The New Jarred Pasta Sauce That Rivals the Sunday Sauce I Grew Up Eating (It’s Better Than Rao’s!)

When I was growing up, Sunday gravy was practically a weekly occurrence in my home. I can easily picture the big ol’ pot of sauce simmering on the stove. I relished the role of “designated helper” — the person who sliced garlic or gave the ingredients a good stir as they transformed into a lively red sauce.

It would become the base of any number of Sunday dinners: chicken Parmesan or baked ziti (sometimes both in the same night), lasagna, or classic spaghetti and meatballs, to name a few. My siblings and I would file into our seats and spoon heaping piles of saucy pasta onto our plates, practically racing to see who’d go for seconds first. (To this day, I’m convinced this is a big reason why I eat too fast.)

Decades later, my mom still cooks dinner for our family on most Sunday nights — and yes, her homemade sauce is frequently on the menu. I’m not able to be at the table as often as I’d like, but I did stumble across a jarred version that reminds me of home. It’s so good, I called my mom to tell her about it.

Sold in 24-ounce jars, the pasta sauce is available at select retailers across the country and online at Amazon. They’re just under $10 per jar, or slightly less depending on where you shop. (Bionaturae also makes two other pasta sauce flavors — Marinara and Tomato Basil — and delicious sourdough pasta.)

I’ve sampled dozens of jarred pasta sauces, and this is one of the best — if not the best — on shelves right now. Its rich tomato flavor is bolstered by the sustained heat from the pepperoncini. It is not overly acidic or sweet, like some other brands. It is also decidedly not for the spice-averse. It’s bright, has a kick, and reminds me of the chicken Parm dinner at a popular Italian spot downtown in New York City (although that restaurant’s sauce contains cream).

After sampling a spoonful straight from the jar, which I can’t recommend enough, I channeled my Sicilian mother and made chicken Parmesan. I dipped the chicken pieces in flour, then egg for maximum crunch before breading and frying them. I layered a measured amount of sauce between the cutlets and mozzarella, and tossed a generous amount with the freshly boiled pasta as my partner roasted some broccoli in the oven. Teamwork!

We sat down to eat, and as much as I tried I must admit my plate of food had quickly disappeared before my very eyes. (I’m a work in progress.) There was more than enough for seconds for both of us, though, plus leftovers for lunch the next day.

What’s your all-time favorite jarred pasta sauce? Tell us about it in the comments below.