We Tested 11 Pasta Sauces & This Is The Best
Whether ladled over piping hot pasta or spooned atop fresh Italian bread, pasta sauce is a common pantry staple that’s as versatile as the recipes that call for it. The problem? Marinara is more than just crushed tomatoes, and a good jar of sauce can be hard to find.
After all, any and every supermarket seems to stock up on countless offerings. That’s why we decided to spare you the guesswork by dipping a slice of fresh sprouted toast into 11 popular pasta sauces. We ranked each one based on nutrition, clean ingredients, appearance and consistency, and of course, taste.
Yes, we tested 11 pasta sauces so that you don’t have to! We’re just here to help you out, dear reader.
Below, you’ll find all of the best pasta sauces, but if you’re more interested in creating your own from scratch, check out the 100 Easiest Recipes You Can Make.
Easy Keto Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Its the perfect keto tomato sauce for Fathead Pizza, or to serve with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash when you need a keto pasta fix! Im posting this really easy low carb marinara sauce recipe because Ill be including two recipes that call for keto marinara sauce in next weeks 7 Day Keto Missing:walmartMust include:walmart
This keto spaghetti sauce is about to become your go-to sauce for noodles, zoodles, all anything else that you prefer to serve with a meat sauce. We are combining all of the Italian flavors you love like garlic, basil, and oregano , to a simple base of canned tomatoes and ground beef to create a homemade low-carb red sauce that will delight any plate you add it to.
Actually, tomato sauce is a typical base for a spaghetti sauce and the transformation occurs when additional ingredients are incorporated. In fact, it is completely acceptable to use tomato sauce as your spaghetti sauce. The fun part is mixing in whatever ingredients you choose. Alternatives to Adding Sugar to Keto Spaghetti SauceMissing:walmartMust include:walmart
Be in the know! Get up-to-date information on weekly flyer features, Rollback & clearance items, exclusive products, and Walmart offers. You can unsubscribe at anytime.
Read Also: Elijahs Extreme Hot Sauce
Best Overall: Don Pepino Pizza Sauce
The sauce, which has a total of just five ingredientstomatoes, corn oil, salt, spices, and garlic powderis free from some of the extra ingredients you sometimes find in store-bought products, including preservatives, starches, artificial sugar, added color, gums, and citric acid. Plus, the product is made with corn oil, rather than olive oil.
Finally, the sauce is packaged in a fun, retro-looking can thats easier to store than big, bulky glass jars.
Just because youre looking to keep your grocery bill in check, doesnt mean you have to sacrifice quality. Look no further than Ragús Homemade Style Pizza Sauce. Each 14-ounce jar in this four-pack yields plenty of sauce for more than a handful of pies yet rings in at less than a couple of dollars per bottle.
Still, the flavor and the consistency is comparable to other pizza sauces. This is mostly thanks to the fact that, like other great pizza sauces, the formula hinges on vine-ripened tomatoes, olive oil, and spicesnot much else. There are also no artificial flavors, added colors, or high fructose corn syrup.
Read Also: How To Remove Hot Sauce Stain
Also Check: Is Soy Sauce Bad For Diabetics
Raos Homemade Sensitive Formula Marinara Sauce
This marinara was formulated without onions or garlic for those who suffer from gastric distress or are following a low FODMAP diet, have IBS, or have many food sensitivities. If you dont suffer from any of these ailments, dont bother with this sauce. Its high in calories and high in fateven if its the healthy kind, it should still be eaten in moderation.
Expert Tips From A Dietitian
This is a level 1 recipe . This sugar free teriyaki sauce is a low calorie and low carb condiment that can add rich umami flavor to a meal. Are you eating a lot of protein and non-starchy veggies as part of your weight loss strategy? A little teriyaki sauce can help keep your meals from getting boring.
A little is key here. This sauce is really too strong to be used as a dipping sauce. This recipe makes enough teriyaki sauce to flavor at least 2-3 meals, so enjoy some teriyaki chicken with the whole family!
