Quicklist: Different Types of Pasta Sauce
- Aglio e Olio
- Alfredo
- Amatriciana
- Arrabbiata
- Bean Bolognaise
- Bechamel
- Bolognese
- Brown Butter
- Burro
- Cacio e Pepe
- Carbonara
- Clam Sauce
- Frutti di mare
- Funghi e Piselli
- Gricia
- Marinara
- Pesto
- Pomodoro
- Puttanesca
- Quattro Formaggi
- Roasted Tomato
- Salsa di Noci
- Scarpariello
- Truffle Cream (Tartufata)
- Umbrian Ragu
- Vegan Tomato
- Vodka Sauce
Related: Healthy Alternatives to Pasta | Types of Pasta | Rotini Pasta Salad Recipe | Pesto Pasta from Scratch
There are many different kinds of pasta and there are almost as many ways to cook it as well. The most common way to prepare pasta is with sauces. Below, we go into detail about many of the different types of pasta sauces that you can make.
Different Types of Pasta Sauce
Aglio e Olio
Originating from the South of Italy, this sauce requires few ingredients and is absolutely awesome with pasta (especially if you serve it with mussels).
Recipe
You will need the following ingredients to whip up Aglio e Olio sauce:
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Italian parsley
- Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
You’re going to have to cook the garlic and olive oil over medium heat and then stir the rest of the ingredients into the pasta. The hot garlic and olive oil are then poured over the meal, followed by the cheese and parsley.
Alfredo Pasta Sauce
Alfredo pasta is named after the Italian restauranteur, Alfredo Di Lelio, who first created the sauce in the early 20th century. Butter (burro) is the not-so-secret main ingredient.
Recipe
The ingredients that you will need to make Alfredo pasta sauce are:
- Butter
- Heavy whipping cream
- Cream cheese
- Garlic (minced and powder)
- Italian seasoning
- Salt
- Pepper
- Parmesan cheese
Add butter, whipping cream, and cream cheese in a saucepan and whisk till all ingredients have melted. Add salt, pepper, garlic, and Italian seasoning and whisk until the sauce is smooth. Now add grated parmesan cheese. Let it cook until the sauce becomes thick. Your Alfredo pasta sauce is ready!
Amatriciana Pasta Sauce
Amatriciana pasta sauce is based on guanciale which is cured pork cheek, tomatoes, pecorino cheese of Amatrice, and in some variations, it may also include onions.
Recipe
Amatriciana pasta sauce is very simple to make. The ingredients that you will need are:
- Tomatoes
- Olive oil
- Guanciale
- Garlic
- Pepper
- Basil leaves
- Kosher salt
All you have to do to make mouth-watering Amatriciana pasta sauce is blend tomatoes in a fine puree and set aside while you fry guanciale in olive oil. Once golden-brown, add garlic and pepper and sauté for a minute.
Now add the tomato puree you made earlier, basil leaves, and salt. Reduce the heat and let the sauce cook for about 15 minutes till it becomes dark and thick. Pour it over pasta and enjoy a delicious platter.
Arrabbiata
This is a very versatile sauce that can be used with pasta as well as pizza and other meals. It’s tasty no matter what you decide to use it for.
Recipe
Here are all the ingredients necessary to make a delicious Arrabbiata sauce:
- Olive oil
- Chopped onion
- Minced garlic cloves
- Peeled and diced tomatoes
- Red wine
- Tomato paste
- White sugar
- Fresh basil, chopped
- Lemon juice
- Red pepper flakes
- Italian seasoning
- Ground black pepper
- Fresh parsley
You’ll have to heat the oil in a large skillet and add the garlic and onion as well as the rest of the ingredients. Bring it all to a boil and then let it simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley and your Arrabbiata sauce is ready!
Bean Bolognaise
If you want to stick to a vegan diet, bean bolognaise is something you should try.
