A SPAG bol or tomato pasta bake is a family tea-time favourite, but if you usually get your sauce from a jar you could make big savings on this week-night staple supper.
Market leader pasta sauce Dolmio is the UK’s best-selling tomato sauce but at £1.95 for 500g it’s almost twice the price of some own brand alternatives.
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Laura Stott compared supermarket own brand options, to see which offer the sauciest savings and the best taste.
Dolmio Smooth Tomato Pasta Sauce: 3/5
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The UK’s bestseller is beloved as a staple for pasta dishes from Bolognese to Lasagne, and all sorts of pasta bakes.
But at nearly £2 a jar it’s one of the priciest.
Made with 74 per cent tomatoes, herbs and spices and basil flavours it’s a decent base for your mince or veggies with a rich flavour, although I found the pungent aroma, probably from the 21 per cent tomato puree, rather off putting.
Quick and tasty, but very pricey.
Deluxe Ragu Bolognese Sauce: 3/5
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POSHED-UP offering that is still cheaper than the market leader, although the jar is smaller, so only good for one meal.
The flavour is top notch, made with chopped Italian tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil with concentrated tomato puree for a real depth of flavour.
This would be ideal as a base of meaty ragu or with mince or meatballs too. Perfect for a treat and low in sugar.
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Asda Bolognese Pasta Sauce: 5/5
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AN absolute zinger which took me by surprise as it looks rather unassuming, but the taste is superb.
This contains a whopping 78 per cent tomatoes – the highest of all – and just ten per cent tomato puree so the flavour is nicely balanced with herbs and onion.
Perfect for any pasta dish, an outstanding price, and it’s one of the lowest in sugar too.
Sainsbury’s Tomato Bolognese Sauce: 4/5
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I REALLY liked this, which tasted fresh and flavoursome, similar to homemade, and it comes close to Dolmio for real tomato content (66 per cent).
With onions, basil, oregano and black pepper this is bold and hearty and has a smooth consistency.
Not the thickest sauce but still good for a pasta bake or bolognese.
Not too watery and with a lower sugar content.
Cucina Smooth Tomato Pasta Sauce: 5/5
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AN outstanding own-brand offering that really punches above its price, which is a third of Dolmio’s.
Has a proper home-made smell and texture.
The tomato content is identical to Dolmio (74 per cent tomato) giving it a rich, deep flavour.
Very appetising in the pan and could be used for all sorts of dishes. I’d buy this again and it’s a bonus the price is so bellissimo.
Tesco Bolognese Pasta Sauce Smooth: 3/5
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GREAT consistency, not too thick or thin, without any lumps and it really does look appetising when simmering in a pan.
Made with tomatoes, onion and herbs, this sauce leans heavily on tomato puree for flavour (56 per cent) with real tomatoes at 34 per cent. But the taste balance is good.
This is quite high in sugar but lower than Dolmio, and on the plus side it is lower in salt.
