Aldi Cornbread Stuffing (Chef’s Cupboard) Review
Author’s Note: As per usual, this is a completely unpaid and unbiased review. These are my own corny opinions. I have no affiliation with Aldi.
An 89 cent wonder.
Raise your hand if you think name-brand stuffing mix is wildly overpriced. *raises both hands and waves them around*
I mean, it’s just dried crumbs and some seasoning, right?
Anyway. I got this Cornbread Stuffing Mix for 89 cents at my local Aldi. Which made me suspicious, of course. I’ve had some bad experiences with bargain Aldi products before — such as this Ground Turkey meat. Ugh. Never again.
However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that this inexpensive stuffing mix cooks up to taste approximately as good as name-brand stuffing. I am not enthused by the ingredients, but I think most stuffing mixes are in the same boat. More about those ingredients later.
I like veggies in my stuffing, so I started by chopping celery and onion. I used three ribs of fresh celery, and one large yellow onion. I know it looks like a ton of veggies here, but it cooks down to a much more demure quantity.
Since the stuffing recipe calls for 1/4 cup butter (that’s 1/2 a stick), I used that amount to sauté my veggies. I let mine cook until tender, at least 10 minutes.
After that, I added the water. The directions on the box call for 1.5 cups of water, but I’ve learned that skimping slightly on the water makes stuffing a bit less soggy, so I did that. I brought the water and veggies fully to a boil before stirring in the dry stuffing mix. Then I removed the pan from the stove and covered for 5 minutes.
I was still working on the rest of my Christmas dinner, so I put the finished stuffing in a glass serving bowl, covered tightly, and put it in the oven to stay warm.
The finished stuffing texture is moist, but sturdy. There’s a distinct sweetness to the bread, perhaps a bit more than is necessary. But not unpleasant. I was disappointed to discover “High Fructose Corn Syrup” as the third ingredient. But, it could be worse.
I previously reviewed Aldi’s Hawaiian Bread Stuffing Mix, which was made with sucralose (aka Splenda!). Ew. I’m happy to see that artificial sweeteners have been avoided here. Small mercies.
In Aldi’s Cornbread Stuffing, the bread crumbs are primarily wheat flour with a moderate amount of “cornmeal” texture. The combination is soft and fluffy, with some satisfying structure. I would describe the taste as savory and flavorful. But, it doesn’t have any distinct seasoning that stands out above the rest. There are, unfortunately, “flavor enhancers” in this product. More about that later.
I was pleased to discover this stuffing is sturdy enough to stand up to prolonged baking and reheating. My microwaved leftovers the next day were also “very good.” The finished stuffing has a rich yellow color from the added annatto and turmeric.
Ingredients in Aldi Cornbread Stuffing Mix
Here is my best attempt at typing out the ingredients from the label:
- Enriched Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Reduced Iron, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate [Vitamin B1], Riboflavin [Vitamin B2], Folic Acid)
- Cornmeal
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Salt
- Dried Onions
- Contains less than 2% of each of the following: Palm Oil or Vegetable Shortening (Interesterified High Oleic Soybean Oil, Soybean Oil), Vegetable Protein (Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Salt), Yeast, Sugar, Dried Celery, Grain Vinegar, Soy Lecithin, Annatto (Color), Dried Parsley, Spices, Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate, Canola Oil, Turmeric Oleoresin (Color).
Although I am not happy to see High Fructose Corn Syrup as the third ingredient (in addition to Sugar later on), it must be a small amount of the total product, because there are only 2 grams of sugar per serving, according to the nutrition label.
Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate are both “flavor enhancers.”
More information from the label:
- Contains Bioengineered Ingredients
- Product of Canada
Nutrition Facts in Aldi Cornbread Stuffing
There are six servings per package. After preparation, each serving has 176 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 3 grams of protein. Despite the prevalence of High Fructose Corn Syrup and Sugar in the ingredients, there are only 2 grams of sugar per serving, all of which is “added sugar.”
There’s an expected 400mg of sodium, which is 17% of your daily value. You also get a nice sliver of iron at 6%.
Price and Servings
The 6 ounce box cost 89 cents at my local Aldi. Since there are 6 servings per box, each serving is a frugal 15 cents. Obviously, it costs more once you add the butter and optional veggies. Still, this is a great value for stuffing mix. My personal opinion is that this is what stuffing mix should cost. Everything else is just overpriced. I said what I said.
Shelf Life
My box had a “best by” date of more than a year after purchase. Totally hoardable. Go forth and hoard, my froogle friends!
Cooking Instructions
Here are the actual cooking instructions, from the label:
- Stove Top: “Heat 1 1/2 cups water and 1/4 cup butter to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in contents of stuffing mix pouch. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.”
- Microwave: “Mix contents of stuffing mix pouch with 1 1/2 cups hot water and 1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces, in a 1 1/2 quart microwave safe bowl. Cover and microwave on High 5 to 6 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.”
Dramatic Conclusion
I liked this stuffing mix. It’s got a satisfying texture and a savory taste. The value is unbeatable. The preparation was quick and foolproof. I don’t like the use of flavor enhancers or high fructose corn syrup, but I am resigned to my fate.
The End.
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