How to Choose the Healthiest Pasta Sauce (2024)

How to Choose the Healthiest Pasta Sauce (1)
Pasta and sauce is a classic combination. Jarred and canned sauces are convenient, but many prepared sauces can be high in sodium (salt) and fat.Here are some tips to help you choose the most nutritious options.

What type of pasta sauce to choose

When possible, try making your own pasta sauce at home. When you make pasta sauce from scratch, you can have more control over how much salt, fat and calories are in it. Try this simple recipe at home using canned tomatoes.

If you are buying a jarred or canned sauce, choose a tomato-based (marinara) sauce rather than a creamy sauce. Creamy sauces usually have more saturated fat and calories. Eating too much saturated fat has been linked to heart disease. Tomato-based sauces also contain more nutrients like vitamin A and lycopene.

What to look for on the pasta sauce label

If you’re looking for a jarred or canned pasta sauce, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Sodium (Salt): Read the Nutrition Facts Panel and look for a sauce with 360 mg or less of sodium per serving (a serving is ½ cup or 125 mL). You can also use the % Daily Value on the label to compare sauces. The higher the % Daily Value, the more sodium there is.
  • Saturated Fat: Read the Nutrition Facts Panel and look for 2 grams or less of saturated fat in each serving.

For added nutrients, choose sauces that have vegetables like mushrooms, spinach or peppers.

Tomatoes and lycopene

Tomatoes are a great source of the antioxidant lycopene. A diet rich in antioxidants helps keep you healthy and prevent chronic diseases. Eating foods that have lycopene may also help lower the risk for prostate cancer. Lycopene is best absorbed by the body when tomatoes are cooked rather than raw, like in tomato or pasta sauce.

When choosing plain sauce

Plain canned or jarred tomato sauce or diced tomatoes is a good buy and you can flavour it any way that you want!Add chopped onions, garlic, carrots, celery, peppers, mushrooms, spinach, broccoli or kale for an extra serving of vegetables. Then add some herbs and spices like basil, oregano, chili flakes, freshly ground black pepper or lemon zest.

Five nutritious ways to use pasta sauce

Quick ratatouille

Sauté chopped green peppers, zucchini, onion, eggplant and garlic in olive oil. Add two parts pasta sauce to one part water and some fresh basil. Simmer until vegetables are tender.

Pizza style baked potato

Bake potatoes in the oven until tender. Then make a slit in the baked potatoes along the top and stuff with some pasta sauce, sautéed pepper and mushrooms. Top with shredded mozzarella. Bake at 400ºF until the cheese melts and serve with chopped green onion.

Baked beanswith a twist

Simmer one cup of pasta sauce with 1 tbsp honey mustard, 1 tbsp brown sugar and 1 can of white beans (rinsed and drained) until bubbly. Serve with whole grain bread and a salad.

Pizza-style quesadilla

Spread some pasta sauce on a whole grain tortilla. Top with grated mozzarella cheese, sliced mushrooms and shredded chicken. Fold in half and bake in the oven until golden.

Saucy curried chicken

Place 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (or 12 skinless, boneless thighs) in a deep baking dish. Add 2 cups of baby carrots or carrots sticks. Mix 2 tbsp curry powder with 2 cups pasta sauce. Pour sauce over chicken and carrots. Bake at 400ºF, covered with foil, for 30 minutes and then bake uncovered for 30-35 more minutes.

Other recipes with pasta sauce to try:

Lentil Spaghetti Sauce
Chicken Vegetable Lasagna
Speedy Flatbread Pizza

How can a dietitian help?

Dietitianscan support you throughout many phases of your life, from pregnancy to eating well when you are older. Counselling sessions with a dietitian can also help you to prevent and treathealth conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Your dietitian will work with you to give you personalized advice that meets your lifestyle and goals.Connect with a dietitiantoday!

Bottom line

Canned and jarred tomato sauce can be a convenient and versatile ingredient in many recipes. Look for options that are lower in sodium and saturated fat.

You may also be interested in:

All About Canned Tomatoes
What You Need to Know About Antioxidants
Top 5 Reasons to See a Dietitian

This article was written and reviewed by dietitians from Dietitians of Canada. The advice in this article is intended as general information and should not replace advice given by your dietitian or healthcare provider.

Last Update – October 2, 2023

How to Choose the Healthiest Pasta Sauce (2024)

FAQs

How to Choose the Healthiest Pasta Sauce? ›

If you are buying a jarred or canned sauce, choose a tomato-based (marinara) sauce rather than a creamy sauce. Creamy sauces usually have more saturated fat and calories. Eating too much saturated fat has been linked to heart disease.