Recipe
Ingredients for bean bolognaise are:
- Olive oil
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Beans
- Garlic
- Wine
- Tomatoes
- Wine
- Rosemary
- Bay leaf
- Tomato passata
- Vegetable stock
Fry onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil. Add garlic and tomato paste and stir for about 2 minutes. Add wine and let the sauce simmer on a high flame.
Now add rosemary, passata, bay leaf, and vegetable stock and let it cook on a low flame for 10 minutes. Add the beans and cook for another 5 minutes. Delicious bean bolognaise pasta sauce is ready!
Bechamel Pasta Sauce
Bechamel sauce is the perfect combination of creamy sauce and mushrooms.
Recipe
You will need the following ingredients:
- Milk
- Parmesan cheese
- Chicken
- White wine
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Butter
- Mushrooms
- Broccoli
Fry chicken, broccoli florets, and mushroom slices in oil for a few minutes and set aside. Wait for the chicken to turn golden-brown before adding vegetables. In a separate saucepan, melt butter on a low flame, add flour, and whisk it. Make sure that you remove the pan from the flame before adding flour.
Whisk till you get a smooth paste. Return the pan on the heat and add a small portion of milk. Keep adding small quantities of milk every time the mixture becomes smooth. Stir continuously until the sauce thickens.
Now, add white wine and stir further till you get the desired consistency. Pour the Bechamel sauce over the chicken, mix it well, and add parmesan cheese! It is now ready to be mixed with pasta.
Bolognese Pasta Sauce
Bolognese, or ragù alla bolognese, is a meat-based sauce originating in Bologna, Italy.
Recipe
The ingredients that you’ll need are:
- Butter
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Pepper
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground beef
- Milk
- White wine
- Tomatoes
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
Heat olive oil and butter in a pan, and add chopped onions. Fry till onions become translucent. Add carrots and celery and sauté for 2 minutes. Now add ground beef and fry till the beef is not pink anymore.
Add salt and pepper. Turn the flame to medium-high and add white wine. Let the wine simmer till all of it has evaporated. Next in would be milk. Reduce the flame to medium and let the milk simmer. Add a pinch of nutmeg.
When all the milk has evaporated, add tomatoes. Reduce the heat to lowest and let the sauce cook for 3 to 5 hours. Add a lot of parmesan cheese when serving the sauce with pasta. You will love the Bolognese sauce you just made.
Brown Butter
You don’t need a lot of ingredients for this sauce and it goes superbly with pasta, especially ravioli.
Recipe
- Salt
- Unsalted butter
- Parmesan cheese
- Ground black pepper
Melt the butter and add the pasta once ready. Next, stir in the cheese and pasta water until you’ve made a delicious brown butter sauce.
Burro
This is basically Alfredo sauce under a different name and is known as fettuccine al burro in Italy.
Recipe
You won’t need many ingredients to make this sauce:
- Butter
- Parmesan Cheese
Mix the cheese and butter (at room temperature) and add to the freshly-prepared pasta and stir well. That’s all you’ll have to do to make burro sauce!
Cacio e Pepe
This is literally just cheese and pepper sauce that is very simple to prepare.
Recipe
The following ingredients are all you’ll need to make this yummy sauce:
- Olive oil
- Garlic, minced
- Ground black pepper
- Pecorino Romano cheese
Cook the garlic and pepper in the oil for a few minutes and then add your pasta and the cheese. Stir in a bit of water and stir the ingredients for a minute. That’s all there is to making Cacio e Pepe sauce.
Carbonara
Everyone loves carbonara sauce with their pasta and making it isn’t overly complicated.
Recipe
Here’s what you’ll need to make carbonara sauce:
- Olive oil
- Thick-cut bacon
- Garlic cloves
- Eggs
Parmesan cheese - Salt and freshly ground black pepper
You need to sauté the pancetta or bacon and garlic before adding the bacon and beating the eggs and half of the cheese together. There are a few steps to follow to make this carbonara sauce but it will be worth all the effort.
Clam Sauce
Clam sauce with pasta is quite a tasty experience, and you can enjoy it at home.
