Anybody that has experienced fine Italian dining in New York City knows about Carbone. Many of you are aware of its status as one of the most prestigious Italian restaurants in the country. Those who have had the pleasure of dining there can attest to the high standards and care they put into every dish. From red sauce classics like Vodka Rigatoni to lighter meals such as Salmon Oreganata, this sophisticated restaurant has been wowing diners on the east coast for nearly a decade.
We have fantastic news for anyone that’s been dying to eat at Carbone. This Michelin star restaurant has released its own line of premium jarred pasta sauces that are now available nationwide. Even if you can’t create homemade gnocchi or filet a whole branzino like the experienced chefs in New York, you can take your pasta dishes to the next level thanks to their high-end sauces. We were fortunate enough to get our hands on Carbone’s sauces and we cannot wait to tell you what we think of them.
1. Carbone Marinara
Marinara is often the gold standard of Italian red sauces. What seems like a simple sauce to make often is one of the most difficult to perfect. If a restaurant can amaze you with basic spaghetti and marinara sauce, you know they are doing something right. Carbone’s jarred marinara is a versatile crowd-pleaser that is useful in various dishes – Italian or not. You won’t find a long list of tongue-twisting ingredients in this sauce (or any of Carbone’s offerings, for that matter). Their marinara sauce consists of tomatoes, onions, olive oil, sea salt, basil, garlic, and oregano. Sounds easy, right? What makes it stand out is the quality of the ingredients.
This might just be the best jarred pasta sauce you’ve ever tasted. Use this marinara for a simple spaghetti, a homemade ravioli dish, or even on homemade pizzas. You’ll be thrilled by the fresh sweetness of the tomatoes accented perfectly by touches of basil, oregano, and garlic.
2. Carbone Tomato Basil
The ingredient list here may look identical to the marinara sauce; however, the additional basil gives this sauce a whole new flavor profile. You can use Carbone’s Tomato Basil sauce for many of the same applications as marinara, but you’ll get a sweeter, more pungent taste. This is an excellent sauce for marinating meatballs or pork chops and can even be served on its own as a dipping sauce for mozzarella sticks, fried mushrooms, or calzones.
Feel free to add some of your own fresh basil, but you may find there is no need for it because Carbone has perfected this recipe. There’s enough basil to give this sauce a distinctive flavor that simply can’t be confused with marinara, but not so much that the tasty herb overpowers the entire dish. We recommend pairing this sauce with cheese tortellini. The sweetness of the basil complements the salty, rich cheese, and the consistency of the sauce is flawless. Keep in mind that just like the marinara, the options for this sauce are essentially limitless.
3. Carbone Arrabbiata
Some people like their pasta with a little more heat, and we don’t blame them! Adding crushed red pepper to tomato sauce might not seem like much, but it goes a long way in imparting a spicy, more complex flavor profile. Carbone’s Arrabbiata is probably the best jarred version of this sauce that we’ve ever had, and we can’t get enough of it. We love using this sauce for classic hot dishes like Shrimp Diablo.
Arrabbiata is a versatile sauce that also goes well with any pasta or meat that needs a little more oomph. Again, it’s not just the addition of crushed red pepper, but also the high-quality ingredients and perfect execution by the team at Carbone that makes this sauce taste so good. If you have a love of all things spicy, you won’t regret trying this premium jarred pasta sauce.
We thoroughly enjoyed all of Carbone’s jarred sauces and highly recommend them to anyone who doesn’t have the time to create pasta sauces from scratch. Carbone’s variety pack provides the perfect balance of flavors that can help you achieve delicious Italian entrees year-round. Tell us about your favorite ways to use these premium jarred pasta sauces!
If you like this post, check out our Italian Pink Sauce Recipe (Parma Rosa Sauce) post.