What type of pasta sauce is healthiest? ›

The healthiest pasta sauces get most of their fat from olive oil (marinara) or olive oil and nuts (pesto), not cream or cheese (alfredo).

Is Raos actually healthy? ›

Many marinara sauces use inflammatory vegetable oil, like Prego, which uses canola oil. For this reason, a no-sugar added marinara like Rao's is a much more blood-sugar friendly and nutrient-dense option.

What should we consider when choosing a sauce for pasta? ›

As a rule, the thinner the pasta, the thinner the sauce should be. So if you plan on serving up some delicate angel hair pasta, for example, keep the dressing light and delicate, so that pasta can really shine. Perfect pairing: light, oil-based sauces thinner pasta, richer tomato marinara for thicker pasta.

What is a healthier alternative to tomato sauce? ›

Carrot and Beet Sauce

Similar to marinara but with a different flavor, carrots, and beets offer a ton of nutrition and can be supplemented in many dishes that use tomato sauce. Try sauteeing the vegetables with onion, garlic, and olive oil, then blend to desired texture. Add seasonings to taste.

What is the healthiest sauce option? ›

What is the healthiest condiment?
  • Guacamole.
  • Mustard.
  • Balsamic Vinegar.
  • Salsa.
  • Hot sauce.
  • Tzatziki.
  • Hummus.
  • Pesto.
Mar 17, 2024

Is jarred pasta sauce unhealthy? ›

Many pre-made sauces in the US, for example, contain high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Because HFCS is chemically similar to sugar, excess consumption of it poses similar health risks. When it comes to finding a healthy pasta sauce, fewer ingredients is usually better.

Is pesto healthier than tomato sauce? ›

As you would expect, pesto's wider variety of ingredients means it does slightly better in the vitamin and mineral stakes. Pesto outsmarts tomato sauce in many of these, but the pasta sauce still provides a sizeable chunk of your recommended daily targets.

Is marinara pasta healthy? ›

Traditionally made with tomatoes, garlic, olive oil and herbs, this deceptively simple sauce has become a staple in Italian (and Italian-American cuisine). Its main ingredients even have some health benefits thanks to the antioxidants found in tomatoes and the heart-healthy fats found in olive oil.

Is spaghetti with tomato sauce healthy? ›

What makes a pasta dish healthy is usually down to what you have with it. Red, tomato-based sauces rather than creamy sauces are usually a healthier ready-made choice. They are likely to be lower in saturated fat and the tomatoes will also count towards your 5-a-day.

What can I put on spaghetti instead of tomato sauce? ›

If you have a can of tomato paste in your pantry, you are in luck—this is the best substitution for tomato sauce. All you need is the tomato paste and water. Mix together 1 part tomato paste and 1 part water until well blended. Then, season your "sauce" to taste.

What is a healthier alternative to cream in pasta sauce? ›

Cottage cheese and milk

Cottage cheese is made from the curds of cow's milk. It's high in protein and many micronutrients, making it a healthy substitute for heavy cream. Cottage cheese alone can be a good substitute for heavy cream to help add thickness to recipes like sauces.

Is there a low acid spaghetti sauce? ›

A Tomato Sauce that doesn't give you Heartburn

Papa Vince Tomato Sauce provides a smooth, gentle flavor profile, making it a perfect choice for those with sensitive stomachs or following a low-acid diet.

What is the healthiest type of pasta dish? ›

Wholewheat pasta is a better option, thanks to its higher fibre content – this will help to fill you up, support digestive health and lower the risk of the aforementioned conditions.

Is tomato or alfredo sauce healthier? ›

Because of the ingredients used to make them, pasta sauces like vodka sauce and alfredo sauce are high in cholesterol and saturated fats. However, since tomato sauce doesn't contain any high-fat ingredients and tomatoes themselves can help lower cholesterol, it's usually a great choice for people with high cholesterol.

What is the most unhealthy sauce? ›

Before you add more sauce to your plate, here's what you need to know about the six worst condiments for your health.
  • Mayonnaise. Mayonnaise can make a tasty spread, whether you're putting it on a chicken sandwich or adding it to salad dressing. ...
  • Ketchup. ...
  • BBQ sauce. ...
  • Ranch dressing. ...
  • Soy sauce. ...
  • Sour cream.
Jan 3, 2023

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