Recipe
The ingredients necessary for clam sauce are:
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Clams
- Parsley
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Parmesan cheese
First, heat the oil and then add the onion before adding the garlic and the clams and seasoning. That’s just about everything you’ll need to do to make clam sauce for pasta.
Frutti di mare
Frutti di mare pasta sauce is the ultimate taste treat for anyone who loves seafood.
Recipe
You will need the following ingredients to make Frutti di mare pasta sauce:
- Mussels
- Scallops
- Shrimps
- Olive oil
- Onions
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Kosher salt
- Pepper
- Tomato juice
- Tomato paste
- Anchovy fillets
- Basil
- Red pepper flakes
- Clam juice
- White wine
The ingredient list is quite lengthy but the effort is worth it in the end.
Fry onions and garlic in olive oil till onions are translucent. Season it with pepper and salt. Add tomato paste and anchovies, and cook till the color deepens. Now add tomatoes, tomato juice, red pepper flakes, basil, and salt and bring the sauce to boil.
Let the sauce simmer on a low flame till it thickens. Next goes the clam juice and white wine. Bring the sauce to boil on a low flame. Add clams and cook till they open. Transfer the clams to a large warm bowl. Then add mussels till they open. Transfer them in the bowl with clams.
Keep the sauce to boil again and add shrimps and scallops in it. Remove from heat and keep the pan covered. Transfer shrimps and scallops to a large warm bowl after they are thoroughly cooked. Add spinach to the boiling sauce.
Then add some of the pasta cooking liquid and let the sauce simmer till it thickens. Add shrimps and scallops to the sauce and continue cooking till they are well-mixed. Mix the sauce with pasta and top it with mussels and clams. An aesthetically pleasing, mouth-watering pasta is ready!
Funghi e Piselli
Funghi e Piselli Pasta is nothing less than a treat for vegans!
Recipe
To make the ultimate vegan pasta, you will need the following ingredients:
- Snap peas
- Heavy cream
- Vegetable stock
- Cremini mushrooms
- Pearl onions
- White wine
- Grape seed oil
- Parmesan cheese
- Chives
- Chopped garlic
- Juice and zest of a lemon
Sauté sliced mushrooms in grapeseed oil until brown. Add garlic and cook. Cut the snap piece into half and blanch for one minute. Blanch peeled pearl onions separately. Add blanched onions to the pan containing sautéed garlic and mushrooms.
Add white wine to the mixed vegetables and let the sauce reduce to a point when it is almost dry. Add cream and vegetable stock and let the sauce cook till it is reduced to half, with considerable thickness.
When you get a satisfactory thickness, add blanched peas and lemon zest and juice and let the sauce simmer on a low flame. Toss it over Linguine pasta and enjoy a bowl of nutritious pasta!
Gricia
This sauce doesn’t require a lot of ingredients but it tastes amazing when served with pasta.
Recipe
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this sauce:
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Guanciale
- Rigatoni
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- Pecorino Romano
You’ll begin preparing this sauce by cooking the guanciale in heated oil and then cooking the pasta and adding the guanciale, most of the Pecorino, and pepper. Combine well and that’s just about all you have to do to make Gricia sauce.
Marinara Sauce
Marinara sauce is a part of Italian-American cooking heritage. It is not the same as the sauce you will come across in Italy. The word “marinara” means “seafaring” or ‘”mariner-style” in Italian, and it indicates the way fishermen used the sauce to accompany their freshly-caught fish.
Marinara sauce consists of tomatoes, herbs, garlic and onions. In some regions, people usually add sour ingredients like capers, olives or wine. The typical Italian marinara sauce is quite thin while the Italian-American version is thicker in consistency.
Recipe
You need only five basic ingredients to make the sauce.
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Dried oregano
- Garlic
- Olive oil
- Red chili flakes
- Salt
The recipe is extremely simple. Add all ingredients in a pot, and bring the sauce to simmer. You don’t need to chop the onions small, you can simply cut it in two halves. Same goes for garlic cloves.
