Best bolognese sauce jars taste tested, from Dolmio to supermarket brands (2024)

Garofalo

The Garofalo Beef Bolognese sauce contains all the main, traditional elements of a Bolognese sauce that you can fit into a small supermarket jar. Made with 61 per cent tomato (which is 100 per cent Italian), 12 per cent beef, 6 per cent pork, additional tomato paste for a stronger flavour, sofrito mix, skim milk, extra virgin olive oil and various additional herbs and spices – this delicious pre-made ragu is simply as good as it gets.

Barilla

Fantastically affordable, the Barilla Meat Bolognese Sauce is a go-to in our kitchens. Rich without being overpowering, and subtly spiced without being bland, we tend to sprinkle a little bit of extra salt and pepper atop our Barilla for the perfect quick and easy spag bol. For just £2.95, you’ll get a hearty jar of sauce made with tomatoes, sofrito, beef, pork and various herbs and spices. Delish.

Viani Alimentari

As simple and delightfully Italian as it gets, we recommend splurging on a jar of Viani Alimentari Bolognese sauce for those winter evenings where you really need a warming pick-me-up that doesn’t feel processed. This delicious sauce has been cooked using beef, a little bit of pork, diced tomatoes and a classic sofrito. It is, however, lactose-free – which means it doesn’t contain the beloved secret ingredient (hint: it’s milk, and you can probably add a drop yourself if you so desire).

Dolmio

Made with a whopping 95 per cent vegetables, it’s hard to imagine the pasta sauce of our childhood could actually be healthier than most supermarket alternatives. Now, we’re not saying that Dolmio Bolognese doesn’t have added sugar (in fact, we’d add sugar to our own homemade Bolognese sauce), but it does serve as one of your five a day. Our only qualm is that it doesn’t come with meat – you’ll have to fry some mince separately before pouring the ready-made sauce over the top.

M&S

Though we’re far more accustomed to purchasing pre-made pasta sauces that are housed in jars, this tinned option from M&S is a beloved family favourite. It’s far less watered-down than the other M&S-own option, which is available in a jar, and contains more meat. A simple, flavourful slow-cooked option made using Italian-style mince beef, red wine and a hearty sprinkle of oregano – you can’t go wrong with adding this option to your weekly shop.

Heinz

New to the scene is Heinz’s range of pasta sauces. With expertise in all things ketchup, it indeed makes sense that the brand would branch out into tomato-based pasta sauces. The tomato sauce has been developed so that you can just pour it over cooked mincemeat, or meatballs if you fancy them. Though currently on offer for £1.50, you’ll have to do the rest of the Bolognese prep work on your own.

Despite the reputation that Heinz ketchup has for being a glorified sweetener, this pasta sauce contains no added sugar and is surprisingly malty. A palatable budget option.