Whole & Simple Penne with Kale & Cheese Sauce
Aldi advertised several products this week in its frozen Whole & Simple line. They included some burritos (which I have yet to see actually show up in my local Aldi stores) and a couple of pasta dishes. Both pasta entrees feature plenty of green veggies, so I added them to my shopping list. Here, I’m taking a closer look at one of them: the penne with kale and cheese sauce.
Whole & Simple Penne with Kale & Cheese Sauce is an Aldi Find, so that means it’s in stores only for a short time. Each store should get one shipment, and after that sells out, it’s gone unless Aldi decides to bring it back later. Aldi does not offer online ordering if this is out of stock at your local store. This was available in Aldi stores the week of September 10th, 2025.
As with all Aldi products we review, I bought this with my own funds. I paid $3.79 for a 16-ounce package in 2025. That comes out to about 27 cents per ounce. One package has three servings, which is about $1.26 per serving.
This is a product of Italy.
If you’re looking out for allergens, this contains milk and wheat. It may contain soy.
The full ingredients list is precooked penne (durum wheat semolina, water, salt), water, pasteurized cream, ricotta cheese (pasteurized milk whey, pasteurized cream, pasteurized milk, salt, citric acid), kale, concentrated milk protein powder, parmesan cheese (milk, salt, enzymes), sunflower oil, cornstarch, salt, and garlic.
There are about three 1-cup servings per package. One serving has 330 calories, 10 grams of total fat (13% DV), 4.5 grams of saturated fat (22% DV), 270 mg of sodium (10% DV), 50 grams of total carbohydrates (18% DV), 1 gram of dietary fiber (4% DV), 3 grams of total sugars, no added sugars, and 11 grams of protein.
A lot of Whole & Simple meals have large amounts of sodium, so it’s nice to see this one is comparatively lower in sodium. It’s still a pasta dish, though, so it doesn’t have a good carbs-to-fiber ratio at 50:1.
The bag has directions for cooking this on the stovetop or in the microwave.
For the stovetop, place the contents of the bag, along with 2 tablespoons of water, in a 10-inch skillet. Place the skillet on the stove and cook over medium-high heat, stirring until the sauce chips melt completely, 3-4 minutes. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and continue to cook for 7-8 minutes, ensuring pasta reaches 165 degrees.
To microwave, place the contents of the bag, along with 2 tablespoons of water, in a 2-quart or larger microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Remove the lid and stir to break up the sauce chips. Re-cover and microwave on high for an additional 4 minutes. Let stand in the microwave for 1 minute. Ensure the pasta reaches 165 degrees.
I heated this on the stovetop. It was fast and easy, and the pasta came out al dente. The sauce has plenty of small bits of kale, mixed with cheese, and it has an overall mild flavor that my family liked. This didn’t last long when I served it as a side dish for dinner.
The Verdict:
Whole & Simple Penne with Kale & Cheese Sauce is a mild-flavored pasta that offers some greens. It’s pre-cooked and is a cinch to heat on the stove or in the microwave, and our family approved of this dish.
