Reggano Pasta Entrees

Aldi’s boxed Reggano pasta entrees make good side dishes at dinner time. Add a little meat to them and they become a main dish. They are sold near the other pasta items, sauces, and instant mashed potato mixes and come in a few flavors.

Reggano Pasta Entree Angel Hair with Herbs

This contains “angel hair pasta with naturally flavored herb sauce mix.” It’s pretty tasty if you’re into pasta. The box suggested adding chicken for a complete meal and includes a recipe for Creamy Herb Pasta with Chicken. The 4.8-ounce box makes about 2.5 1-cup servings.

This can be prepared on the stove top or in the microwave. To prepare on the stove top, bring 1 1/3 cups of water, 2/3 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of margarine or butter to a boil. Slowly stir in pasta and seasoning, return to a boil, and cook uncovered 4-5 minutes until pasta is just tender, stirring frequently. Sauce will be thin. Let stand 3-5 minutes to thicken.

To prepare in the microwave, combine 1 1/3 cups water, 2/3 cup milk and 2 tablespoons margarine or butter in a dish and microwave uncovered on high 4-5 minutes or until boiling. Slowly stir in pasta and seasoning. Microwave 1 minute and stir. Microwave 3-4 minutes more. Let stand 3-5 minutes so the sauce can thicken.

For stir-in or topping ideas, the box suggests adding 1-2 cups of diced cooked chicken or ham or 1/3 cup sun-dried sliced tomatoes.

Reggano Pasta Entree Shells & White Cheddar

This is a nice comfort food consisting of “shell shaped pasta & white cheddar cheese sauce mix.” The shell noodles make it a little bit like a classic macaroni and cheese. The box suggests adding tuna for a complete meal and includes a recipe for Tuna Melt. The 6.2 ounce box makes about 3 1-cup servings.

This pasta can be prepared on the stove top or in the microwave. To prepare on the stove, bring 2 cups of water and 2 tablespoons of margarine or butter to a boil, then add the pasta and cook for 12-14 minutes. Stir in 2/3 cup of milk and sauce mix, return to a boil and cook 1 to 2 minutes. The sauce will be thin. Let it stand for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.

To prepare in the microwave, combine 2 cups of water, 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine and pasta and microwave 10 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in 2/3 cup of milk and sauce mix, and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. The sauce will be thin. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken.

The box suggests stir-in or topping ideas such as diced cooked chicken or ham, diced sausage and diced red bell pepper, or ground black pepper.

Reggano Pasta Entree Parmesan Cheese

This consists of short pieces of “angel hair pasta with naturally flavored Parmesan cheese sauce mix.” It is one of those cheap pasta dishes that tastes delicious — so much that you want to make it for lunch and eat the entire thing by yourself — but it really doesn’t have much going for it nutritionally. It is not all that distinguishable from the above-mentioned angel hair with herbs pasta, although the Parmesan cheese gives it a little more flavor. The box suggests adding meat to make a complete meal and includes a basic recipe for “Cheesy Parmesan Pasta with Meat,” which sounds sort of cryptic. (All you do is add 1/2 lb. of ground beef or turkey to the pasta.) The 5.1-ounce box makes about 2.5 servings.

It can be prepared on the stove top or in the microwave. To cook on the stove top, bring 1 1/3 cups of water, 2/3 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly stir in pasta and seasoning. Return to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium. Boil uncovered 4-5 minutes until pasta is just tender. Sauce will be thin. Let stand for 3-5 minutes for sauce to thicken.

To cook in the microwave, combine 1 1/3 cups water, 2/3 cup milk and 2 tablespoons margarine or butter. Stir and microwave uncovered on  high 4-5 minutes or until boiling. Slowly stir in pasta and seasoning. Microwave on high 1 minute. Stir. Microwave on high 3-4 minutes more. Sauce will be thin. Let stand 5 minutes to thicken.

For stir-in or topping ideas, the directions suggest adding one cup of halved cherry tomatoes.

The Verdict:

Aldi’s Reggano Pasta Entrees make tasty side dishes, or add a bit of cooked chicken, ham, or ground turkey to make a meal. The Shells and White Cheddar are a bit like macaroni and cheese and are a favorite in my family. The Angel Hair with Herbs pasta and the Parmesan Cheese pasta are very similar to each other in taste and texture, but the Parmesan Cheese pasta is a little more flavorful.

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