The Surprising Place I Buy “Gourmet” Jarred Pasta Sauce for Just $5

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When I was home for the holidays I spent a lot of time at HomeGoods. It’s my grandma’s absolute-favorite place to shop (and, let’s be honest, wander as well) so the two of us spent hours browsing for gifts, decorations, and fun food. Yes, food! HomeGoods actually has an impressive groceries section packed with all sorts of pantry staples (hello, jarred marinara!), snacks, and much more. 

While I was filling my cart with festive candies and other little luxuries throughout December, now that life has slowed down I’m returning for one of my favorite two-ingredient HomeGoods pasta dinners.

I was first introduced to the vast world of pasta at HomeGoods by Danielle Centoni, the Kitchn contributor. While the exact types and shapes may vary between stores, one thing is certain: HomeGoods always has a wide variety of pastas (and jarred tomato sauces!) on shelves (and for a fraction of the price). It’s a haven for building your own pasta dinner — all at an incredibly reasonable price. 

In fact, my first HomeGoods pasta dinner of the year was an absolute treat. Out of the many shapes (spaghetti, penne, bowtie), I snagged a bag of the La Fabbrica Pasta i Farfaellini — a new-to-me pasta — for $4.99 (usually $10.50 at other retailers!). The jumbo butterfly shape that’s made with just Durum wheat and water (and tastes like it’s from a fancy Italian restaurant) added a bit of joy to my life.

Meanwhile the sauces! A jar of marinara sauce is probably my most-used pantry staple (for pasta, homemade pizzas, a lazy shakshuka, etc.). I haven’t met pasta sauces that I didn’t like at HomeGoods, but I particularly adored this garlic-forward sauce by award-winning chef Emeril Lagasse. The Roasted Garlic Sauce has an excellent tomato-to-garlic balance with bits of actual tomatoes that I appreciated. It was just $4.99 (usually $7), and I already wish I grabbed a few more jars of it. 

I prepared this meal as I would any other pasta dinner — first by cooking the pasta and reserving about a 1/4 cup of pasta water before draining the rest. Then, I mixed in the jar of sauce with the reserved water until thoroughly combined before tossing with the cooked pasta. 

The pasta was firm, and the garlicky sauce coated it smoothly. It ended up making enough portions to last me for another three lunches throughout the week. 

What are your favorite HomeGoods pantry staples right now? Tell us in the comments below.