This Iconic Brand Makes The Absolute Worst Jarred Alfredo Sauce We've Tried

Jarred pasta sauces can be a lifesaver since they let you put a meal together in just about as long as it takes to boil pasta, whether you use them as is or as a base upon which you can build more complicated sauces. While a jarred tomato or arrabbiata sauce simply needs to have a nice tomato-herb flavor profile to be half decent, things aren't so simple with an Alfredo sauce. As Chowhound discovered in our ranking of store-bought Alfredo sauce brands, a lot can go wrong with this creamy sauce. The sauce that came in last, however, was quite the surprise. Ragú is ubiquitous with easy jarred sauces, and while one doesn't expect restaurant-quality fare from the brand, we didn't expect Ragú's Alfredo sauce to come plum last. 

Ironically, Alfredo is quite an easy sauce to make at home, and you can even elevate it to restaurant quality once you know the simple secret to Olive Garden's Alfredo sauce: heavy cream. Made from butter, cream, and cheese, Alfredo sauce is simple yet decadent. However, simple sauces can sometimes be harder to get right when mass-produced, especially one that depends on high-quality cheese for its primary flavor (a good Alfredo uses a lot of Parmigiano Reggiano). However, we know that it's possible to nail since the winner of our store-bought sauce taste test, bettergoods Alfredo pasta sauce, had prominent notes of Parmesan cheese and fresh garlic. Unfortunately, despite containing real cheese, Ragú's Alfredo sauce fails to meet flavor expectations and instead offers a bland, creamy bite.

First off, you will have to shed any hopes you might have for making a pasta Alfredo with Ragú's Alfredo sauce. While there are a number of ingredients that can improve store-bought Alfredo, many of them, like Parmigiano Reggiano or mascarpone cheese, are expensive, so frankly, you'd have to use enough to cover up the faults of this particular sauce that you'd be better off making it from scratch. Instead, the only aspect of this jarred Alfredo sauce that can be used in a dish is the creamy texture — the flavor needs to come from elsewhere.

If you do have a jar of Ragú to use, focus on dishes where this sauce is paired with lots of other flavorful ingredients. White pizzas, which use a white sauce instead of one made with tomatoes, are a great option since all the additional herbs and toppings can do the heavy lifting in the flavor department. You can also add richness to creamy bowls of soups like potato and leek by mixing in a dollop of Alfredo sauce. 

Ragú's Alfredo sauce can also be turned into a condiment by mixing in some potent ingredients. You can make a version of Alabama-style white BBQ sauce, which tastes great drizzled over wings and other finger foods, by adding mayonnaise, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce to the store-bought Alfredo sauce. Alternatively, add minced garlic to turn Ragú's Alfredo sauce into a punchy dip or to slather on sandwiches. Instead of a pasta sauce, use this jarred Alfredo sauce as a quick way to make dishes creamier or prepare condiments, and you won't be as disappointed.