NEW @ Trader Joe’s: ORGANIC SQUARE RIGATONI

27 Oct 2025 1 Comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, DIY, fresh, General, Italian, New, News, organic, Pantry, pasta, Prices, Products, Rave, review, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


LIMITED

Trader Joe’s ORGANIC SQUARE RIGATONI, reviewed

Trader Joe’s got two new artisan pastas in this month. A spiral radiatore and this SQUARE shaped rigatoni. Both look perfect for our favorite (hearty?) sauce.

I got the square rigatoni to start with for review as I have never seen a square rigatoni before and could not resist trying it. It looks cool, right? First thing I thought was this: but after cooking is this going to stay square when it’s softer?! Well guess what, the answer: YES it does stay square as you can see….

TJ’s says this: ” What makes this pasta noteworthy? It starts with the Italian pasta maker sourcing high-quality, organic, and local durum wheat semolina, then going the extra mile to mill the flour themselves. High-quality tools are equally essential —bronze-coated extruders are used to produce thick, textured noodles that deliver a perfectly al dente texture, which helps support the heftiness of its partnered sauce while maintaining a delicate chew….Pair this uniquely shaped Pasta with a hearty Bolognese sauce and be in awe of how much sauce clings to, and even fills, each noodle. It is a natural choice for baked pasta dishes, as it can hold up well in a casserole without losing its shape.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/organic-square-rigatoni-pasta-079746

I just made the simplest pasta that day just to test it out quickly just butter and cheese; We liked this pasta quite a bit. Its great and tasty of course as I’ve found all of the artisan pastas from Italy the sell are (these are all high end pastas, organic durum semolina, bronze die cut….) But ideally this shape will excel and be perfect for a heartier sauce, especially something like a Bolognese or ragu, meat sauce as they suggest, or a baked pasta. Greek Pastitsio anyone?

Pastitsio (Greek beef pasta bake)

Cooking time on the bag is 13-14 minutes. This two new ones including this one were $1.99 (1 lb) I would buy it again (PS they say these two new pastas are LIMITED editions, grab them while you can)

Trader Joe’s ORGANIC LEMON TORCHIETTI PASTA (New Item) review

17 Jun 2025 2 Comments

by promacnyc in All Natural, Changed, condiments, DIY, fresh, General, News, organic, Pantry, pasta, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, review, Staple, Trader Joes, Uncategorized, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ?, Xmas season Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,


IMPORTED FROM ITALY

LIMITED TIME

According to Trader Joe’s, this pasta, organic lemon Torchiette (meaning “little torches”), was included in those nice gift worthy imported pasta assortment boxes during the Holidays, if you remember, they came in a trio of high end Italian pastas and made a nice gift. I think those were $10. Trader Joe’s got feedback that people especially loved one of the three pastas in the gift set which was this one, “Organic Lemon Torchietti”. So Trader Joe’s decided to come out with it as a stand alone item in a 1 pound box.

I liked this pasta a lot, and think these are well worth trying. This Torchietti is a really good, very high quality Italian pasta from a good manufacturer. I could see some fancy store easily charging three times what Trader Joe’s is selling it for ($3.49)

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/organic-lemon-torchietti-pasta-074954

Trader Joe’s says this: “Shining brightly with Sicilian lemon flavor and a complementary yellow hue (thanks to the addition of organic turmeric), these short, wavy, organic durum wheat noodles are extruded through a bronze die, creating a ridged exterior that makes them an exceptional vehicle for an array of sauces. Try tossing them in an olive oil, pesto, or Organic Vodka Sauce. Or for a double dose of lemon, Limone Alfredo Sauce. In addition to this sauce-supporting superiority, Trader Joe’s Organic Lemon Torchietti are equally excellent in hot and cold preparations – let pasta salad season begin!”

Ingredients are : Organic Semolina Durum Wheat, Water, Organic Lemon Oil, turmeric (for color)

COOKING: 6-7 minutes in boiling salted water.

The pasta is very good, I tasted it plain, it had just the slightest hint of lemon, from the lemon oil used to make it. The shape and being bronze die cut means the pasta holds sauces very well.

TJ’s does suggest pairing this Torchietti with their LEMON ALFREDO SAUCE which is I’m sure is a good combo, and one I will try later. First, I used these Torchietti with that “LEMON PESTO” to come up with a lemon themed pasta dish. Adding to the pesto with extra lemon, olive oil, butter, Pecorino, and a few grilled lemon slices. The dish turned out very good.

(TIP: I took the pasta out early at around 4 minutes as I was going to continue cooking it in my sauce for another 2+ minutes with my sauce for al dente pasta)

By the way, I bought them 2 weeks ago, and they were $2.99, which Trader Joe’s website also says is the price. I go back yesterday and I see the sign now says $3.49?! Is this price increase due to Tariffs coming into effect?

These can work in a hot dish but they suggest these would be good for a pasta salad too. I agree. The unique twisted shape really is good for holding sauces. And I would not just think “lemon” with the pasta, I could easily see pairing this with any of your favorite sauces. The lemon flavor in the pasta is not strong at all.

The website says “Limited” for these, so if you want to try these, I would grab a box while you can.

Trader Joe’s ORGANIC ITALIAN ARTISAN PASTA, STRIPED FARFALLINE

13 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

by promacnyc in All Natural, General, Italian, organic, Pantry, Prices, Products, Rave, recipe, Recipes, Staple, Trader Joes, update, vegetarian, WhatsGoodAtTJ? Tags: , , , , , , ,


Seen at Trader Joe’s : NEW ITEM – Italian Artisan Organic Striped Farfalline (Bowtie)

Very colorful, from natural coloring’s. It has paprika, turmeric, beet and spinach. I think these would be great for a pasta salad for one thing? $3.49 for a 16oz bag. But then these are Organic and Artisanal.

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/italian-organic-striped-farfalline-pasta-074547

“Farfalline is Italian for “little butterflies,” and these Farfalline certainly resemble their namesake. Each butterfly- like bowtie sports either green and orange stripes or red and yellow stripes—all from organic, plant-derived sources, including paprika, turmeric, spinach, and beet root powders. Cooked al dente, this Pasta becomes a proverbial canvas for an array of colorfully captivating meals. Cook Farfalline in boiling water for 8-9 minutes, then drain, and toss with Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Almond Pesto Sauce, Creamy Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce, or Cajun Style Alfredo Sauce for a quick and quite tasty pasta pairing. If pasta salads are your creative outlet, consider adding some Farfalline flair to your picnic fare all summer long.”

-Trader Joe