Pasta Sauces: The best and worst revealed

Rating for calorie-counters: 2/10
Cal: 159
Fat: 14.4g *Highest across ALL pasta sauces*
Saturated fat: 8.5g *Highest across ALL pasta sauces*
Sugar: 4.1g
Salt: 2.7g *Highest across ALL pasta sauces*
Weight: 190g
Price: £1.45 at Tesco

Verdict: As pasta sauces go, this one is certainly tasty although the thick consistency and richness might not be to all of the family’s liking. Flavour aside, in terms of healthy eating this is a pasta sauce to avoid eating regularly. While cheese sauces are usually higher on the calorie front than others, we were shocked at the huge levels saturated fat and salt in Sacla’s.

Rating for calorie-counters: 4/10
Cal: 169
Fat: 13.8g
Saturated fat: 2.4g
Sugar: 5.2g
Salt: 1.26g
Weight: 300g
Price: £1.99 at Waitrose

Verdict: For a world cup winning rugby player it’s a shame that he endorses a pasta sauce with such high levels of saturated fats, sugar and salt. For this reason it’s not a sauce you’d want to use weekly, however it does make for a very tasty dinner every now and again. Whether you pour it over freshly cooked pasta and serve or add some extra mozzarella and bake in the oven, we guarantee this will go down a treat.

Rating for calorie-counters: 5/10
Cal: 121
Fat: 8.2g
Saturated fat: 3.5g
Sugar: 0.8g
Salt: 1.1g
Weight: 310g
Price: £1 at Asda

Verdict: Generally speaking this isn’t the healthiest pasta sauce, but in terms of cheese sauces Asda’s Four Cheese Pasta Sauce isn’t too bad. This is unfortunately reflected in the taste. While it has a creamy texture, it also has a bland flavour and definitely needs extra seasoning. Try adding a clove of garlic and grating some extra cheese on top if you’re looking for a treat.

Rating for calorie-counters: 5.5/10
Cal: 80
Fat: 2.5g
Saturated fats: Trace
Sugar: 8g
Salt: less than 0.5g
Weight: 737g
Price: £2.10 at Tesco

Verdict: Gefen is a lesser known brand, but one worth picking up when you see it. Blending tomatoes with sautéed mushrooms is the secret behind its delicious flavour and with low saturated fat and salt levels it’s not a bad choice if you’re watching your weight either, although it’s not one of the cheapest options.

Rating for calorie-counters: 6/10
Cals: 74.5
Fat: 5.3g
Saturated fat: 0.6g
Sugar: 4.7g
Salt: Trace
Weight: 190g
Price: 99p at Ocado

Verdict: It’s not the healthiest of pasta sauces in our edit in terms of fat levels, but kids love the Bob The Builder theme and it’s free from artificial colourings and flavourings and gluten-free, making it a safe option for when they have friends for tea. Not to mention purse-friendly, for less than £1 you’ll have enough to feed at least four little ones.

Rating for calorie-counters: 6.5/10
Cals: 71
Fat: 5.2g
Saturated fat: 0.6g
Sugar: 5.2g
Salt: 0.5g
Weight: 400g
Price: £1.99 at Waitrose

Verdict: Known for its olive oil, Bertolli has now put its name to a range of pasta sauces. While the price point is higher than the other tomato and Basil sauces we tried, we think it’s worth spending the extra money. In fact it’s so delicious there’s no need for extra seasoning. Plus it’s low in saturated fats and isn’t bad on the calorie side either. All in all it’s a great sauce and a worthy contender – we’re hoping there’s more flavours to come from Bertolli.

Rating for calorie-counters: 6.5/10
Cals: 69
Fat: 2.9g
Saturated fat: 0.4g
Sugar: 8.1g
Salt: 0.6g
Weight: 350g
Price: £2.29

Verdict: Opting for an organic sauce might seem like a healthier choice, but Seeds of Change’s Tomato & Garlic Pasta Sauce has a surprisingly high amount of sugar. However with just a hint of garlic, this could easily be a winner with the kids. Why not try sneaking in some chopped vegetables as well as pasta?

Rating for calorie-counters: 7/10
Cals: 65
Fat: 3.2g
Saturated fat: 0.4g
Sugar: 6.0g
Salt: 1.0g
Weight: 350g
Price: £1.80 at Asda

Verdict: There’s a lot wrong with this sauce in terms of price and high amounts of fat, sugar and salt, but the taste almost makes up for it. Plus, unlike most of the other vegetable pasta sauces available, this one is jam-packed with chunks of red pepper, yellow pepper, courgette and aubergine. While it’s not one that we could afford to buy weekly, it’s definitely worth picking up when it’s on offer or for a special occasion.

Rating for calorie-counters: 7/10
Cals: 64
Fat: 2.5g
Saturated fat: 0.4g
Sugar: 7.0g
Salt: 0.8g
Weight: 350g
Price: £1.60 at Tesco

Verdict: When you think of pasta the Dolmio advert is usually one of the first things to spring to mind, but we’re not convinced that this sauce really does offer the ‘taste of Italy’ as promised in the name. While the chunks of tomato and basil make it feel more authentic, the overall taste is slightly disappointing. However this range is often on offer and makes a good base for ratatouille or spag bol.

