The 25 best pasta sauces, ranked for National Sauce Month - nj.com

Pasta. Sauce.

You don’t have to be Italian to swoon upon mention of those words. In 2019, worldwide consumption of pasta was 16 million tons, more than double the amount 20 years ago.

And sauce? Most supermarkets stock dozens of varieties. Marinara. Tomato and basil. Tomato, garlic and onion. Tomato and herb. Vodka. Bolognese. Puttanesca. Pomodoro. Arrabbiata. The list goes on and on.

There have been rankings of pasta sauces — the Chicago Tribune sampled 12; Thrillist sampled 13. To which we say: Child’s play.

In 2019, we sampled 129 sauces, with every major sauce brand available in New Jersey ranked from worst to best. A total of 14 stores were visited. Two sauces per brand (most suggested by readers) were sampled; several brands were represented by one sauce only.

For National Sauce Month, we’re offering an abridged version of that showdown, with the top 25 instead of the initial ranking’s 65. Those finishing out of the top 25 included Emeril’s (#54); Bertolli’s (#48); and Lidia’s (#31).

We’ve done five supermarket showdowns; the others are frozen pizza, snacks, breakfast cereal and ice cream.

One pasta was used throughout the sampling — De Cecco Linguine No. 7. For each brand listed below, we’ll quote something from the label. The sauces’ backstories are illuminating and often entertaining. You’d be amazed how many of these sauces are based on “secret’' recipes.

The top 25 pasta sauces ranked — The Original Jersey Italian Gravy

Carlos Vega, owner of The Original Jersey Italian Gravy, worked in an Italian restaurant when younger. Many years later, he purchased the restaurant’s recipe for its sauce,”that rich, hauntingly delicious tomato gravy that made everything it touched special.’'

What the label says: “No added spices. Only 5 ingredients.’'

The Original Jersey Italian Gravy: Maybe the sweetest sauce of all those sampled (onions, cane sugar). ’'Hauntingly delicious?’' Stop it.

The 25 best pasta sauces, ranked — Trader Joe's Marinara and Pomodoro sauces

Trader Joe’s actually started as a small chain of convenience stores - Pronto Markets - in 1958. In 1967, the name was changed to Trader Joe’s and the stores got bigger. Today, there are nearly 500 stores in 41 states.

What the label says: “Italian tomatoes are very different from their American cousins. The inside pulp is more dense and meaty and the taste is sweeter and less acidic’' (Rustico Pomodoro).

Italian Marinara Sauce with Barolo Wine: You can smell the wine a supermarket aisle away; heady, thick sauce. Somewhat salty, but better than expected.

Trader Giotto’s Rustico Pomodoro Pasta Sauce: Not bad at all. Trader Joe’s grades out higher than Wegman’s or Whole Foods.

Michaels of Brooklyn, the restaurant, opened on Avenue R in 1964. The Food Network named its veal parmigiana among the top five Italian foods in America. The restaurant bills itself as home of “the only nationally sold pasta sauce cooked and packed at the source.’'

What the label says: “Imported Italian tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh garlic, Italian olive oil, spices and fresh parsley. Nothing else.’'

Fresh Tomato & Basil: Maybe those tomatoes were in the sun too long. A sauce this expensive should be better.

Home Style Gravy: Hearty, somewhat complex, semi-thick, but another legendary-NYC-Italian-restaurant sauce I thought would be better.

Nanina’s — “the best wedding venue in New Jersey” — is also a renowned Italian restaurant. Head chef Vincento Loretti learned from his grandfather in Campania “the true secret of how to create delicious, authentic Italian cuisine.’'

What the label says: “Voted #1 pasta sauce by Italian Tribune.’'

Marinara: Interesting, sorta-kinda wholesome tomatoey taste. Could use some herbs/seasoning.

Fra Diavolo: Expected it to be spicier. Still pretty decent.

Uncle Steve is Steve Schirripa, who played Bobby Baccalieri on “The Sopranos.’'

What the label says: “Growing up in Brooklyn, Sunday morning was the day you would wake up to the aroma of tomatoes, garlic and olive oil simmering on mom’s stove as she prepared the sauce for dinner.’'

Organic arrabiata: not as spicy nor as good as Batali’s, but decent enough.

Arrabiata: Almost twice as much sodium as the organic arrabiata, maybe a smidge spicier.

Dave Hirschkop, the founder of Dave’s Gourmet, started in the food business with a taqueria called Burrito Madness, where he created “the hottest hot sauce in the universe.’' He now presides over a specialty foods company.

What the label says: “An amazing, savory flavor which comes from rich porcini and buttery shiitake mushrooms, garlic, red wine, sage and tomatoes’' (All-Natural Wild Mushroom); “a delicious sauce that is light, fresh and bursting with flavor’' (Organic Red Heirloom).