Benefits aside, this is still a high sodium condiment, even though I used reduced sodium soy sauce. Teriyaki sauce is not the best choice for flavoring if youre on a low sodium diet. Instead of teriyaki sauce, try flavoring foods with herbs, citrus juice, or citrus zest instead.
Also keep in mind that low sodium soy sauce will usually be much lower in sodium than reduced sodium soy sauce. If you need a lower sodium option, make sure your soy sauce says low sodium on the label. Servivita Zero Calories Soy Sauce is one of the lowest sodium soy sauce options Ive found.
On the other hand, if youre on a low carb or keto diet, your levels of electrolytes can drop. In this case, being more liberal with your intake of sodium may help. This keto teriyaki sauce may help you to replenish some of the sodium losses that can result from a very low carb diet pattern.
Recommended Reading: Are Tomatos Bad For Gout
You May Like: How To Make Green Spaghetti Sauce
How To Use Your Sugar Free Teriyaki Sauce
One of my favorite, and easiest ways to use this keto teriyaki sauce is in low carb teriyaki chicken bowls. I love to whip up a batch of my fried cauliflower rice, omitting the pork, and steaming some broccoli.
Ill drizzle a little of the sugar free teriyaki sauce on top, sometimes I even add a little bit of mysugar free yum yum sauce, and we have a family friendly keto hibachi dinner!
If I have them on hand, sometimes I even sauté some carrots, zucchini, and onion just like the chefs at our favorite hibachi grill!
One other way you could use this keto teriyaki sauce is in teriyaki beef. Mix the sauce ingredients, without the slurry, and use it to marinade some stir fry beef. Fry your beef in a hot skillet, sauté the same veggies I just mentioned, and use the reserved marinade to make your sauce!
Thats two easy meals you can get out of this one easy keto Japanese recipe! I think the cool kids call that winning!
Be sure to tag me in your posts on social media! You can find me at Keto In Pearls across all platforms.
Nicole
Wednesday 15th of September 2021
If substituting ground ginger only use 1 teaspoon since that is equivalent to 1 TABLEspoon fresh. The recipe states to use 3 teaspoons but thats actually the same as 1 tablespoon.
Tuesday 2nd of July 2019
Anna Hunley
Wednesday 3rd of July 2019
Alice Russell
Saturday 1st of December 2018
Approximately how much is 1/6 of this recipes in TBs?
Brooke Danielson
You May Like: Raos Sauces
Be Choosy With Ingredients
Be careful to use No Salt Added canned tomatoes and tomato paste for this recipe. Regular canned tomatoes and tomato paste can add a lot of sodium to your cooking.
I found that many tomato pastes do not have have salt added*, even though it does not advertise as being low sodium! Just make sure to check the food label.
I chose to use canned diced tomatoes in this recipe. Many pasta sauce recipes call for crushed canned tomatoes, but I have a harder time finding low sodium crushed tomatoes. As a result, this recipe comes out a little more chunky than many pasta sauces. If you do not prefer a chunky sauce, simply blend the sauce to the consistency you would like after cooking. Or, if you can find no salt added crushed tomatoes in your grocery store, they would make a fine substitute for the diced tomatoes in the recipe.
Don’t Miss: How To Cook Classico Vodka Sauce
Large Family Cabbage Lasagna Freezer Meal Recipe Low Carb Keto Thm S
If youre looking for a wholesome and healthy Large Family Cabbage Lasagna Freezer Meal Recipe then this is the meal for you! This large family recipe makes 4 deep dish pans of Family Cabbage Lasagna. The best part is these hearty pans of cabbage lasagna are so cheesy and awesome that you dont miss the noodles. Added bonus, this low carb lasagna freezes and reheats beautifully. Serve one on your freezer cooking day and freeze three for later.
Dont forget to snag the FREE Large Family Food Collection with meal planners, holiday planners, the recipe binder creation kit, baking printables, and so much more!
I used foil deep dish pans to make this make-ahead batch of 4 low carb cabbage lasagnas. You can also use glass baking dishes and follow manufacturers directions for freezing and reheating. Serve this Cabbage Lasagna with salad!