Let the sauce simmer for good 45 minutes. After that, discard the onions, and smash the garlic cloves and mix in the sauce. Add a pinch of salt and red chili flakes and you are good to go!
Pesto Pasta Sauce
Everyone knows what pesto sauce is. it is a green pasta sauce with the richness and sharpness of herbs. Making pesto pasta sauce is very easy. It is a basic sauce with just a few ingredients.
Recipe
The basic ingredients that go into making pesto sauce are:
- Garlic
- Pine nuts
- Basil
- Olive oil
- Parmesan cheese
Pesto sauce can be made in a mortar and pestle or a food processor.
Blend pine nuts and garlic together to make a fine paste. Then add basil and blend again. Add parmesan cheese followed by olive oil. Add a pinch of salt for taste.
If you are using a mortar and pestle, crush pine nuts first and then add garlic to make a fine paste. Add wet basil leaves and crush the basil leaves into a paste.
Add olive oil slowly and parmesan cheese in the end. You will get a silky and consistent pesto pasta sauce that will make gorgeously green and deliciously tasting pasta!
Pomodoro Pasta Sauce
Pomodoro pasta sauce is one more of simple pasta sauces that are great for quick-fix dinners.
Recipe
For Pomodoro pasta sauce, you will need the following ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Onions
- Garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- Tomatoes (pureed)
- Kosher salt
- Basil
- Parmesan cheese
Fry minced onions in oil for a few minutes then add garlic cloves to it. After stirring, add red pepper flakes and cook for a minute. Add the pureed tomatoes and increase the flame to medium-high. Season the sauce with salt. Continue stirring until the sauce thickens.
Remove the sauce from flame and add basil springs. Before adding pasta to the sauce, remove the basil sprigs, add pasta cooking water, and loosen up the sauce. The simple and tasty Pomodoro pasta is ready in no time!
Puttanesca
This is a popular sauce that bursts with flavor and is surprisingly easy to prepare.
Recipe
Here are the ingredients you need for puttanesca sauce:
- Olive oil
- Anchovy fillets
- Red pepper flakes
- Garlic
- San Marzano tomatoes
- Kalamata olives, sliced
- Capers
- Dried oregano
- Fresh parsley
Heat the oil and add the red pepper flakes and anchovy fillets. Next, garlic should be added, as well as the tomatoes and olives. The rest of the ingredients should be added too, and that’s all you need to make Puttanesca sauce!
Quattro Formaggi
Choose four of your favorite cheeses for this delicious sauce.
Recipe
- Salt
- Salted butter
- White button mushrooms
- Garlic
- White wine
- Heavy cream
- Fontina cheese
- Parmesan
- Romano cheese
- Goat cheese
- Ground black pepper
Cook the garlic and mushrooms in the butter before adding the wine and cooking until it evaporates. Add the cream and freshly-prepared pasta as well as the cheese of your choice. Add salt and pepper to taste and gently stir. That’s it — you now have Quattro Formaggi sauce!
Roasted Tomato Pasta Sauce
The recipe for roasted tomato pasta sauce is among the simplest of all. All you will need is:
Recipe
- Tomatoes
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
Chop tomatoes into half and spread on a baking dish. Add garlic cloves, salt, and pepper to the tomatoes, sprinkle olive oil, and bake for good 4 hours. Once the tomatoes are soft, take them out from the oven and grind them into a fine puree.
You can store this puree in jars for quite some time. So the next time you feel lazy, grab the sauce, boil some pasta, and a perfect dinner is ready!
Salsa di Noci
Salsa di Noci pasta sauce is more commonly known as the walnut sauce. It is a delicious pasta sauce that can be made in a matter of minutes.
Recipe
The ingredients that you will need to make the walnut sauce are:
- White bread with crusts removed
- Milk
- Walnuts
- Parmesan cheese
- Garlic
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Pepper
- Parsley
- Oil
Soak the bread in milk for a few minutes and then blend it with walnuts, parmesan, oil, and garlic. Add leftover milk, and blend the mixture to the desired consistency. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Walnut sauce is ready. Enjoy the richness with pasta or simply as a dipping sauce!
