The only downside to these delicious treats is that they’re traditionally baked or fried, and who’s got the time for either? Luckily, there are a bunch of frozen pre-cooked empanadas that are both tasty and time-saving. To find the best frozen empanadas, we sampled a bunch, judging each on filling, pastry, and overall satisfaction. So, here are our picks for the five best frozen empanadas (including the best frozen mini empanadas, frozen beef empanadas, and frozen chicken empanadas) you can find at your local grocery store (or Amazon!). 

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Baked Empanadas

Goya Baked Beef Empanada

Walmart

The classic Goya Beef Empanada is the O.G. frozen empanada brand, having survived on store shelves for decades. But what makes these “baked” Goya empanadas so different? You don’t have to fry them yourselves! You can just throw these frozen beef empanadas in the microwave or air fryer without having to heat up all the pesky oil. Each box gives you four individually wrapped empanadas, giving you the option to cook them one at a time or all at once. As for the taste, these have basically the same classic filling of relatively mild spiced beef mixed with plenty of onion, garlic, and paprika. The pasty is good, but a little thin, so you’re not getting a lot of flavor from it. Overall, these frozen beef empanadas are a quick and tasty way to have a “classic” empanada. Plus, everything tastes better without those pesky oil burns.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

6/10

Sporks

Best Vegan Empanadas

Emma Light & Co. Plant Based Mini-Empanadas!

Instacart

These vegan frozen mini empanadas are stuffed with Beyond Meat along with an organic tomato filling, mixed with Daiya dairy-free vegan cheddar (some of the best vegan cheese, if you ask us). And while that makes it sound kind of pizza-esque, it’s actually more salsa-flavored, with a spicy mix of tomatoes and jalapenos, spiced with onions, garlic, chipotle, and apple cider vinegar. It definitely gives plenty of kick, but without too much heat. The wheat flour wrapper toasts up nicely and even gives a bit of a crunch. And I couldn’t tell it wasn’t meat-based. It definitely deserves that exclamation mark.

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Veggie Empanadas

Goya Baked Spinach Empanada

Instacart

With a creamy filling of spinach and mozzarella, these Argentinean-style baked empanadas may not be vegan, but they are very delicious. One box gives you four individually wrapped pastries per box, with the only downside being that you have to thaw them before cooking, which takes away a little of the spontaneity. But the pastry’s good and you get plenty of spinach and cheese flavor. It’s definitely worth a little wait.

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Beef Empanadas

Del Corazon Beef Empanadas

Target

If you’re looking for a big, spicy, beefy taste, these are the ones for you. The beef is mixed with onion, garlic, bell pepper, and hints of cilantro, which give a classic Mexican flavor. But there are also some surprising ingredients, like raisins and capers, that add to its unique flavor and it also reminded me a little of Jamaican beef patties.  Each box offers three fairly small sized empanadas (they’re not frozen mini empanadas, but you can take them all down in one sitting). They add up to a good sized portion, and you even get some big chunks of potato to make them more filling. The flour wrapper is flaky and tasty. It’s just really good. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Del Corazon Chicken Empanadas

Instacart

These are similar to the last entry’s empanadas, only with a spiced chicken filling that gives you a good amount of heat through a mixture of red pepper and smoky chipotle. It’s the kind of heat that isn’t overpowering, but the spice lingers after each bite. The chicken is also tasty and juicy. These frozen chicken empanadas are the best frozen empanadas to buy, for sure.

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Other frozen empanadas we tried: Goya Baked Chicken Empanadas, Goya Beef Empanadas, Maspenadas Beef & Vegetables, Maspanadas Chicken & Vegetables, Maspanadas Pizza

The post Best Frozen Empanadas: Beef, Chicken, Veggie, and Vegan! appeared first on Sporked.

What are empanadas? 

