Aldi Sells Quality, Old-School Pasta — And It’s Just $2 a Bag
Dried pasta is a pantry staple, and for good reason. The starchy strands can last in your pantry for a long time, and with just a few basic ingredients — like black pepper and cheese or a single jar of sauce — you’re all set for a home-cooked meal.
Aldi devotees know that the market sells a fraction of the pasta shapes of other grocers, but even with fewer pasta picks, the grocer manages to carry several private-label brands of pasta, all at different — yet still affordable — price points. With all of these options, it can be hard to know which pound of pasta is the best one to buy. After all, how different can one rigatoni be from another? As I learned after tasting a dozen brands of frozen broccoli, there really is a difference among brands for even the simplest of foods. That’s why, when I’m shopping for pasta at Aldi, the bags of Priano Bronze Cut Pastas are the only ones I’ll buy.
What’s So Great About Priano Bronze Cut Pastas?
Aldi shoppers familiar with the store’s private-label brand are no stranger to Priano products, including pesto and other sauces. What makes the Priano dried pasta better than the other boxes? The dough is made from durham wheat semolina flour and the shapes and strands are extruded through traditional bronze die. Pasta dough pushed through bronze die tend to have a slightly coarser texture, which helps sauces cling to the pasta.
What’s the Best Way to Use Priano Bronze Cut Pastas?
Aldi carries both long and short bronze cut pastas, which you can find in-store or online via Instacart, so there’s sure to be a shape for whatever you’re making. I’ll pick up a bag of conchiglie (shells) for this weeknight skillet beef and shells, penne for this creamy pumpkin pasta, and rigatoni to toss with caramelized cabbage, butter, and cheese. Linguine and fettuccine are also available, and you can’t go wrong with topping these pasta strands with tender shrimp and chopped parsley.
Find it in stores: Priano Short Bronze Cut Pasta, $1.99 for 1 pound; Priano Long Bronze Cut Pasta, $1.29 for 1 pound
What is your favorite pasta to buy at Aldi? Share your pick in the comments below.