L’Oven Fresh Garlic Knots
If there’s one type of food that’s entirely too easy to overeat, it has to be carbs. Give me a chewy and crusty hunk of buttered artisan bread alongside a good cup of soup, or some soft breadsticks with an Italian salad, or white rolls with cinnamon and sugar butter, and I’ll be happy. For this reason, I try to save the breadsticks and rolls for special occasions.
Lasagna and other pasta dishes are popular special occasion or holiday meals in my house, and during the last couple of years my family has settled on which type of garlic bread is best to accompany these dinners. Hands down, our favorite are the L’Oven Fresh Garlic Knots from Aldi. I’ve tried frozen limited-edition Mama Cozzi’s garlic knots from Aldi in the past, but the garlic knots I’m looking at here are a little different. For one thing, these are sold at room temperature in the Regular Buy baked goods area. In addition, their ingredients lists are similar but not quite the same. And third, these particular garlic knots actually bake in their bag for the ultimate convenience.
Keep reading to learn more.
L’Oven Fresh Garlic Knots cost $2.95 for a 10.4-ounce bag at the time of publication.
These are a Regular Buy, so you should be able to find them at Aldi all year.
L’Oven Fresh is not a company. It’s the private label Aldi uses for various baked goods such as whole grain white bread, Hawaiian sweet rolls, cinnamon swirl bread, hot dog buns, and more.
If you’re looking out for allergens, these garlic knots contain wheat and soy. They may contain milk and egg.
One bag contains eight 1-knot servings. The ingredients list is somewhat lengthy and these aren’t healthy, but we’re talking about bread here. One knot has 120 calories, 4.5 grams of total fat (6% DV), 1.5 grams of saturated fat (8% DV), 220 mg of sodium (10% DV), 18 grams of total carbohydrates (7% DV), and 1 gram of added sugars (2% DV).
The bag states these are best enjoyed on the same day you purchase them, or they can be frozen until needed. I have frozen these many times, and they always turn out fine. I thaw them on my counter for a few hours before heating them.
The bag also has directions for heating these (from thawed) in a conventional oven or in the toaster oven. The package also warns not to place this foil bag in a microwave or toaster oven.
To bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the bag face down on a baking tray and make 2 to 3 small holes in the back of the bag to vent steam during baking. Place the tray with the bag on the center shelf in the oven. Bake for 9 minutes, then remove and let sit for 30 seconds. Cut open the bag carefully, since it will be hot. Serve the knots warm. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese if desired.
To heat in a toaster oven, preheat to the toaster oven to 375 degrees. Remove rolls from the bag and place on a flat baking tray. Bake for about 6 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.
I always heat these in my conventional oven, and they are a cinch to make. They take very little time, and my lasagna always needs to sit for a few minutes after coming out of the oven anyway, so it’s the perfect time to prepare these garlic knots. I appreciate how easy they are to make because I can simply drop the bag on a baking sheet, cut a few small holes with a sharp kitchen knife, and pop it in the oven. You will want to be very careful when opening the bag after heating these knots and watch out for hot steam.
These garlic knots are fine served as is, but I always sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on them, which takes them to another level. Even the pickier eaters in my family love these rolls, and I get compliments every time I serve them for company or extended family. It’s hard to just eat one. They are soft, buttery, and garlicky. Try these, and you may never serve any other kind of garlic bread alongside your Italian dishes.
The Verdict:
L’Oven Fresh Garlic Knots feature soft rolls seasoned with butter and garlic, and they make the perfect addition to your pasta dinner or whatever meal you need a carby side for. They are sold at room temperature with all the baked goods at Aldi, but they can be frozen until you’re ready to make them. They conveniently bake in their own bag, so all you have to do is drop the package on a baking sheet, cut some vent holes, and put it all in the oven. Serve these and you are likely to end up with a lot of compliments and no leftovers.
Freeze or consume quickly. Mold comes quickly.
Am I the only one who thought these had a weird chemical taste? We each had one bite and threw out the whole thing. Maybe I will give them another try.
I’d say they’re worth trying again. Whenever I serve these to guests, people rave about them.
These are a staple in my home. Sadly, I haven’t been able to find them in my local ALDI stores. In it’s place on the shelf is a garlic bread loaf. I haven’t tried it to see if the taste is comparable, but I’m concerned that the garlic knots may have been discontinued. Has anyone else noticed this in their area?
They have disappeared from the two stores closest to me.