Empanadas are a type of stuffed pastry which can be filled with meat, vegetables or fruit, depending on the recipe. Also, different parts of the world use different doughs for the pastry, including bread dough, shortcrust dough, or masa, a corn-based dough. Empanadas can be either baked or fried, depending on the recipe. So, really they can be made of almost anything, as long as you’ve got dough wrapped around a filling. Hope that clears things up!     

Where are empanadas from? 

It’s believed that empanadas originated in Galicia, Spain, but soon spread to other parts of Spain and Portugal. Spanish colonization later spread the recipe all over the world, with areas like The Philippines, Central America, and South America each developing their own versions of empanadas, often combining with their local culinary traditions to develop their own unique recipes. 

What does “empanada” mean? 

The name comes from the Spanish verb “empanar,” which means “to wrap in bread.” So it basically means, “breaded” or “coated in bread.” And while that might sound a little vague, it’s a pretty appropriate name for a dish with so many different variations. 

What’s in an empanada? 

That depends on what kind of empanada you’re getting. Really, you can stuff an empanada with just about any kind of filling, either savory or sweet. And most countries have a wide range of recipes to choose from. And while we don’t have room to go through them all, here’s just a brief sample of the many different types of empanadas and what they can contain.  

Argentine-style empanadas

These use a shortcrust-style, flour-based dough. Common fillings include ham and cheese, eggs mixed with bacon and humita, a dish made from pounded and steamed corn. One of the most popular recipes involves minced beef, mixed with onions, olives, and hard-boiled eggs. 

El Salvadoran empanadas

Unlike all the other empanadas, these use mashed plantains, which are boiled and mixed with leche poleada, a type of sweet milk custard, to become the “dough.” They’re then filled with refried beans or custard, coated in cinnamon and sugar and fried. 

Mexican-style empanadas 

These empanadas typically use masa, a corn-based dough, although some areas of Mexico use wheat flour. While one of the more common fillings is spiced beef, there are a bunch of regional variations. For example, in Chiapas, they offer the “empanaditas chiapacorceñas,” a baked empanada filled with shredded pork. And in the Yucatan, they stuff empanadas with chaya, a leafy shrub that’s similar to spinach. They also serve sweet empanadas, including a popular pumpkin empanada that’s flavored with cinnamon.  

Philippines-style empanadas  

The traditional Filipino empanada is a wheat-flour pastry filled with onions, raisins, peas, and potatoes, mixed with ground beef, chicken, or pork. In the northern Philippines, they also offer the Ilocos empanada, which features an orange annatto-flavored crust filled with green papaya, mung beans, and pork sausage. And for dessert, they offer sweet “empanaditas” (“little empanadas”) filled with peanut butter, chocolate, dulce de leche, latik (a sweetened coconut curd), or yema, a type of sweet egg custard.  

Where can I get empanadas? 

As we’ve mentioned, the portable nature of these little pastries mean that you can often find them at street fairs and food trucks. But you can also find a bunch of different pre-cooked frozen empanadas at your local grocery store.

The post What Is an Empanada? A Stuffed Explainer appeared first on Sporked.

To keep your cocoa list current, the Sporked team ran a new, third taste test (oh, the horror!) to check out the latest hot cocoa mixes and find the best mix for hot chocolate out there. We used both hot water and milk to taste both versions of these hot chocolate mix brands. Here are our picks for the best hot chocolate mix on the market.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Fan Favorite

Land O Lakes Chocolate Supreme

Instacart

We were absolutely reamed by Sporked readers for not trying Land O Lakes hot chocolate mix in the first round of our hot cocoa mix taste test. So we made sure to try it in a follow-up taste test. And not just one Land O Lakes hot chocolate mix, all of them. Every single flavor. We thought they were good! It’s not the best hot chocolate mix (sorry!), but we like it. This Chocolate Supreme version is our favorite of the bunch. When made with milk, it’s rich and decently chocolatey. Land O Lakes isn’t just a butter company, people! —Jordan Myrick