FREEZER COOKING DIRECTIONS
Bertolli Tomato & Basil
6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
Ingredients: Diced Tomatoes in Juice , Tomato Purée , Basil, Sugar, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Onions, Salt, Garlic, Spices, Natural Flavors
Appearance & Consistency: Bertolli’s sauce is like Christmas all bottled up: It’s chock full of green basil flakes floating around in a deep red, extra chunky sauce.
Taste: Popping this jar open was like sticking my nose directly into a basil plant. Unfortunately, the nauseating level of sweetness overpowered both the bright basil and tomato.
Eat This, Not That! Verdict:
I wish this sauce were lower in sugar because it had massive potentialbefore I dolloped the stuff onto a slice of toast. The lumpiness also didn’t work in Bertolli’s favor.
Don’t Miss: Barbecue Sauce Recipe For Pulled Pork
Will Jack N The Container Do Lettuce Covered Burgrs
Thé flaw that l appear to discover with obtaining the Best Cheeseburger now could be that Jack in the Package doesnt possess a system to make it low carbohydrate really. They shall take action for you in the event that you ask, but they havent any basic idea how exactly to wrap it in lettuce. Its tossed on the leaf and devote the bowl basically.
Where Can I Buy Low Carb Marinara
Hopefully I have made a strong case as to why you should just make your own low carb marinara sauce. Especially since this Keto Marinara is so simple and delicious.
However, if you do ever want to buy store bought, although it pains me to even talk about it, there are options.
It should not be hard to find low carb marinara sauces. Here are some of the available brands in order of my favorites:
- Raos Homemade Vodka Sauce
- Italos Gourmet Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce
- Victorias Marinara Sauce
- The Vine Organic Original Marinara
- The Meatball Shop Classic Tomato Sauce
- Organico Bello Kale Tomato Basil
Also Check: Low Carb Sugar Free Bbq Sauce
Recommended Reading: What Soy Sauce Is Gluten Free
Using Low Carb Pizza Sauce
Pizza sauce is a great alternative to a more traditional marinara because its thicker and it takes a lot less time to make.
You could add it to some chicken breasts with cheese in a low carb wrap for a simple chicken parm, or top some meatballs with it and melt mozzarella on top for a decadent meatball parm.
And of course you can use it to make Pizza Stuffed Cabbage Rolls. These are fun because they are out of the ordinary, but still have those comfort food familiar flavors.
You can also make the dough for this Low Carb Stromboli, top it with your homemade pizza sauce, and make whatever pizza your little heart desires! You could even do single serve make your own pizzas for the whole family!
How Much Sodium Is In Your Low Sodium Pasta Sauce Melanie
This low sodium pasta sauce recipe only has 70mg of sodium per a 1/2 cup serving! This is about 85% less sodium compared to the whopping 480mg in Prego, 460mg in Ragu and 490mg in Newmans Own marinara sauces.
You can find low sodium or heart healthy versions of jarred pasta sauce. However, most of these sauces still have about 350mg of sodium per 1/2 cup. Also, low sodium products often have added potassium, which can be a problem for some people with kidney disease.
Making pasta sauce at home tastes SO much better anyway! But, the lower sodium versions of the jarred pasta sauce are certainly better than the full sodium version in a pinch!
Recommended Reading: Alabama White Sauce For Sale
More Keto Recipes Like This
The great thing about this recipe is it can be used in so many different dishes. Check out some of our best Italian keto recipes and put that sauce to good use:
- Keto Pasta Thats right, we made low-carb pasta and its absolutely amazing.
- Keto Chicken Parmesan An easy keto weeknight comfort meal thats big on flavor.
- Keto Pizza A low-carb pizza made with our famous fathead dough.
- Keto Pizza Casserole No time to make dough? No problem!
- Zero Carb Pizza Recipe The ultimate low-carb comfort meal.
If you love keto Italian recipes as much as we do, make sure to check out our entire library here.
