The Popular Marinara Sauce Brand You Might Actually Want To Avoid

Most home cooks keep a few pantry staples — like jarred marinara sauce — on hand for dinner emergencies. But not all store-bought sauces are created equal. In fact, you should probably check your cupboard after reading this article to see if one particular well-known brand is lurking somewhere deep on a back shelf, hiding in the shadows. 

After testing several jarred marinara sauces on grocery store shelves, The Takeout discovered that Prego is one of the most unhealthy options available to consumers. Unlike competitor brands, Prego contains 9 grams of sugar per every ½ cup serving (4 grams are added sugars). With three servings per jar, that's about 27 grams of sugar. But the potentially bigger issue is that Prego marinara sauce contains canola oil, a type of seed oil, which has been linked to increased inflammation in the body — a reaction that has possible links to certain cancers according to a study published in Gut Journal. Don't worry if you're trying to cut back on oils, though — there are plenty of healthy marinara alternatives out there. 

If you're looking for a marinara sauce that tastes authentic and uses natural ingredients, you're in luck. Several brands fit the bill, depending on your personal preferences. Victoria marinara sauce (available at Costco) only contains Italian tomatoes, olive oil, onion, garlic, sea salt, and spices, and there's zero trace of added sugar. It's light, flavorful, and versatile, so you can use it on spaghetti, lasagna, or even as a dip for mozzarella sticks. 

Two other great store-bought marinara sauce options are Carbone and Rao's. Like Victoria, Rao's doesn't contain any added sugar, but it's chock-full of tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil, and oregano. Plus, it offers the bold, savory, slightly acidic tomato taste that you'd expect from a jarred marinara that's trying to mimic the homemade version. Fairly new to the marinara market is Carbone. The brand's superb marinara sauce is chunkier and slightly sweeter than Rao's or Victoria's, but don't let that worry you. The quality of the sauce more than makes up for it. Better stock up on a jar or two for the next time you need dinner in a hurry.