One writer tested out several different jars of basic supermarket tomato pasta sauce to find out which was the best. Here are the results.
Pasta is a brilliant midweek meal and is my go-to when you need something quick and easy.
While it might seem like an obvious choice, there are countless ways to mix things up, from different pasta shapes to new sauces. While a carbonara or pasta bake are common favourites in the UK, those in need of a quick, cheap and minimal-ingredient dish might find their best bet is a simple tomato sauce iteration.
One reporter who typically cooks with just a few basic ingredients – garlic, tinned tomatoes, tomato puree and dried herbs – has expanded their horizons to store-bought sauces. When a low effort dinner is needed, which it often for many, a supermarket jar of sauce can be a lifesaver.
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Despite its simplicity, there can be a lot of variation in a tomato pasta sauce and finding one that’s as tasty as it is convenient could set you up for many more satisfying midweek meals.
The writer at the Liverpool Echo put four supermarket pasta sauces to the test to see which, if any, would make it into the weekly shopping basket.
Lidl – 65p/500g
Lidl’s sauce was very smooth so, if that’s your preference, this is the one for you according to the tester. However, they highlighted that a bit of texture is needed in a sauce to prevent it from tasting overly processed.
“I found that combined with it being quite sweet the Lidl pasta sauce was a bit too much like ketchup and not close enough to tasting homemade,” they shared. Though the sauce redeems itself somewhat with its fuller taste, with the basil being a noticeable and welcome component.
5/10
Aldi – 65p/500g
According to the tester, Aldi’s sauce tasted significantly fresher and more like real tomatoes than the Lidl sauce, despite both having a tomato content of 74%. This could be attributed to the generous seasoning with marjoram, oregano, garlic puree (as opposed to powder) and parsley.
It also had a less smooth texture, giving it a slightly more homemade feel with small chunks of tomato noticeable. Aldi’s sauce wasn’t the winner on taste alone but taking price into consideration, it was one of the best sauces.
7/10
Sainsbury’s – 65p/500g
Sainsbury’s sauce turned out to be quite sweet, but much more flavourful than Lidl’s version which balanced it out. Unlike the Lidl and Aldi sauces, Sainsbury’s sauce reportedly has real onions (6%) as opposed to just a bit of onion powder so if that’s your preference then Sainsbury’s is the way to go.
The tester indicated that the sweet and oniony taste was a bit more like a salsa than something they would want on pasta, though they clarified that they tend not to add onion to a simple tomato sauce unless making a Bolognese.
Value-wise, Sainsbury’s sauce was deemed to match Aldi and Lidl.
6/10
M&S – £2.20/340g
The M&S sauce was by far the favourite, though unfortunately is unsurprisingly also the most expensive.
The sauce was found to have a delightful homemade quality, featuring carrots and celery in the mix – something the other sauces lacked. It also boasted a well-balanced amount of onion and garlic, adding plenty of flavour without being too strong.
The sauce wasn’t lumpy and reportedly spread evenly over pasta, maintaining a thick consistency akin to a sauce made from scratch. It sported a lovely orange-red hue with herbs visible throughout. Dubbed an ‘everything’ sauce, it can also be used for pizza bases or Bolognese as well.
However, the price is a downside. The tester wrote: “For a quite simple sauce, I could have made my own for half the price.” Given that pasta and sauce is typically a budget meal, they were not convinced that shelling out £2.20 on a small jar is a sustainable practice.
Though they concluded by saying it was the only sauce of the four they liked enough to purchase again.
8/10
