Specially Selected Panino Roll

In a famous movie from the 1990s, an iconic character declares that he and a friend were like “peas and carrots.” They go well together, he insists, although the audience quickly figures out that their relationship is considerably more complicated.

I’m not sure if I buy into the idea that peas and carrots go well together, but I do think that meat and cheese make for an awfully good partnership. Lunch meat and cheese, Italian meat and cheese subs, burgers with cheese, sausage and cheese on a biscuit, charcuterie boards … you get the idea.

Aldi is all over the meats and the cheeses, even sometimes putting them together in one paired package. A few years ago, we took a look at the Specially Selected Panino Tray, a trifecta of meat and cheese combinations that was high on taste (if also sodium). And then we saw this other panino offering on the Aldi store shelves, which was intriguing enough to bring home.

The Specially Selected Panino Roll is an Aldi Find, which means you can only find it in stores for a short time. Once it’s sold out, you won’t be able to get in stores again until it comes back, whenever that might be. If you can’t find it in your store, you’re out of luck and can’t order it online. At the time of publication, these rolls weighed 6 ounces and retailed for $4.99 each. That comes out to 83 cents an ounce.

They came in two varieties as part of a mixed case: one of them was Genoa salami wrapped in fresh mozzarella cheese, while the other was pepperoni wrapped in fresh mozzarella cheese. Neither of them listed a country of origin, which indicated they were from the United States. Both came refrigerated and should be kept so until eaten, and both also have best-by dates printed on the packaging.

The salami version has 150 calories per serving, along with 12 grams of fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, and 330 milligrams of sodium. The pepperoni version has 160 calories per serving, along with 13 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, and 350 milligrams of sodium. Ingredients include cheese and meat, with some preservatives in the meat, and both list milk as an allergen.

I set these out for our testers to try. The rolls didn’t last long.

The salami was the favorite, with a salty and cheese-filled flavor that was smooth and rich. The pepperoni, with its hint of kick and its similarly cheese-filled flavor, was also a hit. The rolls take a little effort to separate, and if you’re going to serve these on a tray you might want to do that yourself before setting them out, but as taste and texture goes these are the kind of appetizers that don’t stick around.

The Verdict:

These Aldi Find Specially Selected Panino Rolls proved a big hit with our testers. The meat and cheese went together well, and we think they’re a great option if you need a spread with some Italian inspiration. They’re moderately high in sodium and fat so they’re not an everyday food, but for a festive occasion these are an intriguing option, at least while they’re in stores.