I love pasta, there’s no doubt about it. From pappardelle to conchiglie, you can’t really go wrong with this food group (yes I class pasta as a food group). So when I heard about Pasta Evangelists’ pasta in the post concept, I was equal amounts excited and sceptical.
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How can you post pasta whilst keeping its fresh taste? It was definitely something I had to investigate.
Let’s journey back to December 2019, when I attended a pasta making lesson with Pasta Evangelists head chef Roberta. I had never made fresh pasta before, so I was excited to learn about the process and history behind one of my favourite foods.
The session ended with us being able to try Roberta’s own Wild Boar Ragù with Fresh Pappardelle. My mind was blown. Admittedly I had consumed a few glasses of wine whilst making the pasta, but I was sure that this was one of the best pasta dishes I had ever eaten in the UK!
I decided I had to try out the pasta in the post idea, to see if they really could deliver fresh restaurant quality pasta at home, like they claim. Here’s how it went.
Pasta Evangelists Review
Price: £7 – £11.50 per portion
GP Score: 8/10
Pros: Getting started is really simple, just create an account and you’re ready to choose your options. A quick note, signing up doesn’t mean you’re tied in to anything, their model is commitment free so you can cancel at any time.
The range of pasta is brilliant, you can choose from vegetarian, seafood, red meat, vegan and gluten free dishes. There are even options to add aperitivos, charcuterie boards and delectable desserts such as Nonna Carmela’s Tiramisù. The menu changes weekly, often with themes concentrating on a particular region of Italy, giving you a chance to taste your way around the colourful country.
The price is very reasonable, considering how much you would pay in a restaurant. Delivery is also free and super quick. If you order before 2pm, you can receive your food the very next day, or if you prefer you can choose your nominated delivery day.
The food arrives in a 100% recyclable cardboard box, and any plastic inside (for sauces and other bits and pieces) can also be recycled. According to their website, the only part of the packaging that you can’t currently recycle is the ice pack that keeps it cool. However you can reuse these by re-freezing, or if you contact Pasta Evangelists’ customer care team, they will send you a free return label so you can post it back to them to reuse! The company also states on their website that they follow a reduce, reuse, recycle model, which is always nice to know.
Now for the cooking process. The sauces are all pre-made so it’s just a case of warming them up in a pan. The pasta is also part cooked so it only takes around 5 minutes to boil. Once you’ve done this, simply mix together and plate up. That’s really all there is to it! A super easy, tasty meal in less than 10 minutes.
Is it really restaurant quality? The biggest bit for me, and most people, is the taste test. Throughout my subscription, I have tried a number of different dishes, ranging from red meat, seafood and vegetarian options. Every single one was absolutely delicious. The freshness of the pasta and the ingredients used in the sauces is evident. They also send you a card that tells you all about the history of the dish, and recommendations for accompanying wine, which is a really nice touch to elevate your meal that little bit more.
Cons: While you can choose your delivery day, you can’t choose a time. The food is well packaged so will keep fresh even if left out for a short while, however the main issue here is that you may not receive your food until 8.30pm.
Unfortunately there was a delay in my first order, and I didn’t end up receiving my meal until past 9pm. Considering that’s what I had planned for my dinner, I was very hangry by this point. Another downside is that their customer service team are only available until 8pm, so I had no one to contact about my late delivery.
My advice is to order your food a day before you actually want to eat it – just in case. The customer care team were very friendly though, and did compensate me.
Overall, I think this idea from Pasta Evangelists is genius. The simplicity coupled with the absolute deliciousness of the meals is a winner for me. Try it out for yourself, or gift a meal to a fellow pasta lover.
Click here to receive £10 off your first order!
Like Italian food kit’s delivered straight to your home? Read my review of Pizza Pilgrims Frying Pan Pizza Kits.
