I’ve Tried Nearly Every Store-Bought Spaghetti Sauce—Here Are My Top Picks for Every Budget

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found myself frozen in the pasta aisle of a grocery store. And by “frozen,” I mean totally overwhelmed by the sheer number of spaghetti sauce options staring back at me. At some point, I gave up and simply started grabbing random jars in the hope that I’d stumble upon something decent. In other words, I’ve tasted just about every well-known—and more obscure—brand.

That’s not exactly good news for me, since I’ve wasted a lot of money through this fall-back strategy, but it’s good news for you. Now I can share my top picks with you, so you don’t have to learn the hard way. Plus, I can give you an option regardless of your budget.

What Helped Me Pick Out the Best Jarred Pasta Sauce

After trying a lot of jarred pasta sauce, I realized that the best-tasting one is my own. However, the very honest truth is that I’m not always prepared, sufficiently caffeinated, or even motivated to make sauce from scratch.

Why am I telling you this, when all you want is an easy store-bought recommendation? Because making my own sauce helped me realize what ingredients actually go into a good sauce.

So when I set out to narrow down my top picks, I knew which ones were sure to make the cut—AKA, they were made with whole tomatoes and olive oil and didn’t have a bunch of added sugars. (I did make an exception for my budget-friendly pick, which I found to be surprisingly delicious.)

My Top Pick: It Doesn't Get Better Than This ($4.99 for 24.3 ounces)

I have no notes for Trader Joe’s Caro Sugo Italian Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce. I would not change a single thing about it, and I might even consider eating it right out of the jar, which I actually did during testing.

This pasta sauce is made and packaged in the south of Italy, using sun-ripened tomatoes, olive oil, diced onion, chopped garlic, and authentic herbs. It has a fresh tomato taste, a silky mouthfeel, and it’s perfect for enjoying with just about any shape of pasta or even for topping pizzas. Simply Recipes editors love it, too.

Worth the Hype ($6.98 for 24 ounces)

I tried Rao’s because of the inescapable hype surrounding it—and I wasn’t disappointed. It tastes like the high-quality sauce that everyone says it is.

Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce is made with whole Italian tomatoes, olive oil, onion, garlic, basil, and simple seasonings that enhance the tomato flavor without overpowering it. It also has a fairly smooth texture and an ideal fat content, so it doesn’t slip off the pasta or end up at the bottom of the bowl.

The Most Nostalgic: Like Nonna Made It ($9.99 for 32 ounces)

This sauce makes me feel like I’m slurping up a big plate of spaghetti in a cozy booth at an old-school Italian restaurant. In fact, Michael’s of Brooklyn Marinara Sauce is made by the family-owned and operated restaurant of the same name, which has been around since 1964. The generations-old recipe features a satisfying chunky texture and is garlic- and herb-forward, without going overboard.

Not Like the Others—In a Good Way ($8.99 for 16 ounces)

The first thing you’ll notice about Monte’s Original Family Recipe Tomato Sauce is its color and consistency. It has a distinct orange hue and a slight smoky taste, similar to how my sauce turns out when I let my tomatoes simmer in hot oil for a few minutes. It’s also looser than most sauces.

While I wouldn’t recommend it for dishes like lasagna, where excess moisture can lead to disaster, I find it ideal for adding a light coating of tomato flavor to ravioli and thin pastas. Another thing that sets it apart is its delicate sweetness.

The Best Budget-Friendly Pasta Sauce ($2.49 for 24 ounces)

Ragu’s Kettle Cooked Marinara Sauce is giving the budget-friendly brand something to be proud of. This marinara sauce may be made with tomato purée instead of whole tomatoes, but for the price, it’s a surprisingly solid option.

It boasts a thick, smooth texture, a balanced herb blend, a slight sweetness, and none of the pungent acidity that other sauces at this price point typically have. It’s the perfect shortcut that you can zhuzh up into a bolognese, and its thick texture makes it ideal for using as a pizza sauce.