Does the best vodka sauce have to contain actual vodka in order to qualify as vodka sauce? Maybe not. The term "vodka sauce" is used pretty loosely and usually means blush sauce (that is, a combination of tomato sauce and cream). Hell, you can't even taste the vodka in most "vodka sauces." And that's a shame, because vodka introduces a great bite that pairs well with the flavors of tomatoes, cream, and herbs. Ideally, the best jarred vodka sauce contains at least enough vodka to give it that signature taste, but we're flexible.
So, what do we want in a good jarred vodka sauce? Well, it should be a creamy tomato sauce, and it shouldn't be too acidic. It should be bright and tangy, yes, but give us that creamy decadence. Using a decent amount of vodka is a plus. The addition of aromatics such as basil or oregano is also a selling point. Over the course of two in-office taste tests, we tasted (and retasted) some of the most popular vodka sauces to find the ones that should drench your penne the next time a simple marinara won't do. These are the best vodka sauce brands you can buy.
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Best Dairy Free
Okay, this is making the list because it's dairy free. Is it the best vodka sauce brand? Nope, but if you're lactose intolerant or vegan, it's a solid option. It has a lot of herbaceous flavor (it tastes like oregano to me), but it's not intolerably oily like some of the other keto-friendly Primal Kitchen products we've tasted. In short, most vodka sauces have dairy, this one does not, and it tastes pretty good all the same. -Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
Rating:
6/10
Sporks
Best Creamy
This one is more cream than tomato, which really delighted senior staff writer Jordan Myrick. Personally, I'm looking for more balance in the best vodka sauce jar (you should be able to taste the bright tomatoes), and this was a little too cream-forward for me. But it still brings a unique flavor: creamy, cheesy, with almost a citrus-y bite to it. This is cream sauce with a little bit of tomato, not a tomato sauce with a little bit of cream, if that makes sense. It's the pinkest on the blush sauce spectrum. -Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs
Rating:
7/10
Sporks
Best Tangy
"This is outrageously good," said managing editor Gwynedd Stuart. This one is tangy and creamy, probably a bit creamier than Cento. It's got a real pinkish color to it that lets you know it's going to be rich. In addition to that, Victoria uses outstanding ingredients: parmesan, Romano, vodka, fresh garlic, olive oil, and tomatoes. This sauce has a few chunks of tomatoes in it, too, which I always love. Victoria makes a great product and the best jarred vodka sauce if you're looking to add some real tangy acidity to your pasta. -Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
Rating:
8/10
Sporks
Best from a Chef
There was a brief period during college when I didn't have cable, so I watched a lot of PBS. Lidia's Italian Kitchen was always a high point (along with the time I accidentally caught a figure skating exhibition set to the music of Burt Bacharach-heaven). She's like a surrogate Italian grandma to so many-plus, she's got a heavy hand with the Parm, which I love in a surrogate Italian grandma. This sauce really seems like something nonna made. It's rustic, has great texture, and lots of garlic. You can chew this sauce, and I mean that in a good way. I've long loved Lidia, and it's nice to have her smiling face in my pantry. -Gwynedd Stuart
Rating:
8.5/10
Sporks
Best Cheesy
This is a unicorn in the vodka sauce space and I love it. It's unusually thick, probably due to the mascarpone cheese. Mascarpone has a spreadable, decadent, almost dessert-like quality to it, and adding it to vodka sauce is super smart. This is the cheesiest sauce on this list of the best store bought vodka sauce. It's sweet, aromatic, and downright pleasant. The bits of oregano are a nice addition, lending an earthy, grassy flavor that tames the cheesiness of the sauce. It's kind of like ravioli filling made into a sauce. There's a good chance that if you buy this, it will end up in your sauce rotation. I'd eat it on a cracker, dude. -Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Albertsons
Rating:
8.5/10
Sporks
Best Olive Oily
This vodka sauce is oily in the best way possible. The label tells you to shake it up because the olive oil rises to the top. It may be less creamy than some of the other sauces, but the oil provides a delightful opulence that makes this far and away the richest jarred vodka sauce on this list. It's got all the best ingredients a vodka sauce can have: heavy cream, Romano cheese, parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, fresh onion, extra virgin olive oil, vodka, sea salt, black pepper, and butter. Those are the exact ingredients I would use to make vodka sauce at home, gang. -Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
Rating:
9/10
Sporks
Best Organic
This vodka sauce has a nice, starchy quality that makes it taste like a fully fledged dinner before you even add boiled pasta to the mix. Plus, everything in the jar is organic: the tomatoes, cream, onions, carrots, olive oil-even the vodka is organic. It's also gluten free and keto certified, so it's the best jarred vodka sauce that checks a lot of boxes for a lot of people with dietary restrictions. Best of all, it's extremely creamy and satisfying. It's pretty mild, so I'd pair this with cheese ravioli. It doesn't have a huge amount of acidity, so just lean into its creamy nature and enjoy. -Gwynedd Stuart
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
Rating:
9/10
Sporks
Best Like Homemade
I don't know why Pirro's has a car on the label of their sauce, but vroom vroom, baby! This sauce really drives home the flavor. They use shallots (nice!) and cream (instead of milk and whey like a lot of other companies), so the creamy bite of this sauce is much better than the other sauces on this list. Pirro's is decadent, chunky, and tart, with a subtle, welcome bit of spice on the finish. Plus, this actually tastes like it has vodka in it. I love the ingredients. This is homemade as hell, and I dig it. When it comes to the best jarred vodka sauce, this is a close second to Cento. -Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Pirro's
Rating:
9.5/10
Sporks
Best of the Best
I'm a big believer in Cento products, so it brings me great pleasure to report that this is the best store bought vodka sauce we tasted in two separate taste tests. Cento's vodka sauce takes the crown because it tastes like homemade marinara made with cream and real vodka. It's brightly acidic, bitey, and rich, exactly like a good vodka sauce should be. I love the rustic vibes; it's got little chunks of garlic and onion in it, plus there's some additional herbaceousness from basil and oregano. It's also made with sea salt, Romano cheese (more bite!), and olive oil. Simply put, the taste here is complete. Go Cento and you won't be disappointed. -Danny Palumbo
Credit: Liv Averett / Cento
Rating:
10/10
Sporks
Other Products We Tried: Rao's Vodka Sauce, Classico Vodka Sauce, Prego Creamy Vodka Sauce, Signature Select Vodka Sauce, O Organics Vodka Sauce, Cucina Antica La Vodka Sauce, Yo Mama's Keto Vodka Sauce, Whole Foods 365 Organic Vodka Sauce, Lidia's Vodka Sauce
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