I Asked 5 Italian Restaurant Chefs To Name the Best Jarred Marinara—They All Said the Same Thing

As a working parent juggling multiple deadlines, school pickup, and meal prep, I’ve quickly learned that keeping a few dinner shortcuts on hand is the difference between a fast homemade meal and spending too much money on mediocre takeout. Even on nights when I’m not feeling particularly inspired, knowing that my kitchen is stocked with pesto, beans, and—of course—marinara sauce means I can easily whip up one of my family’s go-to meals.

When it comes to frequency, there’s no doubt that marinara sauce is one of my household’s top-used pantry staples. I ladle it on top of pizza, toss it with store-bought ravioli, and bake it with pasta and cheese into cozy, comforting casseroles.

As much as I love homemade sauce, there’s not always time to simmer tomatoes, garlic, and herbs for hours to create marinara from scratch. But I also don’t want to settle for just any store-bought sauce, and with so many filling grocery shelves, shopping for one can honestly be a bit overwhelming.

That’s why I decided to ask professionals with a background in Italian cooking which jarred marinara they reach for when they’re at the supermarket. While most still prefer to make their own, these food pros and chefs chose one that’s readily available at major grocery stores.

The Food Pros and Chefs I Asked

• Anna Francese Gass: Recipe developer and cookbook author of Italian Snacking: Sweet and Savory Recipes for Every Hour of the Day
• Brian Mooney: Executive chef and owner at Tre Luna Bar & Kitchen in Hoover, Alabama
• Mark Bolchoz: Chef and Culinary Director of Italian Concepts for Indigo Road Hospitality Group
• Steven Redzikowski: Executive chef and owner of OAK at Fourteenth in Denver, Colorado
• Paulie O’Connor: Chef and owner of the Italian catering company Gabeesh in Phoenix, Arizona

The Best Jarred Marinara Sauce, According to Food Pros and Chefs

It turns out Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce has earned a place in the pantries of food editors and professional chefs alike. They all love its fresh, pure ingredients. 

Redzikowski grew up on his mom’s Italian cooking, so he usually makes his own sauce using Bianco DiNapoli crushed tomatoes, but Rao’s is his backup for busy nights. “If I'm really in a pinch, my go-to jarred marinara is from Rao's. It’s known for its simplicity and clean ingredients with just whole, peeled tomatoes along with olive oil, onions, garlic, herbs, and spices. There's no added sugar, preservatives, or additives."

“Rao’s is truly close to homemade,” says Gass, so she can use it for speedy dishes as well as braises. “It’s perfect for pizza, baked dishes, and any time you need a quick dinner,” she raves, but she also finds it “great when it is going to be used to slow cook to really develop those flavors out of the jar.”

Since Rao’s is made with just a handful of ingredients, it’s a handy culinary blank canvas, Bolchoz points out. “It has a good base flavor and doesn’t have an overbearing sweetness or dry basil taste,” he says, “So you can buy the regular sauce and doctor it up at home, if you like.” I add olives and anchovies for puttanesca, or mix in cream and vodka for a vodka sauce.

Other Rao Sauces To Love

If you don’t have time to doctor a jar of Rao’s marinara, the brand’s flavored sauces are just as popular with chefs. For home cooks who prefer a basil-forward taste, Mooney is partial to Rao’s Homemade Tomato Basil, which is made with the same ingredients but features more of the aromatic herb. There are sentimental reasons for his pick, too.

“Rao's is a restaurant out of New York, where I am from, and it is nostalgic for me. The quality of the ingredients and the simplicity of the sauce make it a great option when we don't have time to make it at home.”

And for a sauce with a kick, O’Connor recommends Rao’s Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce. “It tastes light and fresh with well-balanced acidity from tomatoes, and the heat just lingers a bit on the back of the throat.” Yum! All this talk of Italian food made me hungry for pasta. Luckily, I had a jar of Rao’s marinara in my pantry.

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