Trader Joe’s Limited-Time Artisan Rigatoni Pasta Takes a New Shape
Trader Joe’s is known for their quirky food products that are distinctively their brand. Whether that’s a frozen meal that goes viral on social media for being restaurant-inspired or an array of pumpkin spice snacks and treats that puts a PSL to shame, Trader Joe’s is always drumming something up that stuns shoppers.
This time, they’re dropping a new pasta that has an unexpected shape. Rigatoni is a classic Italian pasta variety that is known for its large cylinders with fluted edges. It catches a large amount of sauce on the inside and it also sticks to the outside because of the ridged edges. It lends itself well to a hearty sauce like bolognese, and people love that about it.
Trader Joe’s is bringing the quirk with their new Organic Square Rigatoni Pasta. That’s right - traditional rigatoni is made square to give diners a unique eating experience and fun dinner conversation. This particular pasta is imported from Italy, sourced from “high-quality, organic and local durum wheat semolina”, as stated by Trader Joe’s.
This pasta is hand-crafted with hand-milled flour and is bronze cut for a homemade taste. Trader Joe’s claims it delivers a perfect al dente texture with a delicate chew. Fans on Reddit were immediately intrigued about this pasta, questioning whether it maintains its square shape after being cooked.
Organic Square Rigatoni Pasta, $1.99 at Trader Joe's
“Arrived in my store on Monday! Made Smitten Kitchen’s Rigatoni alla Vodka with them last night!”, said one person. “Did they stay kind of square after boiling?”, questioned another. A confident “yes!”, was the response. This prompted another shopper to say “I got these today at my store, just couldn’t pass up the novelty of square rigatoni!”.
Other Trader Joe’s fans seem thrilled to try this new shape. “Ooo these sound cool!! I’ll have to try these”, said one Reddit commenter. “Excited to try these. Love rigatoni in general, so a new shape seems fun”, stated another person. “Loading up! My family loves rigatoni. It’s the best when meat sauce gets trapped inside; makes for such a wonderful bite”, exclaimed another Trader Joe’s fan.
I could see it being used not only for bolognese and vodka sauce, but for other cream-based, chunky tomato, mushroom and meat-based sauces. It’d also be delicious with a pureed butternut squash or pumpkin sauce topped with oodles of grated Parmesan. However you decide to serve this rigatoni, whether in a baked pasta or stove-top dish, it'll be a showstopper on the table.
It appears the 16-ounce bag of limited-time only Organic Square Rigatoni Pasta retails for $1.99, and is available now at Trader Joe’s stores. If you want to give it a try, now’s the time.
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