Nov 8, 2021 - Food and Drink

Taste test: Holiday novelty foods from Aldi

Green bean casserole pizza box.

Are the funky holiday offerings from Aldi any good? We tried them to find out. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

👋 Hey, Monica here.

If there's anything I like more than shopping for weekly staples at Aldi, it's checking out their funky seasonal items.

  • But I often wonder if they're really worth a try. So I made testing them a part of my job.

The foods: Thanksgiving-inspired green bean casserole pizza and turkey cranberry ravioli.

Pizza slice
The green bean casserole pizza at Aldi rules. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

The good news: The green bean casserole pizza offered a shockingly delicious balance of fragrant toasted onions, sharp melty cheese, creamy sauce and decent beans on a crisp tasty crust. Reminds me of a tarte flambeé with beans.

Ravioli on a plate.
Aldi's Thanksgiving ravioli sorely lacks flavor. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios

The bad news: The ravioli is awful. Its bland turkey, stuffing, cranberry and cheese filling offered only the faintest whisper of Thanksgiving. Gravy might help, but so could, um, better filling.

The verdict: One made me feel thankful that I never have to eat it again and the other made me thankful Aldi is Chicago's most ubiquitous grocery store — even after a sad and controversial closing.

  • These items are scheduled to remain at local stores for only a few more days, but some products do get extended.
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