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Value

Great Value Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix

Walmart

If hot cocoa isn’t a once-in-a-while treat for you but a regular, everyday beverage, then you should stock up on a few tubs of Walmart’s signature hot cocoa mix. It’s a solid, football game-style hot chocolate. (Those from the Northeast can sub “hockey game” in for “football game,” if that makes more sense.) It’s terrifically creamy, even without any milk or actual cream, and it is definitely sweet. You don’t get a ton of authentic chocolate flavor, but it’s cheap, there’s a lot of it, and it will scratch a hot cocoa itch, making it the best hot chocolate mix for daily consumption. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Minty

Great Value Candy Cane Hot Cocoa Mix

Walmart

If you’re looking for a little extra holiday cheer in your mug, this Walmart hot chocolate mix gives you a tasty mint flavor that doesn’t overpower the chocolate, while also giving you nice, creamy consistency. And as it’s presented in a can instead of packets, you can decide just how much (or little) your portion is. Spoiler: We went with “a ton.” This is the best hot chocolate mix for the holiday season if plain chocolate just isn’t festive enough. — Jon Gutierrez

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Dark Chocolate

Swiss Miss Indulgent Collection Dark Chocolate 

Amazon

Kroger

This is the best hot chocolate mix to pick up if you want a more grown-up version of a childhood favorite, for sure. It’s dark and indulgent. It’s a little fancier—a little more upscale. It’s richer and feels like it’s really warming you up from the inside. It’s the type of hot chocolate you hold with both hands, just under your nose, breathing in the warm, sweet vapors before taking a sip. A cinematic hot chocolate. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Peanut Butter

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Candy Shop Cocoa

Amazon

If you’ve ever tried a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and wished it was hot and liquidy, then this is the best mix for hot chocolate to make your dreams come true. It’s got a great, authentic-tasting peanut butter flavor, and the Hershey’s cocoa is strong enough to balance it out. The only downside is that the servings are kinda small, as they only make six ounces of drink per packet. Luckily, they give you eight packets per box. I went through the whole thing pretty quickly, almost as quickly as I can devour a pack of peanut butter cups. So, it’s definitely authentic! — Jon Gutierrez

Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Best Flavored

Good & Gather Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa Mix

Target

Good & Gather, aka Target, Salted Caramel Hot Cocoa Mix is the best hot cocoa mix when it comes to unique flavors. Their salted caramel is so rich, salty, and decadent. It tastes like something you’d get at a local coffee shop. Good & Gather also sells hot chocolate mix flavors like double chocolate and peppermint, which are very good too. But for our money, this salted caramel hot chocolate is the way to go. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best Budget

Trader Joe’s Organic Hot Cocoa Mix

Not only does Trader Joe’s cocoa have the best packaging but the beloved/cultish store also makes some of the best mix for hot chocolate. “It has a nice cocoa flavor,” said Sporked managing editor Gwynedd Stuart. “It’s sweet but not obnoxiously so.” It has a cocoa flavor that stays with you with a pleasantly bittersweet finish. It tastes like real chocolate and that makes it real good and nearly the best hot cocoa mix you can buy. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Nestle Classic Rich Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix

Instacart

There is no better hot cocoa mix out there than Nestle Classic Rich Milk Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix. It is truly the best hot chocolate mix you can buy nationwide at the grocery store. It is so rich and creamy and chocolatey. Even when made with water, it tastes like it was made with whole milk. That makes it a great accessible and money-saving option. But it wouldn’t matter if you were the richest person in the world! This is still the best hot cocoa mix that we would recommend to you because it really is that good. — Justine Sterling

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other hot chocolate mixes we tried: Treat Life, Starbucks Classic, Swiss Miss Lucky Charms, Nestle, Select, Beaumont, Swiss Miss, 365 Organic Hot Cocoa, Beaumont, Good & Gather (all flavors), Land O Lakes (all flavors), Nestle, Numi Drinking Chocolate, Signature Select, Sprouts, Starbucks Classic, Swiss Miss (Lucky Charms, no sugar added, non-dairy, reduced calorie, regular and white chocolate), Treat Life, Kroger Dutch Hot Cocoa Mix Milk Chocolate

The post Best Hot Chocolate Mix [Updated!] appeared first on Sporked.