Scarpariello
This is a very easy and quick sauce that goes spectacularly with pasta.
Recipe
- Datterino tomatoes
- Basil
- Pecorino Romano
- Parmigiano Reggiano
- Chili pepper
- Olive oil
- Garlic
You’ll slice the tomatoes as well as the chili pepper and grate the cheese. Then you’ll add the chili to the heated oil as well as the garlic and then the tomatoes. You won’t have to do much more to make scarpariello sauce.
Truffle Cream Pasta Sauce (Tartufata)
Truffles are one of the most expensive types of mushrooms that you will find. However, ready-made truffle meals are much more affordable then raw truffles and they make a wonderful ingredient for numerous dishes, just like the truffle cream sauce for pasta!
Recipe
You will need the ingredients listed below:
- Butter
- Ready-made black truffle meal
- Pasta water (from cooking pasta)
- Parmesan cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
It is one of the simplest yet tastiest pasta sauces that you can make at home to enjoy a perfect meal with someone you care about. Add ready-made black truffle meal to butter in a saucepan, along with a small quantity of pasta water.
Stir well to get a consistent sauce. Add cooked pasta to the sauce. After you have mixed it all well, add grated parmesan cheese! It was quick, wasn’t it? It will be yummy too. Try it!
Umbrian Ragu Pasta Sauce
Umbrian Ragu pasta sauce is pork-based pasta sauce that is perfect for anyone who loves meat dishes.
Recipe
You will need the following items:
- Olive oil
- Celery
- Carrots
- Onions
- Pork
- Chopped prosciutto
- Garlic
- Dry red wine
- Tomatoes
- Parsley
- Basil
- Salt
- Pepper
Heat oil in the pan and add onions, celery, and carrots. Keep the flame on a medium. Add ground pork to the fried vegetables and cook till the meat has turned brown. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes.
The next to go in is wine. Cook till the wine has almost evaporated completely. Now stir in tomatoes, basil, parsley, salt, and pepper and bring the sauce to boil. Let the sauce simmer for an hour or two till the sauce thickens. Toss in cooked pasta and your Umbrian Ragu sauce pasta is ready!
Vegan Tomato Pasta Sauce
Vegan tomato pasta sauce basically cooks itself. We are not kidding. See for yourself how simple the recipe is:
Recipe
The ingredients for Vegan tomato pasta sauce are:
- Tomatoes (tinned or squashed)
- Olive oil
- Garlic
- Salt
- Pepper
- Red chili flakes
- Basil
- Sugar
- Water
Fry garlic in olive oil and add tinned or squashed tomatoes in it. Add salt, pepper, chili flakes, and a cup of water, and let the sauce cook for 45 to 60 minutes.
At the end of the cooking time, add basil and sugar to the sauce. If you want your Vegan tomato pasta sauce to have a smooth consistency, you can blend it before mixing with pasta. You see how simple it was?
Vodka Sauce
This is a homemade version of the classic Italian-American sauce and it’s incredibly creamy and rich.
Recipe
You’ll need the following ingredients to make this interesting sauce:
- Butter
- Garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- San Marzano whole tomatoes
- Vodka
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley
Cook the garlic and red pepper in melted butter before adding the tomatoes and vodka. This mixture will simmer for ten minutes before the heavy cream and cheese should be added. It should be seasoned with salt and pepper and then you have the perfect vodka sauce!
Best Type for Various Dishes
Pesto
Peso is a thick oil-based, herb-rich sauce that requires pasta with curves and grooves. Try fusilli, cavatappi, or rotini with your next pesto dish, since these pasta types have curved shapes and subtle grooves that do a good job of allowing the sauce to hold onto it while you take a bite.
Not only does pesto go well with these kinds of pasta, but it also does an excellent job when paired with gnocchi, or even as a substitute for the red sauce in lasagna.
