Despite how easy it is to cook up a big ol' heaping pot of pasta, there are plenty of decisions to be made prior to digging in. First, you have to choose your pasta shape, then you have to decide which sauce you're smothering the noodles in. Marinara? Alfredo? Of course, no matter what you choose, the outcome is always worth it. After all, "In my world, pasta cures just about anything that ails ya," says Ree Drummond.
But did you know that your choice in pasta sauce could say a lot about where you're from? It's pasta-tively true! Just check out this map of the most popular pasta sauces in America by state. Instacart put together the data using grocery orders across the United States in 2024—and as all you pasta people can probably imagine, these stats get pretty saucy!
Looking at Instacart's sales data, marinara sauce is undoubtedly the most popular pasta sauce in America! The classic sauce came out on top in more than half of the country, accounting for 20% of all pasta sauce purchases last year. California, Montana, Colorado, Texas, Iowa, Florida, New York, Maine, and so many more share a clear penchant for the topping. According to Instacart’s Trends Analyst Alex Orellana, "Our data shows that four out of the five most popular sauces are tomato-based, reinforcing their enduring appeal."
As for the sauce taking second place, that's Alfredo! State's in the South, such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, and the Carolinas seem to favor this cheesy, creamy blend. Orellana adds, "What’s interesting is the regional purchase patterns for Marinara and Alfredo across the country, with Marinara dominating almost everywhere except for a small pocket largely in the Midwest and South. This illustrates how food purchasing choices we make could be largely influenced by where we live.”
Up next is Tomato Basil sauce, showing a high concentration of shoppers in a handful of states, including Ree's home state of Oklahoma. The others are Missouri, Alabama, Delaware, and Maryland. Over in West Virginia, they stand alone with their love for old-school tomato sauce. In fact, marinara, Alfredo, and tomato basil are so popular that they accounted for over half of all purchases in the country last year.
Talk about a delicious data deep dive! But whether you prefer a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce or a bright, tomatoey marinara, you're certainly not alone in your cravings for the Italian staple. Maybe this map will even inspire you to grab a different jar than usual next time you go to prep your pasta. Buon appetito!
Macie Reynolds is the assistant editor of E-Commerce and SEO for The Pioneer Woman.
