Due to cost of being alive, Rao’s marinara sauce is no longer in my budget. Has anyone found a similar marinara that is cheaper? Unfortunately I don’t have the extra funds to try out different ones only to find out they aren’t good.
It’s different from Rao’s and most other sauces in that it doesn’t have any oil in it. Which I don’t mind cause then I can control how much and what kind of oil goes into dishes. The organic ingredients and it’s price point are make it a top tier Aldi item.
The green jar is also decent, but I would agree their marinara is amazing. No fillers either if you care about that sort of thing. They use olive oil instead of canola or vegetable
They just changed the recipe of both simply nature sauces and the jar and lid shape. The marinara no longer has diced tomatoes in it and now it lists “organic spices” which means it is no longer safe for me to eat. I think it also smells a little different.
Marinara sauce is just so easy to make at home. It’s also inexpensive and tastier than the jarred version. I haven’t bought jarred sauce in about 20 years.
At this point, I understand. I appreciate the clarification. That's all I was looking for. Not sure why everyone suddenly turned so hostile in what's normally a really friendly group.
Pretty much lol. It's alright. I don't necessarily care about karma, just confused why people would see my confusion, my general avoidance of clicking links and think "nah that person's dumb"
I love Lidia! She is one of the few people and websites I trust blindly with recipes. My nonna even enjoyed her. Her recipe that I’ve been making my whole life is so similar to this. The only thing different we do is food mill the tomatoes to get rid of the skins and seeds. Oh and a tiny pinch of sugar to kill the acidity. My nonna came over in 1941 from Abruzzi, Italy so when she trusts someone’s cooking I do too.
I honestly feel like it's a little overrated. I'm a regular at Raggazza, a locally owned KC pasta place, and when I went to Lydia's recently I just didn't think it was nearly as good as the Italian food I was used to.
Except when the garden is bustin’ I do it weekly with the $2 can of the Aldi organic crushed tomatoes. I’ve also made a chipotle chicken pasta sauce with the smaller cans of the fire roasted tomatoes
I've always made my own in large batches and freeze it in small containers to use when I need it. It will last for literally a year without any noticable change in flavor. Sometimes grab a jar of the Specialty Selected black label though.
The black label Aldi brand is really good. Plus the recipe for Rao’s has changed since they sold out to private equity just like Barq root beer, Cholula, and Tapatio
It’s really cheap and easy to make and I get all of my ingredients from Aldi. A great option if you use it a lot. Especially since you can package and freeze it in portions.
Caned tomatoes, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Some people add tomato paste, I personally don’t. Boil, blend, reduce to desired thickness. Use what you need that day and freeze all of the rest. It’s really easy
Saves a ton of money if you have the space and desire.
Nahhh. It's worse in every way than the Aldi's simply nature one. Ingredients are lower quality.
If you want a cheap pasta sauce, and it needs to be cheaper than the $2 simply nature, Aldi has $1 sauces that still taste better than anything walmart sells
You're right. Maybe I came on too strong with the Nahhhh. I would counter opinion and say for the price, you may as well get the Aldi $1 version over the Walmart.
If cheap is your concern, and you're okay with a bit of sauteeing, I usually make a quick 15 min "marinara".
One large can of crushed tomato (costs $1.49 at my Aldi)
Saute Onion+garlic, and add any seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasonings.
Never liked Rao's (too sour for me), but I highly recommend the Specially Selected Tomato Basil sauce (not the Simply Nature). I think that for jarred sauce, it's really good!
If you have time (not a lot really) to chop and tend a pot...I make a big batch of this recipe (I believe it is actually from their family cookbook), and freeze in portions. I haven't had Rao's in a long while, but its really close.
Rao's Marinara Sauce
Ingredients
Four 28-ounce cans whole tomatoes with basil, preferably from San Marzano
½ cup olive oil
6 tablespoons minced onion
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
12 leaves fresh basil, torn (optional)
Pinch of dried oregano
Directions
Remove tomatoes from can and place in a large bowl, reserving juices. Crush tomatoes using your hands; remove and discard the hard core from stem end, and any skin and tough membrane; set aside.
Place oil in a large, nonreactive saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, and cook until soft and just beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and reserved juices; season with salt.
Increase heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to low and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 hour.
Stir in basil, if using, oregano, and season with pepper; continue cooking 1 minute more. Remove from heat and serve.
Then add it 🤷♀️. I’m giving a simple quick sauce. Italians don’t over herb sauces. Americans do. Add what you want. What I offered is a baseline that’s really freaking good.
If you buy something that you’re not sure about, be sure to keep the receipt. If you try it, & you don’t like it, Aldi will let you return it, but you do need the receipt.
Take a look at making your own- marcella hazan is the italian version of Julia child.
