amazon, Walmart, and Whole Foods.
2. Just Like Home
Wayne Luciano and Nathan Sheets founded Just Like Home, driven by the mission to create unique pasta sauces based on authentic recipes collected from passionate pasta aficionados. They organized a contest and invited people to share their recipes, eventually deciding on several submissions they now jar and sell as a convenient option when you want a homecooked dinner with minimal effort. Just Like Home is also committed to charity work and donates a part of its profits to local organizations that help the homeless.
Besides the authentic recipes and the praiseworthy charitable approach, Just Like Home is also proud of the ingredients that go into the sauces. Every recipe is made with only natural ingredients; no coloring, preservatives, or artificial flavors are used in the process. Citric acid, a naturally occurring element, keeps the sauces fresh and stable. No GMO products or MSG are inside the jars, and the company carefully selects only the best ingredients. Fresh, vine-ripened tomatoes from California and real olive oil and butter are featured, complemented by herbs and spices. You can expect full-flavored sauces packed with freshness and aromatics.
The current range of Just Like Home pasta sauces includes five varieties made with a tomato base and differing ingredients depending on the label. They are available on Amazon and in retail stores across the country.
3. Michaels of Brooklyn
Michaels of Brooklyn is a family-run restaurant that has been in business since 1964. This legendary establishment honors Italian cuisine and family tradition with classic recipes that have been passed on for three generations. The restaurant operates in its original location and has no other outposts, but the family has made sure that all those who can't get to Michaels can still get a taste of tradition by buying the classic pasta sauces.
The assortment includes 10 sauce varieties. Most are made with a tomato base and use different add-ins to create various flavors. The sauces come in old-school jars, already giving the impression that they are authentic, family-style recipes, and the list of ingredients only confirms this. The classic marinara features seven components, including Italian tomatoes and olive oil, partnered with fresh garlic, basil, and parsley. The Home Style Gravy label packs 10 ingredients, including salt and pepper, and the other sauces follow the same philosophy. You won't find preservatives, hidden sugar, or flavor enhancers in these jars. As the ingredients almost entirely mimic the homemade versions, you can expect the flavors to be spot on.
4. Dave's Gourmet
Dave's Gourmet is a familiar name in the industry that has been whipping up skillfully crafted sauces for over 30 years. The brand is known for its range of classic and creamy hot sauces, especially its legendary Insanity Sauce, which was pulled out of the National Fiery Food Show because it was too hot. The brand also jars a wide range of signature pasta sauces that have gained many fans due to their impeccable taste and texture. Besides this praise, you'll want to start buying Dave's pasta sauces due to the fantastic ingredients that go into them.
The sauce portfolio is quite varied, and the quality of ingredients changes depending on the flavor. Some sauces are entirely organic, such as Hearty Marinara and Red Heirloom. Most sauces are made with extra virgin olive oil, and the brand does not use GMO products. Furthermore, only natural ingredients are packed inside the jars. Even the varieties that are not entirely organic use wholesome ingredients such as butternut squash, real butter, mushrooms, and fresh cream for the line of creamy sauces.
Ingredient-wise, Dave's Organic Simply Red Sauce is the best option as it has no added sugar, preservatives, or additives, and the sodium content is low. Dave's Gourmet has won medals with its sauces, so you can expect that along with the health aspects, these sauces also deliver in the flavor department.
5. Cucina Antica
Cucina Antica is a true Italian affair founded by chef Neil Fusco, an Italian native who moved to NYC and has worked in the food industry since the 1970s. In Italy, the Fusco family harvested tomatoes, building Cucina Antica as a high-end pasta sauce brand to reconnect to its original roots and celebrate traditions. The emphasis was placed on the quality of ingredients, and the main idea was to bring genuine Italian flavors that would completely mimic homemade Italian-style sauces.
The ingredients displayed in these sauces reveal this is truly an authentic product. Tomato-based sauces mostly use imported San Marzano tomatoes and opt for extra virgin olive oil. Additional ingredients depend on the variety but typically include familiar items such as onions, basil, pepper, and salt. The list of ingredients is short, meaning there are no unnecessary additives that mask faults, so you can expect potent tomato flavor inside these jars. The creamier varieties such as La Vodka and Alfredo sauces include a few natural additives, but they also use the finest Italian cheeses and real heavy cream to deliver maximum flavor. There is no added water or artificial preservatives in the sauces, and all the products follow non-GMO standards.
