We were sad to see Uncle Steve’s go, since they were one of the only kosher pareve pasta sauce makers (with no dairy varieties). But alas, Steve had other projects. See our Dairy-Free Sauce Reviews for other options.
I realize there are many pasta sauces that are made without dairy, but how many of them are certified organic and kosher parve? How many use extra-virgin olive rather than soybean or canola oil? How many have no sugar added and use imported Italian whole peeled tomatoes? And how many have absolutely zero additives with an ingredient list that could have come straight from your own pantry? That’s what I thought. Now you know why I couldn’t resist reviewing Uncle Steve’s Organic Italian Sauces! They’re convenient tomato sauces with healthy homemade virtue.
First, who is Uncle Steve? Otherwise known as Steve Schirripa, the man behind Uncle Steve’s Organic Italian Sauces is a well-known author and actor with credits that range from the classic, The Sopranos, to the New York Times bestseller, A Goomba’s Guide to Life, to a recent ABC TV series, The Secret Life of the American Teenager. But over the years, he’s also been very vested in the culinary community, and has stepped his game up with the launch of Uncle Steve’s Organic Italian Sauces.
We were sent the three initial sauces to trial and were immediately impressed. The Marinara is incredibly versatile (pasta to pizza to chicken) and pure in flavor. It is slightly more acidic than most, likely due to the lack of added sweetener. But it’s easily tamed by the rest of your meal. The Tomato Basil was just a touch lighter in flavor and acidity. It still had the same pure and lightly “chunky” taste and consistency. And a warning: The Arrabiata is SPICY!! Amazing flavor, but our tame taste buds went into slight shock from the powerful heat.
I do like to keep some good quality pasta sauce in the pantry for last minute dinner. Each of Uncle Steve’s Organic Italian Sauces made an amazing quick meal. Just add pasta, steamed veggies, eggplant, ground meat, chicken, leftovers – whatever you’ve got, this sauce will elevate it. Admittedly, the price is a little steep for my daily budget, but you do get what you pay for!
The Facts on Uncle Steve’s Organic Italian Sauces
Certifications: Uncle Steve’s Organic Italian Sauces are Certified Organic and Kosher Parve. Though I did not note additional certifications, they are also labeled as gluten-free and would be naturally GMO-free due to the organic ingredients.
Dietary Notes: By ingredients, NUncle Steve’s Organic Italian Sauces are dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian. Nonetheless, read the ingredient statement and check with the company on their manufacturing processes for all varieties if potential allergen cross-contamination is an issue for you. Processes and labeling are subject to change at any time for any company / product.
For More Product Information: Visit the Uncle Steve’s website at www.unclestevesny.com.
2 Comments
Where can I find it? I’ve searched everywhere and no one has it anymore.
Darn, it looks like the company might have quietly folded. They were around not long ago at all.