Prego Review

 

Prego Pasta Sauces: Classic Comfort with Plenty of Flavor

There is something so comforting about a good plate of pasta. Whether it is a busy weeknight dinner, Sunday supper with the family, or a meal when you simply want something warm and satisfying, pasta and sauce are a combination that never seems to go out of style.

That is one of the reasons I enjoy discovering the different sauces from Prego®. Prego has built its reputation around making pasta night easy, flavorful, and convenient, while offering a surprisingly wide variety of sauces to choose from.

From traditional tomato sauces to creamy Alfredo sauces, cheese sauces, pesto, and newer flavors, there is a Prego sauce for just about every kind of pasta craving. Prego's current lineup includes Classic Tomato Sauces, Creamy Tomato Sauces, Alfredo Sauces, Cheese Sauces, Pesto Sauces, and Pizza Sauces.

A Little About Prego

Prego is part of The Campbell's Company and has been making pasta sauces for decades. The brand's tomato-sauce approach focuses on vine-ripened tomatoes, herbs and seasonings, with the goal of creating a sauce that is thick, flavorful, and easy to use. Prego says its tomatoes are harvested at peak freshness and cooked within 6–8 hours of being picked.

One thing that stands out about Prego tomato sauces is their thick, smooth texture. Instead of a watery sauce that disappears into the pasta, the sauce clings nicely to noodles, making every bite flavorful. Prego describes its classic sauces as having a famously thick texture and balanced flavor.

So Many Flavors to Explore

Prego offers a large selection of sauces, which means you can change up pasta night without having to completely reinvent dinner.

Some of the Classic Tomato Sauce varieties include:

• Traditional Sauce

• Margherita Sauce

• Chunky Roasted Garlic & Herb

• Italian Sauce Flavored with Meat

• Spicy Marinara

• Chunky Tomato, Basil & Garlic

The tomato sauces range from sweet and traditional to chunky, garlicky, herby, spicy, and savory.

Prego also offers creamy tomato sauces, cheese sauces, pesto sauces, pizza sauces, and a selection of Alfredo sauces. The creamy pesto line, for example, combines the richness of Alfredo with the bright, herby flavor of pesto and is made with fresh cream and real basil.

That variety makes Prego useful for more than just spaghetti. These sauces can become ingredients in casseroles, chicken dishes, seafood recipes, vegetables, sandwiches, pizza, and even creative appetizers.

Prego Alfredo Sauces

If you love creamy pasta sauces, Prego's Alfredo collection is definitely worth exploring.

The Alfredo lineup includes Homestyle Alfredo, Roasted Garlic Parmesan Alfredo, Artisan Four Cheese Alfredo, Garlic & Caramelized Onion Alfredo, Lemon Alfredo, and Cajun Alfredo.

Prego describes its Alfredo sauces as being made with fresh cream and real cheese, giving them a rich and creamy character.

And now there are two newer flavors that really caught my attention: Lemon Alfredo and Cajun Alfredo.

Prego Lemon Alfredo Sauce

Lemon and cream might sound like an unusual combination at first, but they actually work beautifully together.

Prego's Lemon Alfredo Sauce combines bright lemon flavor with rich, velvety cream. The sauce is made with fresh cream, real Parmesan cheese, butter, lemon peel, lemon juice concentrate, and seasonings. It is also vegetarian and contains no high-fructose corn syrup.

The Taste

The first thing I would expect from this sauce is that lovely contrast between creamy richness and fresh citrus brightness.

Traditional Alfredo can sometimes feel very rich and heavy. The lemon gives this version a lighter, brighter personality. You still get the creamy Parmesan flavor, but the lemon helps wake everything up.

I think this makes it especially appealing with:

• Chicken

• Shrimp

• Salmon

• Scallops

• Asparagus

• Broccoli

• Spinach

• Peas

• Mushrooms

• Orzo

• Fettuccine

• Linguine

The texture is smooth, creamy, and velvety, making it ideal for coating pasta or turning into a creamy sauce for chicken and seafood.

