I tried the new tinned Heinz carbonara – it surprised me
HEINZ has taken one of Italy’s most beloved dishes, carbonara, and reduced it to a two-minute microwave meal.
The creamy, bacon-infused pasta that usually takes a skilled chef 40 minutes to perfect is now a two-minute microwave job.
We are told it is aimed at Gen Z because they are too lazy to cook.
But not everyone is won over – the manager of a high-end Italian restaurant told us she would kick someone out if they dared to order carbonara in a can.
When I opened the tin, I was surprised by the thickness.
Scooping carbonara out of a can, as you would with baked beans, is certainly not a highlight of my culinary life.
Getting this down to just £2 is no small feat, but it seems Heinz has cut some corners, particularly with the bacon.
I found about a dozen tiny bits—each no bigger than a peppercorn.
The sauce is rich and smooth but overwhelmingly creamy.
The spaghetti is practically swimming in sauce – which overpowers the entire dish.
The balance simply isn’t there.
But this is still canned carbonara and squeezing one of Italy’s most iconic dishes into a 12cm tall can is an impressive feat of human engineering.
In the end, it’s clear Heinz prioritised convenience over authenticity.
The result is a carbonara that is likely too creamy for most people’s tastes – with plenty of sauce but little substance.
But for £2 and two minutes in the microwave, you get what you pay for.
Verdict: 6/10
It comes as a third of young people claim they are hopeless at cooking and want quick, easy grub instead.
The £2 no-drama carbonara was introduced because Gen Z consistently ranks the dish as one of the toughest to whip up.
Heinz claimed it has made a “recipe that’s fail-proof, taking all the fuss out of cooking, allowing pasta lovers to nail it every time”.
But the move has enraged pasta purists, who branded the can version a “disgrace”.
Alessandra de Dreuille, meals director at Kraft Heinz said: “We understand people are looking for convenient meals that are effortless to prepare.
“Our spaghetti carbonara delivers just that.
“It’s the perfect solution for a quick and satisfying meal at home.”
Other Heinz launches
The tinned carbonara isn’t the only Heinz product to have been launched recently.
The canned food giant often brings in
In May, intrigued shoppers were keen to sample new Heinz Ketchups – but the flavours have divided opinions.
The bottles of Heinz Bacon Ketchup and Heinz Pickle Ketchup – which were dubbed perfect for BBQ season – caught the eye of many.
The large sauces were marked at just £2.49, however, buyers have left mixed reviews.
Shoppers were also rushing to get their hands on the latest Heinz flavour spotted on supermarket shelves.
An eagle-eyed shopper has noticed the new Heinz Fried Chicken Sauce in a local Tesco and posted their find on a Facebook group.
The condiment is made in collaboration with an iconic UK fast food chain, Morley’s which specialises in fried chicken.
In April, a limited edition Barbie-cue mayo is, naturally, in the plastic plaything’s preferred pink.
Heinz had a run of 5,000 bottles available online to mark the iconic doll’s 65th anniversary.
Heinz also released new cheese and beans toasties in collaboration with Cathedral City in Iceland stores that same month.
The toastie combines Heinz Baked Beanz and Cathedral City Cheese, sandwiched between two slices of hearty bread.
In February, the tin can connoisseurs have teamed up with cheese maker Cathedral City to launch ‘Cheesy Beanz’.
The odd tins include cheese already mixed into the bean sauce.
Meanwhile, shoppers have been left in pieces after Heinz confirmed it has axed a popular condiment.
Plus, Walkers has launched three new flavours of crisps inspired by classic Heinz sauces.
How to save on your supermarket shop
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they’ve been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you’ll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you’ll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching “finest” or “luxury” products and instead going for “own” or value” type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they’re misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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