Besides the quality of ingredients, Cucina Antica sauces are produced with a traditional technique that calls for a shorter cooking time and slow mixing. This helps to concentrate and preserve the original flavors and makes the sauce more stable for reheating.
6. Hoboken Farms
Hoboken Farms was founded to bring high-quality local products to consumers without regular access to fresh mozzarella, crusty bread, or finger-licking pasta sauce. The founder, Brad Finkel, eventually started a business and decided to jar the sauce, without compromising on quality. He wanted to create a sauce that would mimic the taste and texture of what he imagined an Italian grandmother would make.
Hoboken Farms now offers four pasta sauce varieties, all featuring high-quality ingredients. Marinara is the classic version and includes whole tomatoes and real olive oil, partnered only with sea salt, spices, fresh onions, garlic, and basil. Basil Marinara doubles down on fresh basil, while the Vodka Sauce features slightly weightier ingredients such as heavy cream and cheese. For those who want the healthiest version possible, the Low Sodium Marinara uses the same premium ingredients. Hoboken Farms whips up its sauces with a hefty dose of olive oil, which contributes to flavor and a rich consistency.
7. Mezzetta
Mezzetta is a familiar brand that's commonly found at most supermarkets. As the name suggests, the company ties back to Italy and was started by Giuseppe Mezzetta, an immigrant who opened the first store in San Francisco bringing authentic Italian flavors to the local community. Over 80 years, Mezzetta has grown into a national brand with a reputation to boast. Despite the expansion, Mezzetta is still oriented toward quality, focusing on careful ingredient selection, strictly monitored production, and proper quality control. The brand offers a wide range of products, including olives, pickled produce, and the classic pasta sauce range with over 15 varieties.
The Family Recipe is the base label and carries classics such as Marinara, Roasted Garlic, and Tomato Basil, which are the best options if you want all-natural ingredients with no artificial additions. The Artisan Ingredients label is more high-end as it exclusively uses Italy's legendary San Marzano tomatoes. Apart from prime tomatoes, these sauces include extra virgin olive oil and many fresh ingredients. The labels with the best components are traditional flavors such as Marinara, Spicy Marinara, and Whole Garlic & Sweet Basil. More complex sauces tend to include more elements, so stick to the classics if you want pure ingredients with maximum flavor.
8. Rao's Homemade
Rao's sauces do not call for much introduction. They hail from the legendary Italian joint in Harlem, where getting a table represents the ultimate matter of prestige. When the guest demand became overwhelming at Rao's, the owners decided to jar the signature sauces so everyone could have a taste of it at home. Since then, Rao's Homemade has become a household name in the pasta sauce business. The sauce is praised for its flavor and texture and is probably the all-time favorite pasta sauce brand in the U.S. Unsurprisingly, the list of ingredients shows that Rao's is also one of the best-quality sauces you can find on the market.
Rao's Homemade now offers a selection, including Four Cheese and Bolognese, but Marinara remains its signature label. The sauce is made with whole Italian tomatoes and real olive oil, and the list is topped off with only six other ingredients, including fresh onions, garlic, and basil. Marinara and all other tomato sauces have no preservatives, artificial additions, or cornstarch, and the sauces are slowly cooked to attain a perfect consistency. Ingredient-wise, the tomato-based sauces (apart from Bolognese) are a much better option than Alfredo-inspired sauces, as they don't include additives and have significantly fewer components.
9. Whole Foods 365
365 is a Whole Foods house brand that aims to deliver sustainable, high-quality products at affordable prices. The name corresponds to the philosophy that everyone should have access to fresh, first-rate products every day of the year. The brand was born in 1997 and currently carries over 3,000 items that highlight transparent production and high-quality standards, emphasizing the well-being of workers and animals. The brand includes various food categories, and among the pantry staples, you will also find a range of pasta sauces exclusively made with organic ingredients.
