Does anyone have a pasta sauce they swear by? In the fridge section or just the shelves?
Can you taste the difference between the cheapies and the premium brands?
(Please don't tell me to make my own cos I once spent $20 on ingredients to make something that tasted worse than a $2 jar)
Give the Dolmio Spicy Peppers a run. Not really spicy, but a little extra kick over the standard ones.
I'm a Raguletto fan. I think it's down to $1.70 at Coles.
Choose the flavour you like the best (I usually go with the red wine version - free plonk!) and then doctor it up to make it taste best for you. I add heaps of sliced mushrooms (200-250g) and a diced onion and and a teaspoon or 2 of roasted garlic (from a jar). I also let it simmer until it thickens to my taste.
Other varieties can be made tastier by adding tomato paste, as well; I buy mine at Aldi's because they're cheaper and smaller containers which is great if you're only needing to add a heaped tablespoon to a dish.
Raguletto FTW. Cheap and delicious.
Yeah Raguletto is great! Then Leggo's. I don't really like Dolmios :/
Leggos Spinach and Ricotta pasta bake. You don't even need any meat. Just cooked pasta and sprinkle some cheese.
I always keep a few in the pantry.
Only bad thing is that they recently reduced the size from 575g to 550g. And of course they didn't reduce the price. :(
Sacla for our family.
Leggo's Bolognese with bacon, chunky tomato & herbs. often $1.50/jar.
ever tried thickened cream with tomato paste (add to taste), it's good with chicken pasta.
Five brothers for me.
Same here, we always use the Five Brothers brand - usually the Five Cheeses variety as it goes with just about anything.
I like the summer vegetables makes me feel healthy even though I don't know what is in it.
white and right five brothers.
Any of the store-bought ones are fine (I have a personal preference for Barilla Arrabbiata - the chillis give it an extra kick). I usually get whatever is half-price (there's always one brand that's half-price between Coles and Woolworths).
Personally, I'll start off with a finely diced large onion and three smashed cloves of garlic. And then (optional of course), I'll add meat for browning. If I'm in a hurry, I'll use a good quality mince and let that brown. I'll then add very finely diced (Brunoise cut) carrot and celery. For every one jar of pasta sauce I add half a can of diced tomatoes and a splash of red wine. I'll add extra herbs (dried Italian), salt, pepper, sprigs of fresh rosemary and a bay leaf. To reduce the acidity, I add a little sugar and then I reduce the whole thing down for at least twenty minutes (If it's still sour after that, I will add the tiniest amount of bicarbonate of soda: any more and it'll kill the flavour).
If I have the time I'll make a slow-cooked ragu … I'll grab 1kg brisket, cut it up into smallish cubes, sprinkle with flour and brown on all sides separately (in preparation for slow cooking for 4 hours +). I'll also add 500mL of beef stock. About an hour in, I'll add the sauce, diced tomatoes, vegetables, herbs etc. After a few more hours, the meat will fall to shreds and a lovely ragu will emerge at the end of it. Alternatively, if you still want a ragu with shreds of meat, you can use a pressure cooker, and the result will be comparable. That'll cut the cooking time down by half at the very least.
I try making my own fresh pasta (as it tastes infinitely better than dried), but if I'm not I'll go for some Barilla dried pasta. Any of the pastas with egg are also a lot better than the regular ones. And of course, the only way to eat pasta is al dente.
Sounds awesome thanks
Sounds delish - but I can't help but think with all those extras you'd see little difference in taste, and save money, by omitting the pasta sauce and just using more tinned tomatoes?
I find that it gets too acidic with just diced tomatoes (as the seeds as the most acidic part). I only really buy pasta sauce (5 bottles in the one go) when it goes on special, so it's not that much more expensive than the equivalent tin of diced tomato. You also get a 'fuller' flavour and a better consistency as otherwise it's all lumps and chunks with only diced tomato.
ever used just passata? i find that it takes too long to reduce down to get the same consistency as a store bought sauce.
I too add extra herbs, a dash of red wine and and usually a diced tomato. I find it makes quite a difference.
Also, another strategy to add extra flavour is to use another source of umami: think a little vegemite (I know sounds disgusting but it's actually nice) or soy sauce, instead of salt.
Good point - a splash of Worcestershire sauce, or even fish sauce, isn't noticeable in a big pot of sauce, but it adds a lot to the savoury flavour.
Yes it makes a difference. After trying all of them I only buy Five Brothers brand and Barilla, especially Arrabbiata. And only Barilla spaghetti. I stock up on the sauces when they are half price, they keep for years. Barilla spaghetti is $1.90 in Coles - great value.
If you try the shop brands, you can just try them until you like it (they might be ok) because they all have "100% satisfied or 100% refund" (or similar) written on them. Make your meal. After, take the empty bottle back and say I didn't like it = money back. I haven't even needed a receipt. I did it with some Coles curry sauces. THey were putrid. But free (and putrid).
Aldi premium. They are more expensive but nice - not sugary as others.
I used to buy those until it took too long to find one without 'flavour' or other suspicious ingredients, with low sugar and low salt. Now I just use plain passata, and add my own other stuff (including onions, garlic, pinch of salt and sugar, basil, veg and meat). Passata is much simpler and healthier than those jars if you compare.
Yes it is simple and yum. My fave brand isnt made anymore however doh!
Tried a few brand name ones and generic ones but we find the Leggo's Bolognese with Red Wine unbeatable! Just gotta keep an eye out for those half price specials
Ive always found the Leggos 'Stir Thru' to be so amazing and tasty. However they just changed the jars to be smaller which sucks…
The Chili Olive flavour is amazing, and the sundried tomato one is too but I think that is no longer avail :)
I've tried pretty much every brand, and they all taste like vinegar.
What is your go to jar of pasta tomato sauce(s) from Woolworths/Coles/Aldi?
I normally just mix 2 random ones up (Like a bolognese and a spicy tomato one) with some mince and get different results.
See also previous thread https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/253571
My answer is the same: Leggos Spinach and Ricotta pasta bake.
You don't even need any meat. Just cooked pasta and sprinkle some cheese.
Haha I should have searched. Thank you, I'll report myself
It's three years old though. Things do change.
Leggos Bolognese with bacon
Woolworths Chunky https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/326/essent…
Lots of onions, a little more sugar but a lot less sodium compared with most brands.
Good base to work and add flavours - chilli, basil etc.
Add a poll?
Out of the non-fresh, jarred sauces I choose Barilla, Heinz, or Leggo's.
Edit: Threads been merged, I'll just leave it and try the faves
A quick way to tell if a sauce is probably crap is to just look at the ingredients
Look for things you want in pasta sauce
i.e basil, garlic, olive oil, tomato etc
Ill give you a recipe
1x Onion
Couple cloves garlic
1x Can Tomatoes
Red Wine
Dried Herbs (Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Sage, Parsley)
Salt/Pepper
Instructions
Cook onion with a little salt + pepper
Once half cooked add garlic and dried herbs (whatever combo you like)
Once garlic is cooked deglaze with red wine (this means throw in wine and scrape pan to get flavours off the pan and back into yo sauce)
Once wine has reduced by 2/3 add can tomatoes
Cook until tomato reduced enough then add pasta
This will taste better than jars and is cheap af (maybe in a few months you can use real tomatoes and fresh herbs)
I love the Dolmio pasta tuna bake sauce. Tastes incredible, and only about $3 for the bottle I believe, $2 for the tuna, and $1 for the pasta. Makes a meal for about 4-5.