Delicious spag bol! (Asda Spaghetti Bolognese - Meat Free)

Member Name: angelic2004

Product:	Asda Spaghetti Bolognese - Meat Free
Date:	03/03/09 (301 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Tastes delicious, contains red wine, meat free, well seasoned not salty.

Disadvantages: Ready made meal and medium salt content.

ASDA Spaghetti Bolognese meat free & delicious is described as a rich ragu of tomatoes, vegetable protein mince and red wine, served on a bed of Italian spaghetti. It is inspired by vegetarians but enjoyed by everyone.


Packaging - This ready meal appears in a rectangle shape not like the circle shape as dooyoo have shown, that was the old packaging. Glad it is in a rectangle shape now as it just fits perfectly in amongst the other shopping in the carrier bags so it remains upright. Apart from the shape the image on the cover is exactly the same as shown. A black container with the product has a film lid and fits into a cardboard sleeve. ASDA makes a point that the cardboard sleeve can be recycled. The product's appearance has the ragu sauce covering the spaghetti and a bit of mozzarella sprinkled on top. You get 450g which is more than enough for one person, though I like to have it with a bit of garlic bread to mop up the sauce. It contains no artificial colours or flavours and no hydrogenated fat. Allergy wise it contains gluten, milk, wheat, barley, egg and soya. It also mentions that, ummmm I not really sure but I will mention it advice that it may contain traces of nuts and/or seeds It costs £1.58 from ASDA.


You can cook this in the microwave or oven. I chose the microwave method as it is quicker taking just 6 minutes rather than 25 minutes in the oven. You remove the sleeve and pierce the film lid in several places with a sharp knife, I love this bit it is like getting your aggression out without harming anyone, well I guess you could harm yourself if you accidently slipped with the knife. You then place the container onto a microwavable plate. Heat for 2 minutes on full power then let it stand for a minute and then heat for a further 2 more minutes and then let it stand again. You remove the film lid by cutting round the edge of it with scissors.


While heating and when cooked it gives off a slight vinegary, alcohol smell so you can definitely tell there is red wine present in the dish as mentioned. Its appearance when the film lid is taken away is of flat melted mozzarella on lots of sauce completely covering the spaghetti and u can see a bit of oil float on top. Placed on a plate it looks like the product on the sleeve except with loads of sauce.


Taste wise the sauce gives off tomatoes and the presence of red wine. Sauce is not to thin but not too thick either it gives a medium consistency which it good enough to coat everything. Its appearance is an orange/red colour with dark green bits, the herbs. It has the presence of chopped carrot and onion which gives a slight crunch. The sauce is well seasoned and does not seem salty at all. The protein mince appears a light brown mince pieces and is soft and gives a slight chewy/texture property like proper mince does but you can tell it is nothing like the real thing and it is tasteless without the sauce. The melted mozzarella becomes chewy too in place. The spaghetti is well cooked and holds the sauce quite well, can not fault it.


Overall I enjoyed this dish, full of flavour and filling. Hopefully they do not try to improve the recipe as I feel it is fine as it is.


of your guideline daily amount
Calories 389 19%
Sugar 10.8g 12%
Fat 10.4g 15%
Sat Fat 3.1g 16%
Salt 2.3g 38%

Summary: Meat free take on spag bol.