A jar costs less than half as much as that famous restaurant brand—and has half as many calories and three times the fiber.
Reviewed by Dietitian Madeline Peck, RDN, CDN
Key Points
- Barilla Tomato and Basil Sauce is flavorful, versatile and budget-friendly.
- A ½-cup serving has 50 calories and 3 grams of fiber.
- The sauce works for pasta, shakshuka, soups, skillet dinners and dips.
I can’t resist cheering for a G.O.A.T. like Simone Biles every so often. But ever since I watched The Mighty Ducks at age 5, I’ve been known to root for the underdog. There’s something especially fulfilling about championing the longshot and seeking out the sleeper hits.
Lately, I’ve seen this philosophy come into play with my pantry staples. By shopping creatively in the center of the grocery store, I often find incredible deals. I’m A-OK strolling right past Rao’s, the popular pick on nearly every “best marinara” list and instead reaching for an often-overlooked, less expensive jar just steps away: Barilla Tomato and Basil Sauce.
Why I First Gave This Sauce a Try
I grabbed Barilla’s Tomato and Basil Sauce from among the dozens of options in the red sauce section of the pasta aisle due to the nostalgia factor: my mom often cooked Barilla pasta when I was a kid—probably because there’s a plant in the town where she attended college.
Since I was familiar with the label and have fond memories of Barilla’s farfalle and macaroni, I figured this could be a reliable investment. Even if I didn’t adore it, I wouldn’t be out much, as a 24-ounce jar clocks in at $3.99. Luckily, after tossing the sauce with my favorite high-protein pasta and diving in, I realized it was love at first bite.
What Makes This Sauce Stand Out
Besides the budget-friendly price—less than half the price of some of its more popular competitors—Barilla’s Tomato and Basil Sauce shines due to its:
- Flavor and texture. Inspired by a sauce you might be served at a trattoria in Italy, this marinara tastes like summer. Bright tomatoes meet sweet, peppery basil, with a hint of aromatic garlic in the background. The sauce is extremely close to a homemade sauce I’d whip up myself, and the crushed tomatoes give the marinara a consistency that’s hearty rather than runny.
- Thoughtful ingredient list. The ingredients are ones I’d rely on, too. The lineup is refreshingly short: tomatoes, basil, sea salt, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil and citric acid (which is added to help balance the sweetness of the tomatoes).
- Nutrition. The calorie and fat content of marinara sauces can vary widely by brand. A ½-cup serving of Barilla’s tomato-basil sauce has 50 calories and 3 grams of fiber, which is half the calories and three times the gut-friendly fiber of Rao’s. Barilla’s formula simply has a lighter hand with the EVOO. That said, it still includes enough for rich flavor and to help our bodies absorb fat-soluble vitamin A, a micronutrient in the sauce that bolsters the immune system and supports bone, eye, hair and skin health.
How I Use It in My Kitchen
Another “pro” for having this sauce as part of your pantry staple collection is its versatility. Besides tossing it with noodles or spaghetti squash and calling it dinner, I’ve also used this tomato and basil blend for:
- Shortcut shakshuka. Just simmer a jar of red sauce in a skillet, add eggs and shower with fresh basil.
- Dipping sauce. Warm up a small bowl to dunk breadsticks from your local pizza parlor, to serve alongside cooked frozen meatballs (no one has to know!) or to act as a makeshift dip for Baked Breaded Eggplant, Pepperoni Pizza Rolls or Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Tenders.
- Skillet dinners. Sauté some onions and garlic, then add sliced fresh mushrooms if you have them. Crack open a couple cans of white beans and dump them into the pan with a jar of this marinara, and you’ll have a family-size or meal prep–worthy portion of Pizza Bean Skillet all set to savor by the spoonful or pile on top of toast.
- Soups. A cozy pot of Vegetarian Lasagna Soup can be on the table in 20 minutes if you start with store-bought marinara.
Other Sauces I’ve Tried
On my quest to find the ultimate red sauce, I’ve sampled several options that are very worthy of a spot in your cart, too. Consider this a list of honorable mentions to the MVP.
- Costco’s Kirkland Signature Organic Tuscan Marinara: Chunky and fresh, this Italian-made marinara is my runner-up. It’s a great value at about $4.17 per jar.
- Trader Joe’s Organic Marinara Sauce: This robust sauce is a steal at $3.49 for 25 ounces. A little Parmesan cheese introduces a nice nutty quality.
- Carbone Marinara: If you’re searching for a restaurant-quality sauce, this is it—and it’s also more of a splurge at $8.50.
- Rao’s Marinara: I can see why chefs and many folks on social media love it! This recipe has a nice balance of acidity and sweetness, but at $9 per jar and 100 calories per serving, I don’t envision I’ll reach for it as often as Barilla.
The Bottom Line
There are multiple store-bought marinara sauces available these days that don’t disappoint on the flavor front and make dinners so much easier any day of the week. If you’re open to inviting a new jar to dinner, try Barilla’s Tomato and Basil Sauce. (You can find it at most major supermarkets and at retailers like Target and Walmart.) Lower in calories and higher in fiber than competitors and packed with flavor, this sauce is worth a shot.
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