Aldi's Best Pasta Is A Bronze-Cut Masterpiece

It's no secret that shopping at Aldi can save you money. Savvy consumers can find high-quality foods if they know what to look for. One of those top-shelf items is a pasta that our reviewer called "a bronze-cut masterpiece."

Daily Meal recently rated 25 kinds of pasta from Aldi – from gluten-free chickpea pasta to pre-filled manicotti. All of them were rated based on certain criteria: Aroma, texture, flavor, and how well they allowed the sauce to cling to the noodles. One special pasta stood out from the others: Priano bronze-cut conchiglie. 

This pasta made number one on our list for its creamy mouthfeel and a savory and robust flavor. The pasta stayed tender but still kept its shape after cooking. The shape of pasta does matter when it comes to saucing, and this conchiglie (which means shells in Italian) was the perfect pocket for a tasty sauce. And, the fact that it's bronze-cut helps even more sauce adhere to the pasta.

Bronze-cut — you may see it as "al bronzo" on the label  – is pasta that has been cut with a bronze die. Some noodles are cut with a die coated in Teflon to prevent sticking, but a bronze die does the opposite. When pasta is extruded (pushed) from a machine fitted with a bronze die, the die produces a rough surface. That surface allows the sauce to stick to the noodles, creating more flavor with every bite.

A smaller version of jumbo shells used for stuffed pasta, conchiglie can be baked in a casserole or simply boiled al dente and tossed with sauce. Since it's so good at trapping sauce, a rustic pesto, creamy cheese sauce, or classic tomato sauce will all shine when coating this pasta shape. It's also good at picking up small ingredients like capers or chopped olives. Priano bronze-cut conchiglie is ideal for cold pasta salad, capturing diced cucumbers, red peppers, and onions when tossed in a cold, creamy dressing or vinaigrette — like in this Mediterranean pasta salad recipe.