Better Taste, Lower Price: The Aldi Copycat Marinara That Rivals Rao's

Many would agree that, when it comes to marinara sauce, Rao's brand sets the standard for excellent flavor; although some say Carbone is the best store bought brand. First created at the famed Italian eatery of the same name in New York City, Rao's marinara contains everything you'd expect, without the extra sugar and preservatives that come in some other jarred sauces. But shoppers have discovered another marinara that not only is comparable to — or better than — Rao's, but it's also way more affordable: budget grocery chain Aldi's Specially Selected Premium Marinara Sauce, made with virtually the same ingredients as Rao's.

While you can expect to pay $8.99 for a 24-ounce jar of Rao's, the same sized jar of Aldi's version sells for $4.29. Rao's sauce comes together with a short ingredient list containing nothing that's difficult to pronounce: Italian whole peeled tomatoes, olive oil, onions, salt, garlic, basil, black pepper, and oregano. Specially Selected is made of Italian tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, olive oil, onion, salt, garlic purée, basil (both fresh and dried), black pepper, and dried oregano. But how does the budget version taste? Judging from many users on Reddit, the Rao's dupe is spot on. One fan is convinced that Specially Selected is actually made by Rao's since it tastes so similar to the premium brand. Someone else concurred, posting, "I totally agree! Aldi Specialty Premium Marinara is the best jarred sauce I've ever had!" Several others agree that it surpasses even other marinara sauces you can buy at Aldi.

Both Rao's and Specially Selected from Aldi make several pasta sauces, but the two brands specifically share vodka and tomato basil sauces in addition to marinara. Each brand's tomato basil sauce share the exact same ingredients: Italian tomatoes, olive oil, onions, basil, salt, garlic, black pepper, and dried oregano. The two vodka sauces are also similar but Specially Selected includes heavy cream while Rao's does not. I suppose the only way to know if these sauces taste like each other is to do your own side-by-side taste test. If you don't like to waste ingredients, be ready to get creative in the kitchen with all of your leftover sauce. Marinara also happens to freeze very well, so that's an option, too.

Pasta with marinara sauce is a classic choice and makes for a quick, filling meal (that's also economical when you opt for the Specially Selected brand). But it's far from the only way to cook with this Italian sauce. You can substitute marinara for pizza sauce if you're in a pinch; and, of course, it's a wonderful dipping sauce for fried mozzarella sticks, garlic bread, and even grilled cheese sandwiches. Mix marinara into ground beef and rice for stuffed peppers; or use it as a base for sloppy joes and chili. You can also try an Italian spin on a traditional Moroccan shakshuka stew that gets topped with eggs. Just simmer marinara sauce in a skillet, crack eggs over the top, cover, and cook until the egg whites are set. Sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the dish and scoop everything up with hearty, crusty bread.