Kitchn Love Letters

The Plant-Based Brand Everyone Should Have in Their Freezer

published Jan 13, 2022
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Credit: David J Turner/Getty Images

It’s rare that I feel inspired while strolling down the freezer aisle at my local supermarket. Yet, the other day, a couple of boxes caught my eye. Not only was the brand name intriguing, but the product names and recipe concepts also grabbed my attention. 

Credit: Dina Cheney

Curious to learn more, I did some research about Tattooed Chef. Turns out, the company plants their own crops in Italy, picks them at peak freshness, and manufactures their meals in family-owned factories there and in Los Angeles, California. The company specializes in plant-based vegetarian meals and even has some vegan ones, too. Awesome! But would the actual dishes taste as good as they sound — and look? Obviously, I had to find out.

Credit: Dina Cheney
Tattooed Chef's Organic Acai Bowl

Although I’m not vegetarian or vegan, I am someone who loads up on fruits and veggies. So I grabbed the Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Bowl (with cauliflower florets in place of pasta) and the Organic Acai Bowl. After a short stint in the microwave, both dishes tasted fresh, flavorful, and close to homemade. The Cauliflower Mac & Cheese Bowl was rich and cheesy, and I appreciated how the product relies on cauliflower florets rather than pasta to keep the carb count down. Meanwhile, the Organic Acai Bowl was visually appealing and just the right amount of sweet.

Credit: Heather McClees

Officially inspired, I reached out to the company so I could try more products than I could find on my local grocers’ shelves. (A perk of the job!) They sent me an Enchilada Bowl with Riced Cauliflower, Cauliflower Pizza Bowl, Mexican Style Street Corn, and Cauliflower Crust Pizza. I devoured them all — especially the pizza and street corn. The cauliflower pizza crust is thin and crispy, and the plant-based pepperoni is a convincing stand-in for the meat alternative. The corn side dish — with charred kernels and cotija cheese — is sweet, rich, and smoky. (My mouth is watering as I type this.)

Credit: Heather McClees

For all these reasons, it should come as no surprise that I plan to try the company’s other offerings, including the Organic Raspberry Kombucha Smoothie Bowl and Organic Riced Cauliflower Stir-Fry, which I know is a favorite among many Kitchn contributors. Don’t worry, I’ll report back!

Tip: Look for Tattooed Chef at Costco, as we’ve spotted lots of their stuff there!

Have you tried Tattooed Chef? Which of their offerings is your favorite?