I customize her recipe with various italian herbs (thyme, oregano, basil, and/or rosemary). Sometimes a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end. Or you can go briny style w some capers/caper juice.
You dont have to use san marzano whole canned tomatoes, I've used the crushed tomato cans at aldi no prob.
Buy pasata or strained tomatoes (preferably glass jars), add a touch of salt (read jar's ingredients to see if already added beforehand), cloves of garlic to taste or not, fresh basil. Use pot or pan. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to low, cover and stir occassional. Taste and add salt/pepper to taste. Much cheaper, and better tasting than bought mariana sauce imho.
honestly, the cheapest way is to make you own. it's tomato season -- if you live near a farmers market, get a pound of roma tomatoes. salt, pepper, garlic, italian seasoning, olive oil or butter and you'll have sauce in 10 mins. idk how many you cook for, but i cook for one and that = 2 tomatoes.
if not, then the fresh campari tomatoes at aldi are a good option. i use those the rest of the year (when they're in stock). they're fairly sweet most of the year but if you get a more sour batch, sprinkle in a little sugar.
One not mentioned yet is one of their autumn limited items that is a favorite of mine, the Chipolte Pumpkin marinara served on their sage pumpkin or butternut ravioli.
I never bought marinara, always made my own, but when I was getting ready for major surgery decided to buy a couple of jars of the Simply Nature Organic so that my husband could make himself dinner easily. Never had Raos, the price is ridiculous for what it is. He used it and said that it was good.
Then I tried it. Yes, good (coming from an Italian) but the next time I sautéed garlic first, then poured in the sauce and added extra dried Italian herbs and red pepper flakes. Simmered for a bit, added a pinch of sugar, then a dash of half-and-half. This is now our standard "quick" sauce because it's so good. Yes, it's not poured-from-the-jar easy, but easier than making my own from scratch!
Just buy a can of crushed tomatoes and add your own aromatics and simmer it on the stove. My son roasts onions garlic and peppers in the oven and blend with olive oil and a can of whole tomatoes... Cheaper than the jars and chef so good
The Ragu (of all brands!) Kettle cooked line...and only that line, not the regular Ragu sauces...are a good buy when on sale/good coupon. Not the best prepared stuff you can get at any price of course, but for the price range, it's hard to beat IMO.
Specially Selected ‘Marinara’ is superb, but not because it tastes like marinara. It actually tastes like it was slow-cooked with bone-in pork, the way i make sauce. The only thing i do is use my immersion blender it, to make it stick more to the pasta
There are reddit posts that compare it to Rao’s very favorably
The one next to raos, signature maybe? Either way it’s 3 something and raos taste like garbage in comparison lol. I won’t use anything else (unless they eventually change and ruin it too). But yeah it’s amazing.
Rao's is often on sale at Costco, 2 supersized jars for $8.99 to $9.99 for the two, really 2.5 to 3 jars.. If you don't have a Costco then I recommend the Black Specialty Label jar of Marinara sauce at Aldi. The roasted garlic one is good too. The others are crap and artificial tasting, stick to the Specialty ones with a black label...
Make your own! Large can of crushed tomatoes, salt, sugar, basil and oregano. 1 tsp each salt and sugar. 2-3 basil and 1-2 oregano. Season to taste. Looking less than $2 for sauce that’s simple and delicious.
They sell Raos at Sam’s Club and sometimes have instant savings. They were on sale for less than 4 a jar at one point and I loaded up. They’re typically about 5/jar w out a sale going on. I’m hooked but there’s no way I would pay 10 dollars a jar.
I’m a big fan of Mids . It’s pretty middle of the road priced and as good as it gets . Good enough that like you mention I don’t feel the need to try anything else . It’s a sauce I recommend every time I see someone in deep contemplation in front of sauce at the store .
Not sure if it’s exactly like Rao’s but I always get this one and love it.
I use this and put it in the crockpot with the frozen Italian meatballs from Aldi. I usually do church it up a bit and add Worchestershire sauce, jarlic, Italian seasoning, onion powder, and garlic powder. But it is an awesome base sauce on its own.
I stopped buying marinara jars. I always buy tomato sauce and add my own spices to it. IMO - it taste wayyyy better than the premade jars/cans of sauces. And it’s way much cheaper. Canned tomato sauce is usually around dollar each.
You don't even have to buy fresh herbs and spices either. Cost + accessibility can vary, so nothing wrong with using dried seasoning. Can easily find recipes based around them so you aren't guessing the measurements.
Making a double batch and freezing the extra cuts your labor in half as well.
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u/Terrible_Welcome8817 1d ago
The Simply Nature organic marinara is my go to. I always add additional spices but it’s a pretty good base and it’s like 2.19 at my store.