Prego itself uses the Lemon Alfredo in dishes such as Chicken Piccata Pasta and Creamy Lemon Orzo with Shrimp.

Prego Cajun Alfredo Sauce

Now this is where Alfredo gets a little more adventurous!

Prego Cajun Alfredo Sauce takes the creamy Alfredo concept and adds bold Cajun-inspired seasoning. Instead of simply being rich and cheesy, this sauce brings a savory, zesty personality to the table.

The Taste

The creamy base helps mellow the spices while still allowing that Cajun flavor to come through.

This would be fantastic with foods that can stand up to a little extra seasoning, including:

• Chicken

• Shrimp

• Andouille sausage

• Crawfish

• Salmon

• Bell peppers

• Onions

• Mushrooms

• Rice

• Penne

• Fettuccine

Prego even uses the Cajun Alfredo in a creamy Cajun jambalaya featuring sausage, shrimp, vegetables, tomatoes, and rice.

The texture is creamy and smooth, but the Cajun seasoning gives it much more personality than a traditional Alfredo.

My Favorite Way to Use Lemon Alfredo

I wanted to create something a little different than the usual chicken Alfredo or shrimp Alfredo.

So here is a recipe that combines crispy chicken, roasted asparagus, lemon Alfredo, and buttery Parmesan breadcrumbs.

Crispy Lemon Alfredo Chicken with Roasted Asparagus

Ingredients

For the chicken:

• 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

• 1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 egg

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• Salt and black pepper

For the pasta:

• 12 ounces linguine or fettuccine

• 1 jar Prego Lemon Alfredo Sauce

• 1/2 cup reserved pasta water

• 1 cup roasted asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces

• 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• Fresh parsley

Directions

1. Prepare the chicken.
   Slice the chicken breasts horizontally to create thinner cutlets. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. Make the coating.
   Combine the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl. Beat the egg in another bowl.

3. Coat the chicken.
   Dip each chicken cutlet into the egg and then into the Parmesan breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks.

4. Cook the chicken.
   Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the chicken for several minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through. Remove and allow it to rest.

5. Cook the pasta.
   Prepare the linguine or fettuccine according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.

6. Build the sauce.
   Add the Prego Lemon Alfredo Sauce to a large skillet and warm gently. Stir in a little of the reserved pasta water until the sauce reaches your favorite consistency.

7. Add the vegetables.
   Stir in the roasted asparagus and sun-dried tomatoes.

8. Bring everything together.
   Add the cooked pasta and toss gently until it is completely coated in the creamy lemon sauce.

9. Finish the dish.
   Slice the crispy chicken and arrange it over the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley, and lemon zest.

The Finished Dish

What makes this recipe special is the combination of textures. You have silky, creamy pasta, tender roasted asparagus, chewy sun-dried tomatoes, and crispy Parmesan-coated chicken.

The lemon in the Alfredo sauce keeps the dish from feeling too heavy, while the Parmesan and breadcrumbs give it a savory richness.

For an extra pop of flavor, squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over the chicken just before serving.

Prego: More Than Just Spaghetti Sauce 

What I like about a collection like Prego's is that you aren't limited to one type of pasta night.

You can go traditional with tomato sauce and spaghetti, make something hearty with a meat sauce, add some heat with spicy marinara, go creamy with Alfredo, bring in fresh herb flavors with pesto, or try something completely different with Lemon Alfredo or Cajun Alfredo.

The Lemon Alfredo is particularly fun because the bright citrus flavor gives creamy pasta a fresh twist. The Cajun Alfredo, meanwhile, is a great choice when you want creamy comfort food with a little more spice and personality.

For me, that is what makes having different sauces in the pantry so useful. One jar can be the beginning of so many different meals. With a little imagination, Prego can take you far beyond a simple bowl of spaghetti!

https://www.campbells.com/prego