The Aldi Pasta Sauce So Good It Pulls Double-Duty As A Flavorful Sandwich Spread

Aldi has a long line of products that are often better than the name brands they imitate. But the Aldi pasta sauce that customers rave about is in a class all its own and certainly an Italian product that you won't want to skip. Aldi's Priano brand Calabrese Pesto is a sauce so good that you're going to want to put it on everything. Along with nuts, garlic, parmesan cheese, and herbs, the Priano Calabrese pesto blends in roasted red peppers for a sweet and spicy upgrade to the savoriness of pesto.

A major detour from the conventional green store-bought pestos, customers on Facebook's Aldi Aisle of Shame Facebook forum deemed the Priano Calabrese pesto sauce "superb." The roasted red peppers bring spiciness that customers love, with one stating, "It's not spicy as in hot, but flavorful." And while it may be marketed as a pasta sauce, another Facebook user asserts it provides an added "layer of flavor [and] spice" to anything you slather it over. To that effect, many Aldi customers think it's an excellent sandwich spread. "[It's] so good on a pepperoni and cheese sandwich with some Aldi sourdough," wrote one customer. Indeed, Aldi's sourdough is a delicious bread choice, but you can also swap it for a more buttery brioche loaf. A sweet, savory, and spicy pesto would also be a great substitute for vodka sauce to slather over a chicken or eggplant Milanese sandwich, which would taste delicious on focaccia or ciabatta rolls.

The sweet, savory, and flavorfully spiced Priano Calabrese pesto from Aldi would make for a delicious sandwich spread for more than Italian classics. It'd be the perfect upgrade to the NOLA classic muffaletta sandwich as the sweetness of the pesto would balance the spicy, tangy giardiniera and salty, umami-rich olives. You could also slather it into a grilled cheese sandwich to cut through the richness of all that creamy, sharp cheese. A spread of Calabrese pesto would work well with most deli meats, from ham to turkey, and even roast beef.

Of course, as a pasta sauce, it'll taste delicious over most pasta shapes as it's light enough to dress a thin pasta like angel hair, but also hearty enough to toss into rigatoni and Italian sausage. Customers on Facebook had other ideas for using the Priano Calabrese pesto, starting with flat breads. You could consider flatbreads an open-faced sandwich, topping the pesto spread with prosciutto, small balls of mozzarella, and spicy arugula to finish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Spread it over crostini or bruschetta for a sophisticated appetizer. Use the pesto as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets or your favorite brand of frozen french fries. Drizzle the pesto over a medley of roasted vegetables or grilled fish. The possibilities are endless!