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    Ohio’s Own: DeMassimo’s Arrabbiata Sauce

    As a general rule, it’s a good idea to splurge when buying pasta sauce. Sure, you can get it at a big-box grocer for around a dollar, but the red stuff in those bargain jars is typically disappointing at the table: it’s watery, either too sweet or too sour, and somehow, alarmingly absent any distinguishable tomato flavor.  

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    There are some far better local offerings in the pasta sauce scene. Carfagna’s renditions have long been a personal favorite. DeMassimo’s is maybe a less well-known name, but that’s not for long. What started as a project at the Hilliard Farm Market in 2015 has since blossomed into a full-scale sauce operation that offers its wares in classic, pizza and arrabbiata sauce variations. 

    As a bonus, DeMassimo’s follows an all-natural, no-sugar-added mantra. Don’t get me wrong: sugar is awesome, generally speaking. Sugar is great in brownies, cakes and cookies. But it feels like a cheat in tomato products. Reading some pasta sauce labels can make you wonder if you’re just putting red-colored corn syrup on your noodles.  

    Happily, there’s no paranoia needed with the DeMassimo’s arrabbiata sauce. “Arrabbiata” translates from Italian as “angry,” so any traditional version of the sauce sports a defined spicy kick. A big 16 oz DeMassimo’s jar delivers lots of pulpy, pureed tomato, held down with parmesan, romano, onions, and a pleasant little spiked burn to keep things interesting. A jar of the arrabbiata sauce runs about $7; the company’s other sauces are closer to $5. Any of these tiny splurges can make a big difference in a meal. 

    You can find DeMassimo’s products at local gourmet grocers, but several Kroger and Giant Eagle locations offer the sauce, too. In fact, it just scored a national deal with Fresh Thyme. You can find out more about the company, including a value-added olive oil connection, here: demassimos.com.

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    Miriam Bowers Abbott
    Miriam Bowers Abbotthttps://columbusunderground.com
    Miriam Bowers Abbott is a freelancer contributor to Columbus Underground who reviews restaurants, writes food-centric featurettes and occasionally pens other community journalism pieces.
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