How To Choose A Low Sodium Pasta Sauce
There are countless different types of store-bought pasta sauces to choose from. When choosing a low-sodium pasta sauce, here are some things to look for and some things to limit:
What to look for:
- Potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral involved in many of the same functions as sodium. Unlike sodium though, studies show that higher intakes of potassium are associated with better heart health and reduced risk of stroke .
- Other vitamins, minerals, and beneficial nutrients. Some pasta sauces are rich in beneficial nutrients such as iron, calcium, and fiber. Check the nutrition facts label if there is 10% of the recommended daily value or more of any of these nutrients, you can consider it a good source.
What to limit:
- Sodium. Some varieties of pasta sauce contain over 600mg of sodium in a single serving. To put that into perspective, a product must contain less than 140mg per serving to claim low sodium on the label by FDA labeling standards .
- Added sugar. Added sugars are concentrated forms of sugar, introduced to food during processing. These sugars are often hidden in store-bought foods, including pasta sauce. Because added sugars provide energy but offer little to no other nutritional value, The American Heart Association recommends limiting them to 25 to 36 grams per day .
Also Check: Gluten Free Bbq Sauce Recipe
Recommended Reading: How Do You Make The Sauce For Coleslaw
Barilla Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti
The trouble is that a lot of whole-wheat brown pastas are really no better than the regular white ones, so you really have to go out of your way to turn the label over, Smith says. For the most part, aim for at least 3-4 grams of fiber per serving. This ubiquitous offering definitely fits the bill.
Recommended Reading: Burger Recipe With Worcestershire Sauce
Youll Love Low Sodium Homemade Pesto
| Typical sodium amount per serving | 560mg |
| Calories per serving | 50 |
Of course with the basil and garlic being such a strong flavor, you wont even miss it. Swiss cheese is among the lowest sodium cheeses at 55mg per ounce. Any sodium comes from the cheese you choose to blend in. I also like mine with the addition of a little onion powder and cayenne pepper to give it a little boost.
So throw out the salt and enjoy the garlicky nuttiness. It only takes a few minutes to prepare using a small food processor and requires only a few ingredients. Being homemade you can also control the consistency to either use as a dip or a pasta sauce. Now you can always have low-sodium homemade pesto on hand for the surprise snack attack.
You May Like: Tzatziki Sauce Where To Buy
Read Also: Alfredo Sauce With Heavy Cream
What Is The Best Spaghetti Sauce To Buy
The best store bought spaghetti sauce will be one which is low in sodium and has no added sugar. If oil is added, ideally it should be extra virgin olive instead of canola. High amounts of oregano, basil, and garlic will add antioxidants.
Canned tomatoes typically use BPA or bisphenol-S to prevent the acidity from eating away the aluminum. Even the BPA-free linings may be just as dangerous, if not more so, when it comes to their hormone-mimicking effects. For that reason, the healthiest pasta sauces are those sold in glass jars.
How To Make Homemade Teriyaki Sauce
There are actually lots of different recipes out there for teriyaki sauce ranging from very simple to super complex. This recipe falls somewhere in the middle, but is worth the extra work. It is so good and so much better than the bottled stuff. Here are the basic ingredients to make teriyaki sauce. Here is what you need:
- Pineapple juice isnt a typical ingredient but adds sweetness and a bit of tang to the teriyaki sauce.
- Reduced sodium soy sauce helps keep the sodium levels in check. You can also use coconut aminos to reduce the sodium even more.
- Honey is a healthier option for sweetening the teriyaki sauce. You could also use brown sugar, white sugar, or maple syrup.
- Rice wine vinegar adds some acidity to the sauce and some sweetness.
- Garlic to punch up the flavor.
- Ginger to add some spice.
- Pepper is optional but adds some spice and balances the sweetness.
- Cornstarch is only needed for the sauce version. If you are just using it as marinade you can leave this out.
- This is all combined in a sauce pan and cooked down until it gets nice and thick. If you are using it as a marinade, you can skip the extra step of cooking down the sauce.
Recommended Reading: Only Natural Pet Superfood Sauce
Don’t Miss: Heartbeat Hot Sauce Pineapple Habanero