Several tomato-based pasta sauces are included in the range, like the classic Marinara, and more complex blends such as Creamy Vodka or Four Cheese sauce. Marinara packs the least ingredients and features a traditional combination of diced tomatoes, garlic, onions, spices, and herbs, all elevated with extra virgin olive oil. For those who want fewer calories and less fat, the Fat Free Marinara is a great option as it skips the olive oil. Some sauces from the range feature a lengthy ingredient list, but the tomato-based versions don't contain anything out of the ordinary. They include several vegan and vegetarian-friendly options and are the most reliable choices in the portfolio.
10. La San Marzano
La San Marzano emphasizes the importance of tradition. The company is still operated as a family business, and most recipes have been passed down through generations using methods that mirror those of local nonnas. Located in the San Marzano Valley, the brand uses only the best locally sourced ingredients for its award-winning signature sauces. Besides traditional recipes and prime ingredients, La San Marzano has built its brand on simplicity, evidenced by the concise list of ingredients.
The brand currently sells six pasta sauces, all using tomatoes as the base. Classic marinara is enriched with extra virgin olive oil, onions, sea salt, garlic, basil, black pepper, and oregano. The other sauces follow the same philosophy and rarely use more than 10 ingredients. All the fresh produce used in the recipes is grown at trusted local farms, and no preservatives or artificial ingredients are added that might mask the pure tomato flavor.
11. Ingrasselino
Peter Ingrasselino is a successful chef and the man behind the Ingrasselino brand. He started his career as a chef and later moved on to restaurant consulting and catering. He eventually published a series of cookbooks and turned his name into a renowned brand. During his prolific career, he also created a brand of jarred products that features two lines of pasta sauces and a signature BBQ sauce.
The base pasta sauce line includes classic red sauces: Marinara, Arrabbiata, and Roasted Garlic. The ingredients in all three varieties are standard and what you'd expect to find in a classic homemade sauce. Each jar starts with vine-ripened tomatoes and uses real olive oil, showing that the Ingrasselino brand is serious about quality. The rest of the ingredients vary depending on the flavor but feature the usual red sauce suspects, such as fresh garlic and basil leaves.
The label discloses that the sauces contain naturally derived citric acid, and Ingrasselino claims that artificial colors, flavors, and added preservatives don't go into any of the sauces. The white line of pasta sauces features Red and White Clam Sauces and a classic Vodka Sauce. This range is also made with basic all-natural components and no artificial additions.
12. Carbone
Carbone is a renowned name in the food industry, and the legendary NYC restaurant is often lauded as a dominant player in fine Italian American cuisine. The restaurant now operates in several locations, and the business expansion has also led to a sister food brand with a portfolio that includes several well-crafted pasta sauces.
Carbone produces its pasta sauces in the U.S., but for the tomato-based versions, the produce is sourced directly from the rich volcanic soils of southern Italy. Carbone follows the time-honored method that stipulates simplicity as the main philosophy behind any good pasta sauce. The ingredient list on the pasta sauces is short, and tomatoes are usually only partnered with olive oil, onions, garlic, and a selection of herbs and spices.
The lineup currently includes eight pasta sauces and two pizza sauce varieties. While tomato-based sauces don't have additives, the creamy Alfredo sauces have significantly more ingredients and several additives, so keep this in mind when choosing among the selection.
13. Lucini Italia
The award-winning Lucini Italia currently operates under California Olive Ranch, the biggest olive oil producer in the U.S. Before it was acquired, Lucini produced various Italian products and imported them to the States. The company still operates under a separate label and uses the established brand image and the accompanying labels. Though Lucini makes the finest Italian extra virgin olive oil, its range of authentic Italian pasta sauces made with high-quality ingredients is worth highlighting.
All the pasta sauces are organic, so every ingredient is carefully sourced before going into the jar. The selection does not include a classic marinara, but you will find options such as Organic Rustic Tomato Basil and Organic Tuscan Tomato. These straightforward versions use fresh tomatoes, onion, and extra virgin olive oil, and are enhanced with spices and herbs. For health-conscious consumers, the brand offers a No Oil Organic Tuscan Tomato Marinara, while those who want to be more adventurous can go with a vibrant yellow Organic Savory Golden Tomato Sauce. The only product that includes additives is a rich and creamy Alfredo Sauce, so avoid this label if you are looking for versions sans the add-ons.