All-Natural Wild Mushroom: I’m tasting more garlic than mushrooms. I really wanted to like this sauce.

Organic Red Heirloom: Love the boatload of chunky tomatoes, but a bit too sweet.

The Silver Palate, which began as a food store on Manhattan’s Upper West Side 35 years ago, easily wins the award for most colorful self-promotion. The sauce, besides being ’'delicious, nutritious, frugal and fun,’' is an “Italian opera in every jar,’' Wait, there’s more.

What the label says: “When you taste this superb sauce, you may imagine hearing a beautiful Italian aria.’'

Marinara oreganata: Onions and carrots give it some personality; better than average.

San Marzano Marinara: Fine, no-fireworks marinara.

La Famiglia DelGrosso, founded in 1914, calls itself America’s oldest sauce maker. It all began with Marianna Pulcino, who immigrated to America in 1911, “bringing with her an old-world recipe for pasta sauce.’'

Chef John’s Tomato Basil Masterpiece: Hardly. But it’s good, not salty, just enough basil.

Aunt Mary Ann’s Sunday Marinara: Salty, but there’s some complexity there.

Muir Glen was founded 25 years ago “on the belief that there must be a way to grow a better-tasting tomato — it must be grown organically.’'

What the label says: Tomatoes are grown “in California’s sunny Sacramento Valley under the tender care of farmers passionate about organic agriculture.’'

Organic Chunky Tomato & Herb: A bit too herby, but I’ll take it over the bland marinaras that populate this list.

Organic Tomato Basil: More than passable, organic or not. Thick, hearty, oniony. One of the top organic sauces.

Lucini’s mission is to create “authentic, hand-crafted foods inspired by the culinary traditions of Italy.’'

What the label says: “Our recipe for good food is simple — use only a few fresh ingredients of extraordinary quality.’'

Rustic Tomato Basil: Disappointing. We obviously have different definitions of “extraordinary.’'

Tuscan Marinara: Hmmm, nice, rich, deep tomatoey taste. A first-rate organic sauce.

Shortly after graduating from Rutgers University, Mario Batali received his first formal culinary training at Le Cordon Bleu in London. He and Joe Bastianich would open Babbo in NYC, and the two ran restaurants from New York to Singapore until the B + B Hospitality Group severed ties with the celebrity chef. The Batali sauces are made by Summer Garden Foods in Ohio.

What the label says: “Crafted from imported Italian tomatoes, purely produced with all fresh chopped onions and fresh garlic.’'

Arrabbiata: Got my attention, for sure. A nice sauce, with a tart/spicy tomatoey taste.

Tuna sauce: I expected a more pronounced tuna taste. Oniony. Points for being different, anyway.

Corrado’s Market is a local food legend, with locations in Clifton, Wayne, North Arlington and Fairfield.

What the label says: “There is a difference.’'

Vodka Sauce: Maybe the best vodka sauce of those sampled. Ingredients include tomatoes, salt, black pepper, oil, garlic, basil, heavy cream and vodka.

Storemade Marinara Sauce: A bit humdrum, but at least it doesn’t have that mass-produced taste.

Ethnic Cottage is a line of Indian cooking sauces and Jersey tomato sauces.

What the label says: “Decadent and full of flavor. . . a rich blend of Jersey tomatoes, fresh cream, vodka and Romano cheese’' (Vodka); “A deliciously prepared pasta sauce made with sweet tasting basil, flavorful Jersey fresh tomatoes, pure olive oil and a wonderful blend of fresh spices’' (Tomato Basil)

Vodka: Quite tasty, better than Botticelli or Lidia’s.

Tomato Basil: No extra points for the Jersey tomatoes, but this is a quality oniony/garlicky sauce.

Neil Lusco, the chef behind Cucina Antica, grew up in Southern Italy, the first-born son of Italian farmers who would emigrate to the

What the label says: “Since the 1800s my family has farmed the world’s best San Marzano tomatoes in Southern Italy.’' (from Chef Neil Lusco)

Tomato Basil: Sweet, light, oniony, distinctive.

Garlic Marinara: Bold, garlicky taste, but nowhere as good as the tomato basil.

Patsy’s is a New York restaurant icon, founded in 1944 by Pasquale “Patsy’' Scognamillo. It’s known as the restaurant “Frank Sinatra made famous.’'

What the label says: “Patsy’s highly-acclaimed tomato basil is a Neapolitan classic bursting with fresh sweet basil and onions.’'

All Natural Tomato Basil: Sweet, with the onions. Upper-tier, not quite at the top.

