Is Tomato Sauce Gluten-Free?

By Hayley Simpson / Last Modified On May 18, 2023

Looking for something to pair with your gluten-free spaghetti and unsure whether your pasta sauce fits the bill?

Is tomato sauce gluten-free? Unfortunately, there isn’t a simple yes-or-no answer for you. While a simple tomato sauce is naturally gluten-free, some varieties might include glutinous ingredients (or may even be cross-contaminated).

Today, we’re sharing a vast selection of our favorite gluten-free pasta sauce brands, including a homemade gluten-free spaghetti sauce recipe that any nonna would be proud of.

Is Tomato Sauce Gluten-Free?

Does tomato sauce have gluten? Maybe, maybe not!

The most basic tomato sauce is made with tomatoes, vegetables, oil, and spices. These ingredients are naturally gluten-free, but extra ingredients might be added to produce certain marinara or flavored pasta sauces. Some products may also be cross-contaminated during the production process.

An ingredient label might show gluten or refer to gluten-containing ingredients (e.g., wheat, rye, barley, oats). For products to carry a gluten-free label, they must contain less than 20 ppm. If the tomato sauce isn’t produced in a dedicated facility, it typically won’t declare it on the packaging.

Your best bet is to double-check products for a gluten-free label. Otherwise, make your own gluten-free tomato sauce.

Our Favorite Gluten-Free Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

This homemade red sauce recipe is from our gluten-free spaghetti post. It’s so quick and easy, you could be enjoying a big bowl of pasta in under 30 minutes!

Ingredients

1 cup chopped onion
2 minced garlic cloves
1 can (14.5 oz.) crushed tomatoes
15 oz. tomato sauce
6 oz. tomato paste
½ cup broth (veggie, beef, or chicken)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Instructions

In a large saucepan, saute the garlic and onion until translucent.
Add all of the remaining ingredients to the saucepan and stir until combined.
Bring to a light boil and then reduce the heat. Let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve over the cooked gluten-free pasta of your choice.

While this is a delicious vegetarian/vegan meal as-is, there are plenty of ways to customize it, including:

Browning and seasoning ground beef or turkey with onion and garlic.
Go an extra step and make gluten-free meatballs.
Roasting some vegetables (like squash or zucchini) beforehand, then tossing them in at the end.

Our Top Gluten-Free Tomato Sauce Brands

You’ll need the right tomato sauce to make a delicious pasta sauce. There’s a bit of overlap, so we’ll keep this short and sweet.

Barilla Tomato Sauce
Cento Italiano Tomato Sauce
Contadina’s Tomato Sauce
- Includes: Tomato Sauce, No-Added Sugar Tomato Sauce, Sauce with Italian Herbs, and Extra Thick and Zesty Tomato Sauce.
Dei Fratelli All-Purpose Tomato Sauce
Del Monte Canned Tomato Sauce
Franceso Rinaldi Original Tomato Sauce
Hunt’s Tomato Sauce (one of the most popular in the US)
Tuttorosso Tomato Sauce

Our Favorite Gluten-Free Pasta Sauce Brands

If you want to use a jarred product, we’ve got you covered. Here’s our long list of delicious gluten-free pasta sauce recommendations.

Amy’s Kitchen

Amy’s Kitchen says, “Gluten-free is practically our middle name.” With safeguards that assure FDA guidelines, their two most popular organic pasta sauce options are Tomato Basil and Family Marinara Sauce.

Barilla

Nearly all of Barilla’s pasta sauces are gluten-free:

Arrabiata
Basilico
Bolognese
Napoletana
Olive
Red Wine and Garlic
Ricotta

Note: Their pesto sauces are not gluten-free.

Cento

Cento is known for its premium Italian products. All of their pasta sauces are made with Italian tomatoes. In addition to their All-Purpose Pasta Sauce, their gluten-free pasta sauce range is extensive and includes:

Arrabiata - Crushed red pepper flakes give this a kick!
Vodka - “The perfect blend of tomatoes, heavy cream, and a variety of cheeses.”
Porcini - Italian tomatoes combined with porcini mushrooms? Say no more!

Note: Bellino Spaghetti Sauce also falls under the Cento umbrella and is gluten-free.

Classico

Classico is one of the most popular pasta sauce brands, and we’re happy to report that their range is also gluten-free. If we listed every one of their sauces, we’d be here a while, but it definitely includes Organic, Alfredo, and all of their red pasta varieties.