Seafood Sauce
There are several variations of seafood sauce, so the pasta that works best depends on the recipe. Overall, choose thick pasta like pappardelle noodles for rich and creamy seafood sauces.
Linguine works best with shrimp dishes, as does traditional spaghetti or angel hair. Fettuccine is another great option for a variety of seafood dishes. Consider the thickness and the ingredients of the sauce to determine which pasta type will pair the best with the dish you’re eating or making.
Meat Sauce
When eating Bolognese or ragu, tagliatelle pasta is an excellent pairing. This wide, thin pasta resembles a lasagna noodle on a smaller scale. It’s perfect for folding the meat sauce in when you mix ingredients so you get a delicious combination of textures and flavors with every bite.
Other pasta types that go great with meat sauce include spaghetti for meatballs and carbonara sauce and tortellini for a variety of dishes that include meat. Rigatoni, fusilli, penne, and oversized shells that you can stuff the meat sauce into are all other excellent choices.
Tomato-Based Sauce
When it comes to Italian dishes, there’s nothing as iconic as pasta with a tomato-based sauce. For this sauce, choose thin, long noodles like angel hair pasta, vermicelli or spaghetti. This ensures that each piece of pasta is evenly coated so you’re getting flavor in every single bite.
Other pasta you can pair with tomato-based sauces includes penne (which is great with tomato and meat sauce). Try a thick, round cavatelli with a delicious pork and tomato sauce, or pair bucatini pasta with marinara sauce and a dash of fresh basil or oregano.
Cream Sauce
Cream sauces like Alfredo are a popular choice for delicious meals. Add pasta that features a flat, long, ribbon-like shape, since the surface area allows it to stand up against the richness and thickness of cream sauces.
Choose pasta like fettuccine, linguine, tagliatelle or pappardelle, which all go wonderfully with most cream sauce recipes.
For example, one of the most classic dishes of all time is Fettucine Alfredo, since the two work so well together. Bow tie pasta is another excellent example of a pasta that works well with creamy, rich sauces.
Oil / Butter Sauce
Olive oil is an excellent addition to many sauces, but butter can also be a great substitute. Both of these ingredients have a light, liquid texture that pairs well with garlic.
While butter is often used as a thickener for sauces, oil can usually be added to pasta on its own. A simple dish of spaghetti pasta with oil and garlic is a delicious meal that’s easy to prepare.
Fusilli and cavatappi are also great pasta choices for oil and butter sauces since they have a spiraled shape that allows the sauce to come in contact with the entire surface of the noodle.
Bolognese or Ragu Sauce
Bolognese or ragu sauce is a hearty, thick Italian sauce made with meat, tomatoes and spices. This sauce pairs best with thicker pasta that holds the meat sauce without falling apart.
In Italy, ragu Bolognese is only served with linguine, tortellini or gnocchi. However, you can change things up by serving this sauce with pasta like tagliatelle, pappardelle, fettuccine and mafaldine, thanks to their long, ribbon-like shapes.
Large shells stuffed with the sauce and sprinkled with cheese also make a delicious, hearty meal.
Vegetarian Sauce
Vegetarian sauces are made of virtually any type of vegetable as long as it doesn’t contain any meat. The best pasta to go with this type of sauce really depends on the recipe you make. Thin, long noodles always do well with virtually any vegetarian-based sauce.
Remember to use the pasta mentioned above if you’re making a simple sauce made of butter or oil. Adding fresh herbs will always make your vegetarian pasta dish taste lively and flavorful.
Non-Pasta Dishes
If you’re trying to cut out carbohydrates, there are plenty of non-pasta dishes you can make including spiraled veggies or zucchini cut into thin slices.
Spaghetti squash is a popular non-pasta dish that features healthy nutrients and textures very similar to real spaghetti for a nice alternative to traditional pasta.
Top Brands
Barilla Pasta Sauce
Barilla is a leading brand of pasta sauce. It is made with fresh ingredients, including garlic and basil, for a rich and flavorful taste. This sauce comes in many different varieties, including marinara, Alfredo and tomato basil.
