How Much Sugar Is in Pasta Sauce?
A half-cup of jarred marinara has about 7 g of sugar — some from the tomatoes themselves, some added to balance the acidity.
in 1/2 cup marinara (125 g) · about 1.7 teaspoons
- Per serving
- 7 g
- Per 100 g
- 6 g
- Type
- Mostly natural
- In teaspoons
- ≈ 1.7 tsp
Fine in a portion — worth keeping an eye on.
A half-cup of jarred marinara sauce carries about 7 g of sugar — part of it is naturally in the tomatoes, and part is added sugar many brands use to round out the acidity. Like ketchup, it's a savoury food with a quiet sugar habit, though marinara is far milder than a sweeter sauce like BBQ.
Sugar content swings a lot by brand — some marinaras have none added, others, especially sweeter 'family recipe' styles, run closer to 10–12 g per half cup. Checking the ingredient list for added sugar, or making a simple sauce from crushed tomatoes, herbs, and garlic, keeps it close to the tomato's own natural sugar.
How pasta sauce compares
Out of 205 everyday foods and drinks we track, pasta sauce ranks #131 for sugar per serving — more than 36% of them.
- Plum7g
- Sweet potato7g
- Pasta sauce (this page)7g
- Blackberries7g
- Clementine7g
Bars show sugar per serving. Tap any food to see its full breakdown.
Lower-sugar swaps
- A marinara labeled no-added-sugar, or one made from plain crushed tomatoes
- Add extra vegetables to the jar to stretch it and dilute the sugar per serving
Frequently asked questions
- Does pasta sauce have added sugar?
- Many jarred sauces do — some to balance tomato acidity, others use noticeably more. Checking the label for sugar in the ingredients tells you which.
- Is BBQ sauce or pasta sauce higher in sugar?
- BBQ sauce, by a wide margin — about 36 g per 100 g versus marinara's roughly 6 g. Marinara's sugar is mostly the tomatoes themselves.
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Sugar values from Typical nutrition label; actual amounts vary by brand, ripeness, and recipe. Last updated 2026-08-09.