What is calamari? 

What’s calamari? It’s squid. In fact, “calamari” is an Italian word used for any kind of squid dish, although in other countries it’s commonly used for the dish that Italians call “calamari fritti,” (aka “fried squid”), which consists of battered and fried squid rings, typically served with marinara or cocktail sauce. It’s kind of like onion rings, if you replaced the onion with a cut-up squid.   

What is calamari? Is calamari squid or octopus? 

Calamari is exclusively squid. While there are certainly fried octopus dishes, like Japan’s octopus karaage, the term calamari really only refers to squid dishes. It’s kinda like how there are tons of sparkling white wines, but only certain ones are Champagne. Only here, the Champagne is squishier and has tentacles. The confusion isn’t helped by the fact that squid and octopus have very similar flavors. The main difference is the texture, with squid being a little chewier and smoother than octopus. 

What does calamari taste like? 

Squid has a mild, faintly sweet taste that’s not too far from shrimp. It also avoids the “fishy” flavor you get from most seafood. And it soaks up flavor. So, with calamari fritti, a lot of the flavor comes from the batter. And there are countless different recipes for fried calamari, many of which include spices like garlic or paprika, salt, and black pepper. 

Calamari is more known for its texture, rather than its flavor. Cooked correctly, calamari starts out firm, but then gives into a tender meatiness. Cooked incorrectly, it can be rubbery. 

How is calamari made? Why is it in rings? 

The body of a squid is a cylinder, so cutting it in sections naturally makes rings. There’s also probably something to be said for the rings being a little more appetizing than just “chunks of squid.” But that approach hasn’t hurt chicken nuggets’ popularity. 

To make calamari, you slice squid into rings (and, often, you also cut off the little tentacles), then batter and fry the squid bits. 

Can I buy calamari at the store? 

You sure can! There are a bunch of frozen and pre-cooked calamari you can find in your local grocery store. In fact, we reviewed Trader Joe’s Crispy Battered Calamari right here!

The post What Is Calamari? appeared first on Sporked.

What is cassava? 

Cassava, also known as manioc or yuca (yep, cassava and yuca are the same things), is a starchy root vegetable grown in South America. It’s used in local dishes like soups and stews or served as a side dish, in all the same ways as potatoes. It’s a good source of carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamin C and potassium. 

However, it shouldn’t be eaten raw, as it contains some natural forms of cyanide, which can be removed by soaking it in water for up to several days, then boiling the cassava (making sure you don’t save and reuse the water!), and finally, cooking it thoroughly.

What does cassava taste like? Does cassava taste like potato? 

Cassava has a very mild (some might even say bland) taste with a hint of sweetness and a slightly nutty flavor. It is pretty similar to potato, but even blander, if you can imagine it. 

It’s important to note that there are two different types of cassava: sweet and bitter. The sweet type is what you’ll find in a store. The bitter type is mainly used for making flour and tapioca.  

What is tapioca? 

Tapioca is a starch that’s made from cassava, and is used as a thickening agent in foods, like sauces and gravies. It’s also used as a main ingredient. You probably know it best from tapioca pudding. And it’s used as an ingredient in a wide range of Southeast Asian jellies and puddings. 

What is cassava flour?

While it’s similar, tapioca isn’t the same as “manioc flour,” which is ground from the cassava itself, giving it more fiber than tapioca. In fact, tapioca is a byproduct of the process that makes manioc flour (aka cassava flour), as it’s made from the liquid that’s produced when they squeeze out wet cassava pulp to make the flour. 

