Express reporter Jennifer Pinto conducted a blind taste test of six supermarket tomato pasta sauces to see if price reflects quality. The sauces came from M&S, Sainsbury's, Lidl, Aldi, Co-op, and household favourite Dolmio. Each was judged on taste, seasoning, texture, appearance, and value for money. The results were surprising: the cheapest sauce, Aldi's Cucina Smooth Tomato Pasta Sauce at 69p, emerged as the winner with a score of 9/10, while Dolmio, the most expensive at £2.60, scored only 6/10.
Sainsbury's Stamford Street Co. Pasta Sauce – 4/10
Priced at 49p, this was the least favourite. It was too runny with a transparent appearance, lacking deep red colour. The texture suffered from large chunks of onion and vegetables in a thin sauce. It had no bold tomato flavour and felt watery.
Lidl Simply Tomato Pasta Sauce – 5/10
At 49p, this sauce had a browner colour and jelly-like texture. Herbs overpowered the tomato, and the addition of both sugar and artificial sweetener made it taste processed. The tomato content was only 6%, resulting in a lack of fresh, rich flavour.
Dolmio Smooth Tomato Sauce for Bolognese – 6/10
At £2.60, Dolmio had a rich colour and smooth consistency. However, garlic dominated the flavour, making it less versatile. It was good quality but overpriced for the balance.
M&S Classic Tomato Everything Pasta Sauce – 7/10
Priced at £2.30, this sauce had the smoothest texture and looked fantastic. It was versatile but too mild; the tomato flavour lacked intensity.
Co-op Italian Menu Tomato Sauce – 8/10
At £1.00, this sauce had pleasant texture, not overly sweet, with fresh and balanced taste. Some chunks were larger than ideal, but it offered good value.
Aldi Cucina Smooth Tomato Pasta Sauce – 9/10 (Winner)
At just 69p, this sauce had an appealing deep red colour, smooth texture, and the richest tomato flavour of all. It cost less than a third of Dolmio's price and delivered outstanding value. According to Pinto, 'If you're looking for a budget-friendly pasta sauce that doesn't compromise on flavour, Aldi's Cucina Smooth Tomato Pasta Sauce is hard to beat.'
