The Gourmet-Sounding Aldi Pasta That Customers Are Split On

Fresh, stuffed pastas are perfect to keep on hand for an easy and satisfying meal, which is why you're likely to throw a package of tortellini or ravioli into your shopping cart. However, depending on who you ask, the Priano Lobster Ravioli might not be among the best Italian foods you'll find at Aldi.

The eye-catching yellow- and red-striped ravioli are filled with lobster, ricotta, and mozzarella, and made with breadcrumbs, cream, wheat flour, and eggs. They're flavored with ingredients like sherry, garlic, chives, lemon juice, and a number of different spices, including black and white pepper, paprika, mustard, celery seed, cayenne pepper, and some baking spices.

Though the combination sounds pleasant enough, many Aldi shoppers have had some very strong negative reactions. "The nicest thing I can say is that it was edible. Aside from that, it was a complete and utter disappointment," wrote one Reddit user. "I love ravioli, and I love lobster, and nothing about this made me happy." Other unsatisfied customers complained of an oddly sweet taste, too doughy, scant amount of seafood, or overall blandness.

On the other hand, this stuffed pasta has its fans. One reviewer lamented that they didn't buy more packages when they saw them on sale at Aldi, and a Facebook user described the meal they made with the lobster ravioli as "very tasty."

The package of Aldi's lobster ravioli suggests serving them with Alfredo sauce; that's exactly how many people decided to prepare them, and perhaps that's a part of the problem. "I'm not a fan of Aldi brand Alfredo. I bet this would be good with a better sauce!" shared one Facebook commenter in a discussion about this seafood-stuffed pasta. Indeed, many people are lukewarm at best when it comes to Aldi's jarred Alfredo, and they often say it requires significant doctoring to make it taste okay.

Additionally, a milky, creamy sauce actually might not be the best pairing for these ravioli, especially since the filling also has warm spices like allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and mace. The combination of the natural sweetness of lobster and the dairy, the sherry, and a blend of ingredients many people associate with seasonal pumpkin pie spice could account for the unpleasant and surprising sweet taste that many people noted.

Those who enjoyed the Priano Lobster Ravioli generally seemed to have served it with lighter, brighter sauces. "The ravioli is so good. Just toss with olive oil and garlic and sprinkle with parmesan cheese," wrote one person on Facebook. Tomato basil sauce, lemon and butter, and a classic two-ingredient sage and brown butter sauce were also mentioned as tasty accompaniments by folks who liked these Aldi ravioli.