Whole & Simple Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Pea Protein
The Whole & Simple product line at Aldi tends to focus on single-serving bowl-style meals that contain fewer highly processed ingredients. Sometimes, though, I’ll see some different Whole & Simple items, including burritos and breakfast bites.
During the week of September 10th, 2025, Aldi sold some Whole & Simple frozen pasta dishes. One featured penne with kale, and the other featured orecchiette with broccoli rabe.
I’m taking a closer look here at the orecchiette with broccoli rabe. If, like me, you’re not all that familiar with broccoli rabe, it’s a cruciferous veggie that has buds similar to broccoli, but it’s actually more like mustard greens or turnips. It has a bitter flavor that pairs well with Italian food such as pasta.
Whole & Simple Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Pea Protein is an Aldi Find, which means it’s only in stores 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 scheduled to be in Aldi stores starting September 10th, 2025.
We buy Aldi products to review using our own money. I paid $3.79 for a 16-ounce package in 2025. That comes out to about 24 cents per ounce. With three servings per package, that’s around $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.
One 1-cup serving has 310 calories, 11 grams of total fat (14% DV), 3 grams of saturated fat (15% DV), 430 mg of sodium (20% DV), 42 grams of total carbohydrates (15% DV), 3 grams of dietary fiber (11% DV), 1 gram of total sugars, no added sugars, and 11 grams of protein.
The package has directions for cooking this on the stovetop or in the microwave.
To cook on 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, for 3-4 minutes. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and continue to cook for 7-8 minutes, ensuring the pasta reaches 165 degrees.
To microwave, place the contents of the bag along with 2 tablespoons of water in a microwave-safe dish that is 2 quarts or larger. Cover the 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 the dish stand in the microwave for 1 minute. Ensure the pasta reaches 165 degrees before serving.
I cooked this on my stovetop. It has lots of green veggies and is strongly flavored, with both the bitter broccoli rabe and also some pungent seasonings including chili pepper powder. This isn’t our favorite pasta dish, but overall we liked this.
The Verdict:
Whole & Simple Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe & Pea Protein features tender pasta, bitter greens, various seasonings, and pea protein, with 11 grams of protein per serving. If you’re a fan of broccoli rabe, this is worth trying.