Both manioc flour and tapioca are used as wheat alternatives when making gluten-free bread pastries, as it traps moisture, keeping them light and moist. 

What cassava or tapioca snacks can I find at my local grocery store?  

One of our favorites is “pão de queijo,” or as they’re commonly known in the U.S., “Brazilian Cheese Balls.” These tasty little cheese buns are made from tapioca flour, so they’re naturally gluten free. And several companies are selling them in the states, most notably as “Brazi Bites Brazilian Cheese Bread.”

You can find boba pearls in any number of snack dishes and packaged bubble teas. But if you’re looking for a snack, you could always try Tropical Field’s Boba Tea Mochi, which features a boba pearl right in the center. 

And if you want to chomp on some real cassava, Goya makes some tasty cassava yuca chips. And you don’t even have to soak them for days! 

The post What is Cassava? A Starchy Explainer appeared first on Sporked.

Which vegan treats are the tastiest? That’s what we decided to find out by taste testing a bunch of vegan chocolate bars and vegan chocolate candies for ourselves. Here’s our picks for the best vegan chocolates you can find on your local store’s shelves or Amazon. 

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Toffee

Cocomels Toffee Bark

Instacart

This vegan chocolate bark is made with two different dairy alternatives, as it’s a crunchy coconut cream hard toffee surrounded by oat milk chocolate. The dairy-free chocolate is smooth, with nothing hinting that it’s anything out of the ordinary. But the vegan toffee is the real star here. It has a good crunch that won’t destroy your teeth (unlike some other toffees my dentist and I could name), with just a faint hint of coconut. And the whole thing blends together into a tasty, crisp treat. It’s some of the best non-dairy chocolate to snack on.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Chocolate Caramels

Sanders Small Batch Wonders Dairy Free Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Caramels

Amazon

These vegan chocolate caramels feature bittersweet vegan chocolate wrapped around gooey dairy-free coconut cream caramel. They’re dotted with big cubes of sea salt. And they’re bigger than you’d think. It took me several bites to finish one piece. And the caramel is also less sweet than you’d think for something made with rice syrup and cane sugar. That caramel blends with the vegan chocolate for a tasty, dark bite that never overpowers your taste buds. It’s the best vegan chocolate if your sweet tooth isn’t too sweet.

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Chocolate Truffles

Non-Dairy Lindt Lindor OatMilk Chocolate Truffles

Target

To me, Lindt Lindor Truffles are either handed to you by a mall employee or found in the toe of a Christmas stocking. You’ve probably had them at some point in time. And therefore you probably know what to expect from these vegan chocolate truffles—the only difference is that it’s an oat milk chocolate shell wrapped around an oat milk chocolate center. The oat milk definitely works, because the dairy-free chocolate is rich, creamy and delicious, both inside and out. And honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference between this vegan chocolate truffle and a regular Lindor ball. The best part? I didn’t have to fish these out of a sock!

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Vegan Chocolate Bar (Runner-Up)

Beyond Good Uganda Single Origin Chocolate Salted Caramel

World Market

This is good vegan chocolate. Yep, it’s just a big bar of rich vegan chocolate mixed with caramel and sea salt. But’s a solid vegan chocolate bar; there’s no ribbon of caramel running through it. That said, the caramel flavor definitely comes through, brightening up the bittersweet flavor of the cocoa-heavy dairy-free chocolate. It’s damn tasty and so rich you might have to take your time to savor the whole thing. (I know I did.) If you’re looking for the best vegan chocolate bar with a little something extra, this is the one to choose.

