My New Favorite Jarred Pasta Sauce Tastes Like It’s Homemade (I Promise, It’s Not Rao’s!)

I usually zhuzh it up with extra basil, garlic, or chili flakes, but I finally found a sauce that’s flavorful enough straight from the jar: Carmine’s Marinara Sauce. Oh, and beyond its robust, savory flavor, it’s also got a genius design for easy opening.

The sauce is from the famous Carmine’s Italian restaurant in New York City. When the restaurant temporarily slowed down during the COVID-19 pandemic, customers begged the owners to jar and sell its legendary sauce, and the rest, as they say, is history. If you’ve been to Carmine’s you’ll probably recognize the ingredients on the jar — they’re exactly the same as the one it serves on the menu: 100% Italian Plum Tomatoes, olive oil blend (canola oil and extra-virgin olive oil), garlic, basil, salt, and parsley. 

All of the additional ingredients accentuate the natural umami richness of the tomato-forward flavor. Sure, it tastes divine, but the cherry on top of it all is its genius, accessibility-friendly lid. You just press down on the top to release the seal, which means no banging the lid, silicone grippers, or hot water required. It pops open easily, like a bag of chips, and reseals securely if you somehow don’t use the whole jar all at once.

I use this sauce just like I would any great marinara: with pasta, as a base for homemade pizzas and dipping breadsticks. It packs a flavorful punch all on its own, so when I cook with it, I let the sauce shine without adding much else. It does all the heavy lifting.

Buy: Carmine’s Marinara Sauce, $7.29 for 24 ounces at Instacart

Have you tried Carmine’s Marinara Sauce? Tell us about it in the comments below.