This $4.99 ALDI Freezer Find Tastes Homemade

My sister, Karen, is famous for her stuffed shells. After I gave birth to my son, that’s the homemade dish she made especially for me. Though I do crave her shells from time to time, she lives in another state, so it’s hard for me to get a fix of her homemade cooking. That’s why I was so thrilled to discover a sub for her delicious meal—and at ALDI, of course!

Why I Love ALDI’s Priano Hand-Filled Stuffed Shells

I spied this time-saving entrée in ALDI’s frozen specials section. A 20-ounce bag costs only $4.99, and if you add a jar of pasta sauce for about $2, you’ve got a meal for a family of four that costs only $7.

My son made it for lunch this week when he had a half day, and after looking at the bag’s instructions, he decided that it would probably taste better if he warmed it up in the oven instead of heating it up in the microwave. 

He poured about half a jar of ALDI’s tomato basil sauce into a dish with the shells, and put it in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes.  Let me tell you, one bite took me back to my sister’s kitchen. It was nearly as good as her dish. (I can’t say it’s as good because she makes hers with love, as corny as that sounds).

The shells were perfectly al dente, filled with creamy and delicious ricotta studded with a little bit of parsley. I would definitely say these shells are just as good as Priano’s frozen ravioli, one of my other favorite frozen dishes from ALDI. My son enjoyed the shells, saying that they were “decent”—and coming from a 15-year-old, that’s pretty high praise.  

If I were to make them, I would definitely add some mozzarella or grated Parmesan on top. Oven cooking trumps microwave warming, but if I were in a hurry, the microwave would probably work just fine. In fact, my husband warmed up the leftovers in the microwave that night, and he loved it so much that he asked if I would buy some more. These shells would also be great quickly warmed up in the microwave in the morning to place in a thermos for lunch. 

I think this dish is perfect for a nicer yet quick evening meal, especially when paired with a bagged salad and some Mama Cozzi Garlic Knots. Neither my son nor my husband thinks it needs anything extra to round it out, but I always think about turning these frozen conveniences into a full meal.

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