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Best jarred pasta sauce (marinara), according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Ina Garten, Dennis Littley, Meggan Hill, Ann Ziata and 12 more. Recommendations come from foodrepublic.com, businessinsider.com, eatingwell.com and thekitchn.com and 5 other sources.

Pantry Staples · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Rao’s Homemade Marinara

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Asked for her go-to jarred sauce, Ina answered: “That’s easy! Rao’s Marinara Sauce.” Chefs agree: six of the eight chefs The Kitchn asked picked it. James Beard Award winner Steve Chiappetti calls it “as close to homemade as it gets on a shelf.”
    Where to buy · raos.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: foodrepublic.com ↗
  2. 2

    Carbone Marinara

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Ruland grew up in an Italian-American family where jarred sauce was “a forbidden, foreign substance,” and was “actually shocked” by “how fresh and homemade it tasted.” Private chef Andrew Owens praises its “rich, savory profile with natural tomato sweetness.”
    Where to buy · carbonefinefood.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: thekitchn.com ↗
  3. 3

    Bianco DiNapoli Organic Marinara

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Organic California tomatoes, short ingredient list. Fadem: it “really tastes like someone made it for you fresh.” Cookbook author Diane Sanfilippo calls it “my #1 favorite store-bought sauce.”
    Where to buy · biancodinapoli.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: diningandcooking.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best jarred pasta sauce (marinara), according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Rao’s Homemade Marinara, chosen by Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa). Asked for her go-to jarred sauce, Ina answered: “That’s easy! Rao’s Marinara Sauce.” Chefs agree: six of the eight chefs The Kitchn asked picked it. James Beard Award winner Steve Chiappetti calls it “as close to homemade as it gets on a shelf.” Source: foodrepublic.com ↗
What are the other top picks for jarred pasta sauce (marinara)?
No. 2 is Carbone Marinara, chosen by Lisa Ruland (Unpeeled Journal). No. 3 is Bianco DiNapoli Organic Marinara, chosen by Nicole Brisson (Brezza, Las Vegas) and Mike Fadem (Ops and Leo, New York). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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