The marinara sauce has a smooth texture and a sweet tomato flavor, while the tomato basil has a more intense flavor.
Bertolli Pasta Sauce
Bertolli pasta sauce is a delicious, high-quality brand of pasta sauce. It can be used on your favorite cooked noodles or as a dipping sauce for breadsticks and garlic bread.
This sauce is made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, herbs, and spices, so it has a rich flavor that will complement any dish. Four different pasta sauces are available, including classic tomato basil, alfredo mushroom and spinach, spicy marinara, and creamy roasted red pepper and garlic pesto.
Classico Pasta Sauce
Classico is the brand that started it all. This brand has been around for over 60 years, and they’re still going strong. Their pasta sauce is a classic tomato sauce that’s great for any number of dishes.
You can use it as an alternative to tomato paste in your cooking, or you can use it as a base for your homemade marinara sauce.
It comes in five different varieties: Marinara, Meaty Mushroom Marinara, Sautéed Garlic and Tomato, Roasted Garlic and Tomato, and Three Meat Pomodoro.
Rao’s Homemade Marinara
Rao’s Homemade Marinara is a classic sauce of tomatoes, garlic and basil. This sauce has a rich flavor that can be used on pasta, meatballs or as a pizza topping. The secret to this sauce is that it is made from scratch using fresh ingredients.
The tomatoes are imported from Italy and the herbs are picked from their rooftop garden in New York City.
This recipe was developed in the 1920s by Frank Pellegrino Sr., who opened Rao’s Restaurant in East Harlem with his friend Vincent Rao. The restaurant has been serving its famous marinara sauce for over 70 years.
Newman’s Own Marinara Sauce
Newman’s Own Marinara Sauce is a classic Italian-style pasta sauce made with plum tomatoes, olive oil, fresh garlic and dried oregano. Newman’s Own uses only the finest ingredients in their food products and this sauce is no exception.
It’s available in both a 16-ounce jar and a 32-ounce jar so you can buy just enough for your family or stock up on several jars for future use. The sauce has been featured in many publications, such as Woman’s Day, Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Prevention, and The New York Times to name a few.
Prego Pasta Sauce
Prego is a line of pasta sauces made by the Nestlé Food Company. Its origins date back to 1904 when Italian immigrants began making it in their small family kitchens.
The sauce was first sold commercially in 1925 under the name “Prego” and was produced by hand in small batches until it was mass-produced in the 1960s. Today, Prego is one of the most popular brands of pasta sauce in America.
The secret is vine-ripened tomatoes picked at their peak of flavor and combined with salt, sugar, spices, and olive oil to create their signature flavor.
Ragu Pasta Sauce
Ragu is an iconic American brand, but it wasn’t always that way. Ragu was started by an Italian husband and wife team, Giovanni and Assunta Cantisano, operating out of their home in Rochester, New York.
In 1937, the couple began selling homemade tomato sauce from the front porch. The sauce quickly became popular and was soon being sold at local grocery stores and produce markets
Emeril’s Homestyle Marinara Sauce
Emeril Lagasse started as a dishwasher in a New Orleans restaurant and worked his way up to becoming a chef.
He has since opened more than 20 restaurants in New Orleans and Las Vegas, as well as a line of food products. The sauce is made with fresh tomatoes, garlic, onions, green bell peppers, and basil. It’s perfect for using on pasta or pizza.
Where to Buy
If you’re looking for a great domestic pasta sauce to buy, there are a few places you can check out. First, your local grocery store is likely to have a variety of options available. You can also find many brands online, including through Amazon.
Another option is to visit your local Italian restaurant or pizzeria and ask about their favorite brands of pasta sauce. Many of these establishments will be happy to recommend a good product to you. Finally, don’t forget to ask family and friends for their recommendations as well!
Etsy.com
Etsy has cottage food businesses that sell pasta sauces made in the United States. Support small businesses and try many kinds of unique recipes.
