My Italian Mom Swears By This Jarred Pasta Sauce (She Says It Tastes Like Grandma’s)

When I was growing up, I was always greeted by the comforting smell of dinner cooking at home after a long day of school, sports, and the latest girl drama. I’d walk into the kitchen full of glee as the scent of garlic, tomatoes, and oregano filled my nose. Over the loud vent that dispersed steam from the boiling water, my mom and I fell into a familiar routine — she’d ask me how school was, and I’d shrug my shoulders and throw myself on the couch in anticipation of dinner. 

Now, almost 10 years later, I recreate that aroma 50 miles from home in my own kitchen while I’m away at college. The key to that dreamy smell? No, it’s not a homemade sauce that sits over the stovetop for hours — it’s a jar of Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce.

When I say that Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce is the best, I mean it. I come from an Italian American family, and we don’t play when it comes to our sauces. For years my mom tried to re-create her mom’s own legendary homemade sauce in the kitchen. Then, about 10 years ago, she found Rao’s Homemade. 

“It reminds me of Sunday dinners, crowded around my large, and loud, Italian American family,” she says. “They would say, ‘have a little,’ and then dump a mountain of pasta on my plate!” 

The texture of the sauce is just perfect. It has a combination of chunky bits and smooth, puréed tomatoes to give it the ideal texture of any tomato sauce. It also has hints of oregano and parsley for a nice, well rounded flavor. Compared to other jarred sauces, it has the ideal sweetness that comes just from the tomatoes and not other added sugars. Not only does this sauce taste great, but it also brings up welcome childhood memories for both my mom and me. 

The sauce is plenty great on its own, but to spice it up we’ll add ground beef or Italian sausage for a bit of extra protein and texture. Some days I’ll heat up some pasta and just pour some sauce right over; other times I’ll swap out pasta for roasted spaghetti squash and a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

When I lived in the dorms, with only a microwave to spare, I heated it up in the microwave and paired it with Barilla’s 60 Second Rotini. It just tasted like home.