VaskePro/Shutterstock
The nationwide chain Olive Garden is known for a number of things. Among them are the endless soup and salad tradition that will have you full even before the main course arrives, and the seasonal never-ending pasta deal where you can get your money’s worth with the countless combinations of sauces and pasta shapes to switch things up. Speaking of sauces, there’s a reason why a simple marinara sauce is beloved among expert chefs, and Olive Garden’s iconic marinara sauce is no different. Not only is it a solid sauce choice for your pasta, but it is also served as a side along with some appetizers, which we’ve ranked, and is an excellent dipping sauce for your unlimited (conditions apply) supply of breadsticks. So, that begs the question, where does Olive Garden source its tomatoes from such that all locations can serve parallel results?
Adding to the list of interesting facts about Olive Garden, just like how the chain outsources the production of its flagship breadsticks, there is a third party in sunny California that is responsible for producing the tomatoes for the classic marinara sauce. The tomatoes are grown in the fields of OPC Farms, Inc. The farm grows about 10 different varieties of tomatoes, and factors such as sugar content, viscosity, and logistical aspects (like previous year’s sales) dictate the crop choice every year. The team then settles on a blend of two to three tomato varieties. Every year, there is a harvest to acquire the tomatoes such that they last throughout the year. The Neil Jones Food Company is credited for handling the tomato harvest, the processing, and the packaging that follows.
How is the marinara sauce made?
Tong_stocker/Shutterstock
The family-owned OPC Farms, Inc. schedules the harvest based on the season to ensure the optimum yield of sweet tomatoes, bursting with fresh tomato flavor. According to an interview with the tomato growers at OPC Farms Inc. for Tasting Table, this requires hot and sunny conditions. The discussions for the desired product specifications for Olive Garden happen from March through May. The best tomato varieties for a hearty marinara sauce have lower water content for the ideal texture and sauce viscosity, and less acidity so the natural sweetness shines. The preferential properties of the tomatoes for the sauce are no different for Olive Garden. To avoid including green tomatoes in the mix, there are machines called harvesters that are programmed to separate both based on color. Once harvested, the tomatoes are transported to a facility where they are transformed into marinara sauce, or at least the precursor of it.
Thanks to the advanced technologies employed in the facility’s machinery, there is very minimal chance for any significant human error that would ruin the hours and days-long worth of effort. Step one is to thoroughly rinse the tomatoes and inspect them for color, removing any green tomatoes that would have snuck their way into the facility. At a lab, they are tested for listed product specifications for Olive Garden, which includes the pH levels and color, among other proprietary needs. They are then machine-cut into fillets or strips, which are essentially coarsely chopped tomatoes that leave enough chunks of skin and peel in the sauce to create an artisanal feel and flavor. The sauce is slightly cooked and seasoned before being vacuum-sealed and shipped to their respective destinations where they can complete the cooking and seasoning process before being served on our plates.
Static Media owns and operates Chowhound and Tasting Table.
Comments are closed.