Dei Fratelli

Dei Fratelli confirms on its website that every one of its sauces is gluten-free and that no gluten enters its facility either. They have a wide selection of pasta sauces available:

Arrabiata Pasta Sauce, a.k.a “The Spicy One.”
Fire-Roasted Vegetable (the perfect way to sneak veggies into your kids’ favorite pasta dish).
Homestyle
Marinara
Mushroom
Three-Cheese
Tomato and Basil
Traditional

Eden Foods

Eden Foods is a Michigan-based company. 80% of their products are double-certified organic, and they follow strict manufacturing procedures to prevent cross-contamination.
While all of Eden Foods’ sauces are gluten-free, they regularly send their products for third-party testing to ensure that’s the case. You can choose between Pizza Pasta Sauce and Spaghetti Sauce.

Fody Foods

Fody Foods is known for its low FODMAP pasta sauces. They currently offer vegan bolognese, marinara, spicy marinara, and tomato basil pasta sauces.

Francesco Rinaldi

Though it’s a smaller company, Francesco Rinaldi is proud to declare that all its products are gluten-free and made with Italian recipes. If you’re searching for an authentic Italian pasta sauce brand, look no further. As you can imagine, their range is comprehensive:

Tomato and Basil
Marinara
Tomato, Garlic, & Onion
Sweet and Tasty Tomato
Garden Combo
Mushroom
Three Cheese
Meat-Flavored
Roasted Garlic Alfredo Sauce

La Dee Da

Hailing from Ontario, La Dee Da offers a variety of gourmet, plant-based, vegan, and gluten-free pasta sauces. Their Loaded Veggie sauce is loaded with 12 different vegetables and the company also offers tasty varieties like mushroom, cauliflower alfredo, and butternut squash sauce.

Organico Bello

Gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, and Non-GMO, Organico Bello ticks many boxes. You can choose between Marinara, Spicy Marinara, Tomato & Basil, or Kale, Tomato, & Basil.

Their Delicate Recipe is a traditional, low-sodium tomato sauce made without onions or garlic (ideal for people with food sensitivities). You can also get this organic pasta sauce delivered directly to your door.

Organicville

Organicville’s gluten-free Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce is made from vine-ripened California tomatoes and other whole ingredients. It’s Whole30-approved and keto-friendly.

Prego

Owned by the Campbell Soup Company, Prego confirms that its products undergo a rigorous two-step testing process before being verified as gluten-free. Some of their options include:

Spicy Marinara Sauce
Traditional Pasta Sauce
Meat-Flavored Sauce
Chunky Zucchini Pasta Sauce

Rao's Specialty Foods

Rao’s is a legendary NYC restaurant, and this collection of handcrafted pasta sauces brings Rao’s to your kitchen. Fortunately, most are gluten-free (and produced in a dedicated facility).

Homemade Marinara Sauce
Arrabiata Sauce
Tomato Basil Sauce
Bolognese Sauce
Mushroom and Bell Pepper Sauce
Homemade Vodka Sauce
Italian Sausage and Mushroom Sauce
Roasted Garlic Sauce
Four Cheese Sauce

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Celiacs Eat Tomato Sauce?

Absolutely, people with celiac disease can eat gluten-free tomato sauce. There are tons of companies that currently produce high-quality (and delicious) gluten-free tomato sauces.

Do Canned Tomatoes Contain Gluten?

No. If your canned tomatoes should be naturally gluten-free if they only contain one ingredient (tomatoes). However, some companies add extra ingredients to their canned tomatoes, like additives and flavors. Always double-check the packaging to ensure it doesn’t contain any glutinous ingredients.

Is Tomato Paste Gluten-Free?

Yes, tomato paste is naturally gluten-free, but be sure to check all labels.

Is Marinara Sauce Gluten-Free?

No, not all marinara sauce brands are gluten-free! Sometimes they’re made with glutinous ingredients or produced in a gluten-containing facility. Keep your eyes peeled for a gluten-free label – and always double-check the ingredients.

Is Spaghetti Sauce Gluten-Free?

Most spaghetti sauce is naturally gluten-free. But once again, some companies will add extra ingredients like additives and flavorings that can contain gluten. So when shopping for jarred spaghetti sauce, double-check the ingredients and look for that gluten-free label.

What Can I Make With Tomato Sauce?

In addition to pasta sauce, tomato sauce is an ingredient in countless dishes, including the following:

Looking to Upgrade Your Cooking Skills?

Is tomato sauce gluten-free? It usually is, but to make the process easier, select from our favorite brands or use our foolproof homemade recipe.

Whether you’re just starting out on your gluten-free journey – or are ready to upgrade your kitchen skills – check out these expert gluten-free cooking classes!

Thanks for sharing!