Amazon.com
Amazon sells a variety of brands of pasta sauce, many of which are made in the United States. You can even have same day delivery with Whole Foods if you live in certain areas.
Wild Fork Foods
Wild Fork Foods is an online grocer that specializes in locally-sourced and sustainable foods. They offer a variety of pasta sauces made in the United States, from brands like Rao’s Homemade and Victoria Fine Foods.
Thrive Marketplace
Thrive Market is an online retailer that offers discounts on healthy, organic and sustainable foods. They sell a variety of pasta sauces made in the United States, including brands like 365 by Whole Foods and Rao’s Homemade.
Vitacost.com
Vitacost is an online retailer that specializes in selling health foods and supplements. They also sell pasta sauces and other shelf-stable foods.
Foodservicedirect.com
Food service direct sells a variety of pasta sauces in large quantities. This is a good option if you are looking to buy in bulk. Stock up and buy sauces by the case.
Big Lots
Big Lots sells conventional pasta sauces from brands like Braille, Prego, and Raghu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there vegan pasta sauce?
Yes! There are vegan pasta sauces on the market. Look for varieties made with vegetables like mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes as the main ingredients.
Some good brands include Bertoli, Classico, Ragu, Rao’s, Newman’s Own, and Primal Kitchen have vegan varieties.
Does pasta sauce have gluten?
In general, spaghetti sauce is gluten-free. Check the label of jarred gluten-free spaghetti sauce for any ingredients that may contain wheat.
The ingredients in tomato sauce are usually tomatoes, vegetables, and spices, which are gluten-free in nature.
Can you use pasta sauce for chili?
You can use any kind of pasta sauce you like, but a sauce with some veggies in it would be ideal. You can even use a marinara or Alfredo sauce if you want something creamy and rich. Pasta sauce is a great way to add some extra flavor to your batch of chili.
Make pasta sauce with milk?
Yes, you can make pasta sauce with milk. Milk is a good addition to the flavor of the sauce because it adds a creamy texture and smoothness, but it does thin the sauce a bit. A better solution would be to use half and half, or full cream to add richness and thicken up the sauce.
Can you make pasta sauce with canned tomatoes?
The answer is: yes! You can absolutely make a delicious pasta sauce with canned tomatoes. You can use fresh tomatoes by peeling, seeding, chopping, and straining them so your sauce is smooth. You can also substitute diced, stewed, or crushed canned tomatoes in your sauce as well.
Can you make pasta sauce with tomato soup?
It is possible to make pasta sauce with tomato soup, but it contains a lot of salt and sugar, which can make your sauce taste bitter. If you’re going to use tomato soup, you might try adding some extra ingredients like mushrooms or bell peppers so that it doesn’t taste too salty or sweet.
Can you make pasta sauce with tomato puree?
Yes! Tomato puree is a great way to make pasta sauce. Simply add a can of tomato puree, a can of crushed tomatoes (if you have one), and some type of liquid such as water or vegetable broth. You can season your sauce with a bit of olive oil, garlic, and whatever spices you like (oregano, basil) to enrich the flavor.
Can you make pasta sauce with ketchup?
Yes, you absolutely can! Ketchup is a tomato-based sauce that is used to spice up your meal. It’s made from tomatoes and spices like onion and garlic, but it also has sugar in it. To add a little creaminess, add one tablespoon of olive oil, half teaspoon of black pepper, and one tablespoon of butter to your ketchup and mix well.
Will avocado pasta sauce turn brown?
It might. However, it’s conditional. Cut avocados will turn brown when exposed to air. If you want your avocado pasta sauce to stay green, you can add a little bit of lemon juice to help slow down the process. Or simply keep it in a container and stir it when ready to serve. Browning only happens on the outside, not the inside.
Can you use salsa as pasta sauce?
You can use salsa as a pasta sauce. If your salsa is hot and spicy, you might want to add some additional vegetables or flavors to tone down the spice. You can also add some tomato paste or crushed tomatoes if your sauce is too thin.