Rating for calorie-counters: 7/10 *A goodtoknow favourite for taste*
Cals: 63
Fat: 2.7g
Saturated fat: 0.4g
Sugar: 5.8g
Salt: 0.7g
Weight: 350g
Price: £1.99 at Tesco

Verdict: Out of all of the Tomato and Roasted Garlic sauces this one was without a doubt ‘Seriously Good’. The blend of sun-dried tomatoes, Montepulciano red wine and roasted garlic makes for a delicious Italian-inspired sauce. Plus it doesn’t rate too badly on the calorie or saturated fat front either. All in all a great choice for a night in for two.

Rating for calorie-counters: 7/10
Cals: 60
Fat: 2.4g
Saturated fat: 0.4g
Sugar: 6.0g
Salt: 0.5g
Weight: 350g
Price: £1.71 at Tesco

Verdict: For an advocate of healthy eating, Jamie Oliver’s Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce isn’t the healthiest sauce we’ve come across, or the most cost effective, but it does have the taste factor. The rich tomatoey sauce has enough flavour to be used on its own with pasta, but we’ve found it works great as a Bolognese sauce too.

Rating for calorie-counters: 7.5/10
Cals: 50
Fat: 0.8g
Saturated fat: 0.1g
Sugar: 7.0g
Salt: 0.7g
Weight: 500g
Price: £1.99 at Tesco

Verdict: It’s one of the most famous pasta sauces and with tomatoes making up 80% of the recipe, Ragu Traditional Pasta Sauce doesn’t disappoint in terms of flavour. It’s worth noting the high sugar content though, especially if this is the base ingredient for a regular family meal. To ramp up the nutritional value try adding chunks of fresh vegetables.

Rating for calorie-counters: 8/10
Cals: 48
Fat: 0.3g
Saturated fat: Trace
Sugar: 6.1g
Salt:0.5g
Weight: 500g
Price: £1.19 at Tesco

Verdict: Low in calories, yes, but high in sugar compared to its competitors.

Rating for calorie-counters: 8/10
Cal: 45
Fat: 1.1g
Saturated fat: 0.1g
Sugar: 6.4g
Salt: 0.8g
Weight: 500g
Price: £1.19 at Sainsbury’s

Verdict: While this pasta sauce impressed us with its nutritional information, it shocked us slightly by only containing 6% of mushrooms. The mild flavour can be easily improved by adding just a handful of chopped fresh mushrooms and a dash of salt and pepper though.

Rating for calorie-counters: 8/10
Cals: 43
Fat: 0.9g
Saturated fat: 0.1g
Sugar: 6.4g
Salt: 0.9g
Weight: 500g
Price: 88p from Tesco

Verdict: Tesco’s Chunky Vegetable Pasta Sauce is low in calories, but if you’re serving it to the whole family, it’s worth noting that it contains a whopping 18% of your recommended daily intake of salt.

Rating for calorie-counters: 9/10 *A goodtoknow aal-round favourite*
Cals: 41
Fat: 0.6g
Saturated fat: 0.1g
Sugar: 3.4g
Salt: 0.4g
Weight: 560g
Price: £1.00 at Asda

Verdict: If vegetable is your sauce of choice then Asda’s Tomato & Chunky Vegetable Sauce is the one to buy. For a quid you get a huge jar with small chunks of mushroom, celery, courgettes and mixed peppers. Low in salt, saturated fat and sugar, it’s a great option for the whole family and it’s the perfect way to get the kids eating vegetables without them even realising. We’re crowning this the king of vegetable pasta sauces for both value for money and nutritional goodness.

Rating for calorie-counters: 9/10 *A goodtoknow favourite for taste*
Cal: 37
Fat: 0.3g
Saturated fat: Trace
Sugar: 4.2g
Salt: 0.5g
Weight: 500g
Price: 75p at Tesco

Verdict: Good value for money, great flavour and low in calories, saturated fats and sugar – what more could you ask for? Whether you’re on a diet or feeding the family, Trattoria Verdi Mushroom Pasta Sauce is one of the best pasta sauces we’ve tried, and without a doubt the best mushroom one. Quick, easy and delicious, this is the cheat’s solution to amazing pasta.

Rating for calorie-counters: 9.5/10
Cals: 34
Fat: less than 0.1g *Lowest across ALL pasta sauces*
Saturated fat: less than 0.1g
Sugar: 4.3g
Salt: less than 0.1g
Weight: 350g
Price: £1.48 at Tesco

Verdict: We were seriously impressed by Weight Watchers tasty Tomato and Roasted Garlic Pasta Sauce. Not only does it contain less than 0.1g of fat, it is also low in sugar and salt, making it the perfect option if you’re on a diet and want to lose weight. Plus it’s not bad value for money, either.