Fra Diavolo: Crushed red pepper brings the spice. A fine, feisty fra diavolo. Tastes like it was made in someone’s kitchen. I’d buy this again.

Mia Cucina is a Jersey-based sauce that traces its roots to Antonio Celentano, who opened a dairy store in Newark in the early 1900s. Celentano, now part of Rosina Food Products, is best known for its ravioli.

What the label says: “100 percent New Jersey crushed tomatoes ... New Jersey merlot wine’' (Marinara with Merlot).

Marinara Sauce: Thick, garlicky, a bit peppery, overall a quality sauce.

Marinara with Merlot: You can definitely taste that merlot. I liked this one a lot.

Bill and John Vesper, owners of Vesper Brothers Foods, grew up in their father’s deli outside Philly. Their first sauce was a marinara based on their grandmother’s recipe. When she tasted it for the first time, she approved.

What the label says: “We’re proud to bring you our line of fine Italian foods, including our signature marinara.’'

Tomato basil: Wholesome, tomatoey taste, but could use some herbs/seasoning.

Marinara: A husky, hearty sauce.

Seggiano is named after a small village in southern Tuscany where Peri Eagleton and David Harrison have farmed organic olives since 1985.

What the label says: “A generous amount of fresh garlic . . . made for us in Sicily using naturally sun-sweetened tomatoes’' (Marinara Garlic Organic); “Pasta arrabbiata is the classic Southern Italian dish for passionate hotheads’' (Arrabbiata Chili Organic).

Marinara Garlic Organic Pasta Sauce: “Generous’' may be an understatement about the garlic. Thicker than most. Recommended.

Arrabbiata Chili Organic Pasta Sauce: Spicy from the get. Thick, puckish sauce. A winner.

There were more recommendations for Rao’s than any other sauce when I announced this mission on Twitter. The restaurant opened in New York City in 1896; there are now also locations in Las Vegas and Los Angeles.

What the label says: “Bring the taste of the famous Rao’s New York restaurant home. Enjoy our original marinara sauce recipe with Italian flavors perfected over generations’' (Marinara); “The rich blend of tomatoes, aged Parmigiano reggiano and pecorino Romano cheese with a splash of vodka is a bright, creamy sauce that accents any dish’' (Vodka).

Marinara: Upper echelon of marinaras, but there are better ones on this list.

Vodka: Merely OK; not as good as Il Mulino’s or Corrado’s.

Joe Leone’s is an Italian specialty food store in Point Pleasant Beach (there is another location in Sea Girt). There is nothing on the label about the ingredients.

Bolognese: Now that’s a real made-at-home kind of sauce, meaty, tomatoey. Definitely would buy again.

Marinara sauce: Good. Tastes like carrots are in there somewhere. Would love to see the ingredients.

Il Mulino started in New York 30-plus years ago and now includes restaurants in Manhattan, Long Island, South Beach and Atlantic City.

What the label says: “Decadent signature sauces ... 30 years of excellence.’'

Marinara: Unfussy, unfancy, thoroughly enjoyable.

Vodka: In the running for best vodka sauce.

Hoboken Farms is “the only family-owned American company that has organically grown from a local, outdoor farm market concern to a beloved emerging national brand,’' according to the com

What the label says: “The most glorious sauce in the ever-lovin’ universe’' (Marinara).

Marinara: Oh calm down, already. It’s good, sweet and chunky.

Basil marinara: You can sure smell the basil. One of the three or four best marinaras.

Victoria began with an Italian family immigrating to Brooklyn in 1929, and that’s about all the background you’ll find on the company website.

What the label says: “Using the freshest premium ingredients has always come first ... we use roughly chopped tomatoes, giving our sauce its chunky texture.’'

White Linen Marinara: Good, honest tomatoey taste. Available at Costco since 2006. I paid $14.49 for a 40-ounce bottle on Amazon.

Fra Diavolo: Solid sauce; for spicy, Seggiano is better.

The first Pastosa Ravioli store opened in 1966 in Brooklyn. There are now 11 stores, including Cranford, Florham Park, Manalapan and Wall.

What the label says: Not much; it’s just a list of ingredients.

Meat Sauce: Imported Italian tomatoes, pork and beef, onion, pure olive oil, black pepper, spices. Fresh, just-made taste, old-fashioned goodness. Maybe my favorite single sauce in the entire competition.

Marinara: Not as memorable as the meat sauce, but still well-above-average.

Classico, which offers two dozen pasta sauces, is distinguished by its Mason jars.

What the label says: “Authentic Italian flavors, carefully-crafted ingredients, time-honored recipes.’'

Classico Riserva Marinara: Thick, hearty, fresh, tomatoey. The best marinara sauce sampled.

Tomato & Basil: Tart and tasty. Bursting with flavor.

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Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com.

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