Rao’s may make the best marinara sauce, but they are more than just a one trick sauce brand (check out our ranking of 20 Rao’s sauces for proof). And they just added two more new Rao’s sauces to the lineup: Creamy Marinara with Mascarpone Cheese and Lemon Parmesan. How do these new pasta sauces measure up to the classic red sauce? Read on for our full review of each flavor and find out if these new Rao’s sauces will be gobbling up your cash or if your wallet is safe from their allure.
Pros: This sauce is thick and, true to its name, it is creamy. It clings to pasta. It also has a bright, sweet tomato flavor. It brings a lot of the same flavor of a traditional Rao’s marinara sauce but without the oil. Instead, it gets its unctuous quality from the emulsified mascarpone. So, if you are intrigued by Rao’s but don’t like oily sauce, you might dig this.
Cons: While the mascarpone certainly helps enhance the texture, it doesn’t add much in the way of flavor—unless you count the somewhat flat aftertaste. I don’t know how to describe it except “jar flavor.” It just tastes less than fresh. And I have just one more quibble: This new Rao’s sauce is boring.
Conclusion: While I would certainly eat a bowlful of pasta tossed with this new Rao’s pasta sauce, I won’t be running out to buy it.
Pros: It’s certainly not boring. It’s really lemony with actual bits of lemon zest in the mix that give it texture and pops of tart-bitter-fresh flavor. It also has Rao’s signature oiliness, which I think is what makes Rao’s sauce so great. The parmesan flavor is subtle, but it does taste like there’s some grated parm stirred into the jar. I think this would be great with a seafood pasta—like fettuccine with shrimp or clams.
Cons: It’s weird! And I think a lot of folks would be put off by the bits of rind in the sauce. And, if you’re in it for the parmesan, you’ll be disappointed. There’s just not a huge punch of parmesan flavor.
Conclusion: At least Rao’s is trying something new with this sauce! It’s definitely not for everyone, but if you are a lemon fiend who adds a squeeze of lemon or chopped preserved lemon to everything, I think it’s worth a try.
Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it.
What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now).
Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test!
Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.
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Justine Sterling
Griffin Parker
Matt Crowley
Danny Palumbo
