Del monte Meat Flavored Pasta Sauce Review: Worth Your Money?

Welcome back to 5 Minute Eats! Today, we have another pasta sauce review for you that might just give you the meat sauce sweats. We hope not! We're reviewing the Delmonti Quality Since 1892 Meat Flavored Pasta Sauce, a 24 oz can available for $1.34 at Walmart. Yes, you need a can opener for this one.

Upon spotting this in the store, I was surprised. Delmonti, known for its canned fruits, now has a meat-flavored pasta sauce? The price was compelling, so we had to try it, especially since meat-flavored sauces are quite an American thing.

If you love pasta sauces, you're in the right place. We've reviewed over 30 pasta sauces so far, thanks to our themed weeks that began when I was overwhelmed by the sheer variety at the grocery store. Gourmet pasta sauces can cost $20 or more, so finding budget-friendly options is always exciting. Delmonti's sauce rivals the likes of Hunt's, another canned sauce we’ve reviewed.

Opening the can, the sauce looked pretty standard. It smelled sweet and zesty, with visible meat chunks. However, I was initially concerned about the small amount of beef. 

Smell: Sweet and zesty.

Taste: The sauce is sweet, with a strong herbaceous flavor, primarily garlic and onion. The beef, while not abundant, was noticeable and didn’t pose any issues.

Our rating system is simple: thumbs up or thumbs down.

I give this sauce a thumbs up. For a canned meat sauce, it’s not bad at all. It has an old-school flavor, reminiscent of sauces from the '70s, '80s, and '90s. The taste hasn't modernized much, but that’s part of its charm. The garlic and onion hit hard, and my mouth was tingling from the garlic. Despite this, it’s a good budget-friendly option to keep in your pantry. I’d buy it again.

For me, it’s a thumbs down. I wanted to like it more than Hunt’s, but I couldn’t. The sweetness and herbiness are overwhelming. The middle flavor is bitter and acidic, almost ammonia-like. The intense oregano aftertaste is off-putting. The meat was fine, but the overall flavor didn’t work for me. It’s a personal preference, but I wouldn’t buy it again.

To sum up, it’s a split decision: one thumbs up and one thumbs down. If you decide to try this sauce, consider using our Amazon links to support our channel. Your support helps us continue to bring you more reviews.