That was a favorite of our heat loving friends when we were in TJ territory. I liked to use it to pep up a bland store bought marinara.
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I think I mentioned elsewhere, I use Rao’s arrabbiata over the marinara - not spicy to my palate.
Will have to try TJs arrabiata on your rec — just noticed they’ve added a Calabrian chile sauce too.
The TJ’s is really good. And inexpensive …
I don’t find it eye-watery spicy, just peppy.
Googled Mutti passata and it is marketed as a purée so (as in the pic) has no pulp. Is that typical for all passata? I’m going to try it but we’ve found that we like the texture of their polpa so passata may not be our thing.
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I tried Rao’s Arabbiata tonight. I prefer the Rao’s Tomato Basil and Marinara to the Rao’s Arrabbiata .
I prefer other Arrabbiatas (La Molisana, Cirio and DeCecco off the top of my head) to Rao’s Arrabbiata.
I guess I will try the Carbone Arrabbiata next time.
Headed to Siena this afternoon; any chance you know the name of the shop?
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Yeah, the arrabbiata isn’t one of Rao’s best. I like Rao’s marinara, tomato basil, and vodka sauces.
I haven’t had any of the arrabbiata sauces you mentioned, but here are a few arrabbiata (and arrabbiata-ish) sauces I like better than Rao’s. I wouldn’t say they’re hugely better than Rao’s, but some (maybe most) of them are cheaper.
O Organics Arrabbiata (Safeway store brand)
Botticelli Fra Diavolo
Gia Russa Hot Sicilian
Victoria Arrabbiata
Signature Select Arrabbiata (also a Safeway store brand)
Delallo Spicy Arrabbiata
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Mutti’s website also has this handy comparison of passata and polpa (and their other tomato products). Their description rings true for me as a fan of passata for preps like quick sauces and minestrone. So if you’re enjoying using polpa, I’m guessing that you’ll prefer sticking with that versus passata.
Me, I’d have both in my pantry if I spotted polpa at my regular supermarket. Nice to have choices.
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I keep Mutti 3x tomato paste and canned cherry tomatoes on hand always. Will try these.
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Thank you! I will keep an eye out for those brands.
I live in Canada, and I’m not sure they’re available here, but I will check!
I’ve been enjoying trying new upscale brands lately.
I like Sicilian sauce , when I can find it. The one I get isn’t a hot one. It has olives .
Rao’s Sensitive Marinara is quite good
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Sorry. Can’t get the answer in time.
I brought home some dried herb and spices blends as gifts.
The salami with fennel is tasty in Tuscany!
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For the first time today, I found polpa as well as my go-to passata at my regular supermarket. Now I can choose depending on what I am preparing. 
“Strained tomatoes” = passata
“Finely chopped tomatoes” = polpa
At least that’s true for the Pomi brand pictured here.
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Back when I lived in So.Cal. I bought this brand and thought it better than others available. But later on I discovered Cento San Marzanos. I buy them whole… hand crush them for chili, Vitamix them for 10-15 seconds for chopped, or 30-60 seconds for a smooth sauce.
Curious how the two compare to each other.
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Taste-wise I haven’t found a brand of tomato product that wows me, so I just stick with brand(s) that have worked well enough for me. I started using passata for convenience and because I can so easily pop an opened box or jar back in the fridge when I don’t use the whole amount at once. (I tape or clip the opened box shut.)
I do also keep a can of no-brand Italian San Marzano whole tomatoes in the cabinet. But I don’t reach for that as often as I once did because of speed and simplicity. If I regularly cooked for more than the two of us, I’d return to using whole canned tomatoes more often because then the extra—admittedly easy!—step of crushing/chopping/puréeing would be worthwhile to me because of preparing a larger quantity.
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I used a jar of Rao’s Vodka sauce yesterday. It was okay. I like the tomato basil and marinara Rao’s better than the vodka or Arrabbiata Rao’s, and I liked my most recent Carbone Marinara better than the Rao’s vodka or Arrabbiata.
I plan to try the other Carbone sauces next.
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