Walking down the pasta aisle can get quite overwhelming. Rows and rows of sauces of all different flavors, colors, etc. One pasta sauce brand you have likely seen in grocery stores is Ragu.
From tomato-based sauces to cheese sauces, Ragu has many flavors. But are all of these sauces safe for those with Celiac disease or gluten intolerance?
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What is Ragu?
Ragu is a line of pasta sauces found at most grocery stores. They make a lot of flavors, from red sauce to white sauce. They even have a more natural pasta sauce line called Simply (pictured above).
Ragu is a grocery store staple now, but that was not always the case. The famous pasta sauce brand started in Assunta's kitchen, an Italian immigrant living in the United States. At first, Assunta and her husband would only make sauces for themselves with the vegetables from their garden.
This all changed when the US entered the Great Depression. The family started selling their sauces, and these homemade sauces quickly became a hit. Today, it’s made in a factory instead of a kitchen, but it still has that homemade taste.
If you make pasta sauce, you may want to include tomato paste. Read Is Tomato Paste Gluten Free as well!
Answer: Is Ragu Gluten Free?
Yes, most Ragu sauces are gluten free! A few sauces have gluten-containing ingredients, but those will always be labeled as having gluten on the ingredients label. Ragu does not label their sauce specifically gluten free, but they provide a clear list of all potential allergens on their ingredients list.
The main ingredients you want to look out for are rye, barley, malt, and wheat when reading the ingredients list. Plus, look for any additives like caramel color and extracts. These have gluten and are not safe to eat for those on a gluten-free diet.
NOTE: Ragu flavors Parmesan & Romano and the Mama’s Garden line of sauces contained barley in the past. Barley is no longer listed as an ingredient on these flavors, nor is barley declared on the labels. I would treat these flavors with caution.
Ragu is very strict about labeling their sauces, so read their ingredient list carefully to ensure it is gluten free. In addition, the company states on its website that its recipes and ingredients often change over time. So, no matter how often you buy a specific sauce, make sure to check the ingredients list in case of any alterations.
Be sure to check out all of the articles I wrote so you know what meal ingredients are gluten free.
Other Gluten Free Pasta Sauce Brands:
Most tomato-based pasta sauces are gluten free, but it is always best to double-check the ingredients list. Here is a list of other spaghetti sauce brands with gluten-free options.
- Sonoma Pasta Sauce
- Mezzetta
- Rao's
- Yo Mama’s Sauce
- Barilla Tomato-based Sauce
- Prego Farmers’ Market Classic Marinara
- 365 Organic Pasta Sauce
- Trader Joe's Pasta Sauce (most flavors, but always check the label!)
- Signature Reserve and O Organic (Albertson's chain carries this line)
In Summary…
Most Ragu pasta sauces are gluten free, especially tomato-based ones. However, some of their sauces do have gluten. Check the sauce’s ingredients list for gluten-containing ingredients, as Ragu does not label their sauces “gluten-free.”
Easy Recipes To Make With Jar Pasta Sauce:
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