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We Graded Every Pasta Sauce A–F. Even Cult-Favorite Rao’s Only Tied.

Jarred sauce is already low-calorie and basically fat-free, so the grade comes down to two things you don’t see in the marketing: added sugar and sodium. We ran the most popular jars through the same 6-dimension Labelgrade, and the low-sugar sauces lead — but here’s the twist worth the hook. Cult-favorite Rao’s, the one the internet swears by, only ties at B- (72); its no-added-sugar reputation is real, but it didn’t translate into a runaway win, edged by Classico Tomato & Basil and Newman’s Own Organics Marinara. The sweeter jars — Prego, Bertolli — trail. And all jarred sauce runs sodium-heavy, which is exactly why even the best caps at B-.

The verdict

We graded 6 pasta sauces A–F: the category averages 71/100 (B-), from 73 (B-) at the top down to 67 (C+) at the bottom.

It’s a two-way tie at the top: Classico Tomato & Basil and Newman’s Own Organics Marinara, both B- (73), nosing out cult-favorite Rao’s at B- (72). Bertolli Tomato & Basil came last at C+ (67), separated on added sugar and sodium.

Top of the class B- Classico Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce 73/100
Bottom of the class C+ Bertolli Tomato & Basil Sauce 67/100

The top picks, with the receipts

#1 Classico Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce B- 73/100

Pros

  • No saturated fat

Cons

  • Only 2 g fiber
  • Only 2 g protein per serving

#2 Newman's Own Organics Marinara Pasta Sauce B- 73/100

Pros

  • Low saturated fat at 0.5 g
  • Clean, short ingredient list

Cons

  • Only 2 g fiber
  • Only 2 g protein per serving

#3 Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce B- 72/100

Pros

  • Low saturated fat at 1 g

Cons

  • Only 1 g fiber
  • Only 2 g protein per serving

#4 Ragu Old World Style Traditional Sauce B- 72/100

Pros

  • No saturated fat

Cons

  • Only 2 g fiber
  • Only 2 g protein per serving
  • 480 mg sodium per serving

#5 Prego Traditional Italian Sauce C+ 68/100

Pros

  • No saturated fat

Cons

  • Only 2 g protein per serving
  • 480 mg sodium per serving

Pros and cons come straight from each product’s own label. A dimension is listed only when its sub-score is decisive (78 or above for a pro, 62 or below for a con), so a merely-average number never gets sold as a strength. Every figure is per labeled serving — full panels on each product page.

The full report card — all 6 pasta sauces, ranked

#Pasta sauceGradeScoreWeakest link
1 Classico — Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce B- 73 fiber (41/100)
2 Newman's Own — Organics Marinara Pasta Sauce B- 73 fiber (41/100)
3 Rao's — Homemade Marinara Sauce B- 72 fiber (36/100)
4 Ragu — Old World Style Traditional Sauce B- 72 fiber (41/100)
5 Prego — Traditional Italian Sauce C+ 68 fiber (48/100)
6 Bertolli — Tomato & Basil Sauce C+ 67 fiber (36/100)

Worth a closer look

The two ends of the list tell the story. Classico Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce tops the class at 73/100 (B-); Bertolli Tomato & Basil Sauce anchors the bottom at 67/100 (C+). Click any product for its full fact sheet — the six dimension sub-scores, the per-serving label, and what would move its grade. Prefer to slice it yourself? Filter every graded product by the dimension you care about.

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How we graded these

Each product is scored on six dimensions — protein density, ingredient quality, added sugar, sodium, fiber, and saturated fat — combined into a 0–100 score and a letter grade. Every number comes from the product’s own label, verified against USDA FoodData Central. The grade is absolute (relative to all packaged foods), which is why a whole category can land in the same band. See the full methodology. Last graded 2026-06-04.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pasta sauce scored best?

Classico Tomato & Basil and Newman’s Own Organics Marinara tied for the top at B- (73), with Ragu Old World Traditional and the famous Rao’s Homemade Marinara a single point back at B- (72). The winners keep added sugar low without piling on sodium. See the ranked table above for the full order and each sauce’s weakest dimension.

Why did Bertolli Tomato & Basil score lowest?

The sweeter jars carry more added sugar, and added sugar is one of our six dimensions — so Bertolli and Prego trail the low-sugar sauces above them. At C+ it isn’t a fail; it’s just out-scored. And because all jarred sauce is sodium-heavy, even the leaders cap at B-. The grade reflects what’s actually in the jar, not the brand’s reputation.

Is jarred pasta sauce healthy?

Mostly, yes — it’s low-calorie and fat-free, so it’s a reasonable base for a meal. The two things to watch are added sugar and sodium, which is what separates the jars and why the whole category caps at B-. The no-added-sugar, lower-sodium sauces score best; the sweeter ones a few points lower. A B-to-C+ grade means "a solid pantry staple, just read the label."

How is the grade calculated?

Six dimensions — protein density, ingredient quality, added sugar, sodium, fiber, and saturated fat — into a 0–100 score and a letter grade, from each product’s own label, verified against USDA data. See our methodology page.

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