Top 8: The best Bolognese sauces for a taste of the summer

With a ragu we add minced meats (no need to brown the beef or pork first) but we can use bolognese sauces with chickpeas, mixed beans, grated carrot – whatever is in season – as long as the chunks are small enough to cook quickly.

For a quick supper cook pasta with peas added a few minutes before serving. A minute before dishing up, drain the pasta and peas and add in a decent splash of sauce back into the pot to heat up.

Shakshuka is a fashionable brunch dish in restaurants and all the sauces in this week’s Top 8 will serve you and your eggs impressively well.

There’s garlic in some of the samples, though it would rarely appear in the original recipe. In Italy milk is sometimes added – sounds odd but it makes a rich sauce. Use over potatoes, rice, dipped or spread on chunky bread for summer tapas. Bring jars on picnics (summer is coming) and use on bread instead of butter.

M&S Everything 340g €3

Tomatoes 79% and tomato purée, sunflower oil, carrots, onions, celery, rice starch, sugar, garlic, basil and rosemary with a little black pepper and salt 0.85%. Nice fresh rounded flavours and with just enough depth of tomato flavour and a well-integrated texture, a good all-rounder.

Score: 9

Ballymaloe 400g €3.99

A natural pulpy texture thanks to a decent 79% tomatoes with further richness from 13% tomato purée. It comes with pieces of slightly chewy onions and spring onions. There are red peppers too which mainly add colour. Salt at 0.3% is low. Overall there is a sweetness which makes it delicious on sourdough bread for simple tapas. Super Cork product.

Score: 8.75

Barilla 400g

Even with 40.9% tomato pulp and 14% tomato concentrate, a richness of tomato flavour was missing. However, with a hint of garlic and basil all flavours and textures tasted natural with no harsh untraditional spicing. At 1% it had the highest salt content of the selection, though it didn’t taste salty. Made in Italy.

Score: 8

Janet’s Just Delicious 350g €2.99

After testing some other samples, this seemed a little bland, but as we dug deeper the fairly generous 69% tomatoes and 4% tomato purée, onions, carrot purée, garlic, black pepper, parsley, thyme, bay leaf came through. There is no added sugar or salt which is commendable and makes it suitable for toddlers. We liked it on bread and on the side with fish.

Score: 8.5

Aldi Specially Selected 350g €1.99

Tomatoes 53%, tomato puree 14%, onion 8%, celery, tomato paste 4.5%, carrot, sugar, garlic (garlic purée and powder) 2%, red wine 2%, salt 0.71%, herbs, olive oil, onion granules, concentrated lemon juice, black pepper, bay and celery extracts

Chunks of vegetables in a smooth, very spicy purée base was too much for kids, but ideal for Shakshuka.

Score: 8

Dolmio 500g €2.40

Tomatoes 61%, tomato paste 19% form a base for carrots 6%, onions 6%, red pepper 2.5%, leek 1%, which are nicely pulped. Salt 0.63% is acceptable, and there is non-traditional garlic which does the taste no harm. A little sweet for one taster. Nice for bread dipping.

Score: 8

Loyd Grossman 350g €3.50

Tomatoes 44%, tomato paste, red wine 7%, garlic and celery purées, has salt 0.79%, with oregano, basil, black pepper, thyme, with a little warmth from nutmeg. Firm, sometimes chewy, pieces of carrot, onion, celery sit in the sauce which could do with a richer tomato flavour, but has a nice tang of pepper.

Score: 7.75

SuperValu Signature Tastes 350g €3.99

Some chunky pieces of onion and carrot are bathed in a pulpy tomato base of tomatoes 47% and chopped tomatoes 20% with tomato purée 5%. Nicely rich, but quite spicy from unspecified spices but we suspect chilli, so young tasters didn’t favour it. Good for grown-up Shakshuka.

Score: 7.75