The official pasta sauce power rankings

Let’s get to it, shall we? I present the indisputable and 1,000 percent correct Pasta Sauce Power Rankings. The general rules are:

I got jarred sauce (no cans), bought standard marinara or the closest approximation I could find (no vodka sauces, no puttanesca, etc.) and tried to include no more than one jar per brand. There are a lot of sauces here, and it can be difficult to tell them apart. You won’t really go wrong with, say, the top dozen or so sauces on this list.

I ranked these by taste and attractiveness of packaging — let’s face it, when you’re looking for a new pasta sauce, it’s usually the simple/earnestly rustic (but not too rustic) label that gets your attention.

Cost is difficult to pin down, and given that there’s a wide variety of prices depending on the retailer, I didn’t use it as a metric. That said, when something is a particularly good (or not so good) value, I note that in the ranking.

1. Rao’s Marinara

In December, I tweeted out a photo of Victoria marinara sauce and declared it the best on the market. That was incorrect, and we regret the error.

Victoria does make the best sauce, but it’s the premium White Linen brand, typically found at Costco, that’s superior, not the standard marinara (which is still very good). So: Why not just put Victoria White Linen at the top of the ranking?

Because I can’t find the stuff anywhere. I haven’t seen it on shelves for six months or more. And after a lengthy conversation with a Costco rep, I discovered that Victoria White Linen is virtually unobtainable in Los Angeles and Northern California Costcos. (The sauce can be bought on Amazon for a steep price.) While that might change in the future, it didn’t make a lot of sense to me to put a sauce in the top slot that would be difficult to find.

And so, Rao’s wins by default. Not that Rao’s bows to anyone — it’s a wonderful sauce. Simple, balanced, with strong tomato flavor and generous with the olive oil, it leaves a nice greasy slick on the spoon. The texture is saucy without being pasty, and it has the occasional big, satisfying tomato chunk. It’s a bulletproof choice for any pasta … at least until Victoria White Linen is widely available again.

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 12

2. Mezzetta Marinara

Mezzetta, a California-based company, makes an excellent sauce, in addition to jarred olives and preserved veggies. This one has a bright, strong tomato flavor and is quite onion-forward. It has a smooth texture and slightly smoky flavor, and it avoids one of the most common pitfalls that afflict jarred marinaras — not being oily enough. This has plenty of that good olive oil flavor.

Very important tip when eating a jarred sauce: Don’t forget to shake well. Sometimes the ingredients can really separate.

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 25

3. The Silver Palate San Marzano Marinara

Silver Palate is a name you may know from Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso’s 1982 cookbook or their Upper West Side shop that preceded it.

This is a good jarred marinara. It hits your palate (ahem) simultaneously tangy and salty, and slightly peppery. The ingredient list includes carrots and pear concentrate, which give the sauce extra dimension and depth. Jars cost $7.99 on Silver Palate’s website, but you can sometimes find a deal at a supermarket — as I type this, they’re being advertised for $3.99 at Safeway.

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 14

4. Victoria Marinara

Victoria ticks off the most important checkbox when judging marinara: Does it taste more or less how a simple homemade sauce tastes? This does, and then some. Victoria tastes of tomatoes and olive oil; it’s not too sweet and has a fantastic texture — superior to that of Rao’s, which I’d say is ever so slightly too thick.

A good sauce shouldn’t just sit there like a big lump on the pasta. It should be loose enough to coat the noodles, and never pasty. As I stated above, Victoria’s standard marinara is good, but not as good as its White Linen brand, which is rich and balanced and as close to perfect as a jarred sauce can get.

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 9

5. Fody Low FODMAP Marinara

Here’s the big surprise of the top tier. Fody specializes in low FODMAP (which stands for “fermentable oligo-, di-, monosaccharides and polyols” — there will be a quiz later) food items. Without getting too far into it, a low FODMAP diet can help people with IBS.

This sauce has no onions or garlic, which can irritate some digestive tracts. And you know what? It’s pretty delicious. There’s a good tomato flavor and enough unctuousness from the olive oil. Where garlic or onions might have added some depth, Fody makes up for it at least partly with carrot and celery. The result is a less traditional marinara — one that leans a little more into a mirepoix/Bolognese territory — but it’s quite good nonetheless.

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 27

6. DeLallo Pomodoro Fresco

DeLallo makes a very nice sauce — more unctuous than average and with a pronounced olive flavor that’s quite noticeable. That’s balanced out by the slightly sweet tomato flavor. This strikes me as a good sauce to doctor up with meat or sausage.

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 10

7. Michael’s of Brooklyn

If we were judging based on appearance alone, this entry would win. It has a distinctive, wide-shouldered jar and simple gold cap. The label is small and understated, with “Michael’s of Brooklyn” written in cursive. The minimal real estate devoted to the label allows shoppers to see the full glory of bright, intensely red sauce.

Big expectations, in other words. And while Michael’s may not be the best, it’s still a good sauce with bright tomato flavor, if a little on the sweet side. There’s a strong garlicky profile, with big garlic slivers in the sauce, and good texture.

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 1

8. Organico Bello Marinara

One of the better entries that’s basil-forward. The basil comes across as sweet and floral, not bitter as can sometimes happen, and complements the light, bright tomato. With pasta, the herb flavor takes a backseat and fades into the background.

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 15

9. Bianco DiNapoli Organic Sauce

Genuine Northern California tomatoes go into this sauce created by Chris Bianco and Rob DiNapoli. Given Bianco’s pedigree (and the attractive label art), I expected greatness.

I received very goodness. It’s pungent and garlicky, with a natural off-the-vine sweetness that sings the tomatoes’ praises. While I imagine this would work incredibly well with a nice, salty, melted pizza cheese on spaghetti, it was a bit too light and sweet.

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 3

10. Whole Foods Premium Marinara

As with cooking a good piece of Wagyu beef, sometimes all you need to do is not mess it up. Whole Foods didn’t mess it up. This has good tomato flavor, is not too sweet and has a fairly loose texture. There are some seeds and skin here, which makes for an active eating experience. Fun fact: Jeff Bezos personally prepares and taste-tests every batch of Whole Foods marinara! (Editor’s note: This is false.)

Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 18

The rest

11. Kirkland Signature Organic Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 30

12. Mia’s Kitchen Bistro Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 19

13. Francis Coppola Mammarella Pomodoro Basilico; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 5

14. Yo Mama’s Bellisima Basil; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 21

15. Gino Angelini Pomodorini: Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 13

16. Sugo di Pomodoro Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 2

17. Lucini Organic Tuscan Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 4

18. Stella Rosa Stella Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 11

19. Trader Giotto’s Traditional Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 17

20. Muir Glen Organic Italian Herb; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 6

21. O Organics Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 29

22. Dave’s Gourmet Organic Red Heirloom; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 20

23. Ragu Old World Style Traditional; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 22

24. Newman’s Own Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 16

25. Bertolli Traditional Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 7

26. Primal Kitchen Tomato Basil; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 24

27. Barilla Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 26

28. Simple Truth Organic Marinara; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 28

29. Classico Tomato & Basil; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 8

30. Prego Traditional; Packaging Attractiveness Rating: 23