Most Scottish households will have some kind of pasta sauce in their cupboards as it serves as a main ingredient for many midweek dinners.
Whether it's bolognaise, lasagna, or just thrown over some pasta for a quick and easy meal, there are many different versions of the kitchen staple available from different supermarkets.
But as the cost of living crisis worsens and food prices rise, there is the question of which one is the most cost efficient. Well, it just so happens that one savvy reporter has put several pasta to the test so see how they compare to one notable brand.
A standard jar of Dolmio pasta sauce has risen to £2.20, while prices of some groceries have more than doubled. Surrey Live reporter Laura Nightingale set out to see if she could find another pasta sauce that tastes just as good, but at less of the cost.
Eight different taste tests later, she says she found a clear winner, meanwhile the popular Dolmio option finished halfway up the league table. The victorious sauce in questions costs a staggering 2.5 times less than the big name brand.
Read below to find out her final verdict.
8. Morrisons
Morrisons' Bolognese Sauce had a horrible onion aftertaste.
Even though it had a high tomato content, and was a good price at £1.09, it just wasn't for me. At first glance, the labelling looked very similar to Dolmio.
Tomato content: Tomatoes 83%, tomato purée 8%
Weight: 500g
Price: £1.09 at Morrisons
7. Aldi
Aldi's Everyday Essentials Tomato and Herb Pasta Sauce had a low tomato content and, as a result, was pale in colour.
It was watery and had big chunks of onion in it. It was the cheapest at just 47p for a 440g jar, however, it didn't boast that rich tomato taste.
I would mix it into a pasta dish, but it was not my favourite of all the sauces I tried.
Tomato content: Tomatoes 29%, tomato puree 42%
Weight: 440g
Price: 47p at Aldi
6. Waitrose
If you love red wine, get your mitts on Waitrose's Essential Bolognese Sauce as it has a strong boozy flavour.
Not only did it contain red wine, but it was also quite pungent in terms of flavour as it contained onion, carrots, celery, garlic, basil, black pepper, dried rosemary, dried bay leaf and dried thyme. It was very thick too.
Tomato content: Tomatoes 65%, tomato purée 17%
Weight: 340g
Price: £1.00 at Waitrose
5. Co-op
Co-op's Bolognese Pasta Sauce was bright red in colour, but not big on flavour.
It was a bit tasteless to be honest and there was a very subtle taste of oregano.
Tomato content: Tomatoes 67%, tomato puree 14%
Weight: 500g
Price: £1.50 at Co-Op
4. Dolmio
Dolmio Bolognese Original Pasta Sauce was rich, thick and delicious, just as I knew it to be, but at £2.20 it was more than double the price of many of the other brands I tasted.
Yes I enjoyed it, but it was no more superior than some of the cheaper supermarket versions. It also had some chunky tomatoes in it, which I liked.
Tomato content: Tomatoes 75%, tomato puree 13%
Weight: 500g
Price: £2.20 at Tesco
3. Tesco
Tesco's Bolognese Sauce had a brilliant red colour and a thick texture. It tasted just of tomato (perfect if you hate onion), but I couldn't get any hints of herbs. It was smooth and reminded me of just blended chopped tomatoes.
Tomato content: Tomato 67%, tomato puree 24%
Weight: 500g
Price: 85p at Tesco
2. Marks and Spencer
The M&S Classic Tomato Everything Pasta Sauce was thick, rich and silky. However, at £1.70 for a small 340g jar, it's a bit of a treat.
If it wasn't for the price, I would happily eat this sauce straight from the jar as a makeshift tomato soup with a nice hunk of buttered bread.
Tomato content: Tomatoes 79%, tomato puree (% not included)
Weight: 340g
Price: £1.70 from M&S, or £1.80 for Ocado
1. WINNER: Sainsbury's
But the winner in terms of value for money, in my opinion, had to be Sainsbury's Tomato and Herb Bolognese Pasta Sauce. It was quite loose in consistency, but it was nice and flavoursome as it was packed with tomatoes, onions, basil, oregano and black pepper.
It would go perfectly in a hearty bowl of ravioli or family-size spaghetti bolognese. And on that note, I made a large dish of pasta for my whole family so that no jars in this experiment went to waste. I froze the rest.
Tomato content: Tomatoes 66%, tomato purée 10%
Weight: 500g
Price: 87p at Sainsbury's
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