Credit: Merc / World Market

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Lindt Classic Recipe OatMilk

Walmart

Sometimes, all you want is a solid bar of milk chocolate, especially when you can’t (or won’t) drink milk. And that’s all this is. A solid bar of milk chocolate—well, technically, oat milk chocolate. But it’s still really good. And I preferred this solid vegan chocolate bar to the Lindor ball version, even though it’s presumably the same chocolate. It’s light and tasty, but not too rich, with a classic sweet chocolate taste. And, at the end of the day, that’s really all I wanted out of the best vegan chocolate bars.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Other vegan chocolates we tried: Theo Organic Caramel Cashew Crunch, Nelly’s Organics Chunky Almond Butter

The post The Best Vegan Chocolate That Tastes Just Like the Real Deal appeared first on Sporked.

The best chicken and rice soup (we’re talking canned chicken and rice soup, of course) gives you some tasty white meat protein, mixed with enough savory broth and vegetables to turn some damp chicken into an actual meal. It’s simple and comforting, just like the soup your grandma used to get out of a can. 

But with so many different types of canned chicken and rice soup on the market, how can you tell which chicken and rice soup can is worth your time and taste buds? We took the time to cram ourselves full of all the canned chicken and rice soup we could find, so you don’t have to spend your precious sick days sampling them. Here’s our ranking of the best chicken and rice soup (including the best chicken and wild rice soup) you can find at your local store (or Amazon). 

(Hope you feel better soon!)

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Filling

Campbell’s Chunky Savory Chicken with White & Wild Rice

Walmart

The can reads, “A soup that eats like a meal,” and it isn’t kidding. While this isn’t technically the largest chicken and rice soup can we tried—at 19 ounces, the Progresso soups are one ounce bigger—it definitely seemed to be the most “full,” with big chunks of potatoes and carrots mixed with decent-sized chunks of white meat chicken. And while the broth was milder than most, it still had enough spices to avoid being bland. The rest of the can was full of white and wild rice, which definitely filled me up like a meal. (Maybe even a meal and a half.)

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

6/10

Sporks

Best Tex-Mex

Old El Paso Mexican-Style Chicken & Rice Soup With Corn

Instacart

If you’re looking for something a little spicier than your typical one-step-away-from-chicken-broth soup, this Southwestern take is the best chicken and rice soup to grab. There’s a good mix of garlic and cilantro and just enough spice to give it a kick, but not so much that it becomes overpowering. And the corn adds a great extra flavor to the whole thing. It may not taste like your abuela’s homemade soup, but it will taste like you picked it at a pretty good Mexican restaurant. And sometimes, that’s just what you want.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Lower Sodium

Pacific Foods Organic Chicken & Wild Rice Soup Lightly Salted

Walmart

One thing that most canned soups have in common is tons of sodium. So, if you’re looking to cut down, this lightly salted soup is the best chicken and rice soup can to buy. They scaled back on the salt while keeping the flavor. But, it’s definitely not sodium free, as the can contains 600 mg of sodium, which is still 26 percent of your recommended daily amount. Still, it’s better than most of your alternatives. As for the soup itself, it’s really tasty with plenty of savory spice (I was picking up hints of rosemary and oregano) and a tasty mix of brown and wild rice. And while the chicken pieces were a little smaller than some of the others, it meant that the chicken flavor blended into each spoonful.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Wild Rice

Progresso Organic Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Walmart

The main draw for this canned chicken and rice soup isn’t actually the chicken, but the wild rice, which gives the whole thing an earthy, nutty taste that I really enjoyed. And there’s plenty of carrots and celery floating in that broth, really amping up the vegetable flavor. So, if you want to take a break from some chicken-heavy flavor and focus on that nutty rice, this is the best chicken and wild rice soup to try.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Progresso Chicken Rice with Vegetables

Walmart

What makes this one the best of the best chicken and rice soup? It’s only slightly better than the last one. But I just found it a little tastier. The broth has a bit more tomato and carrot, giving it more of a vegetable soup taste, while still giving you plenty of chicken flavor. Really, it’s just a very tasty canned chicken and rice soup. And it really hit the spot.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Other chicken and rice soups we tried: Campbells Chicken with Rice,  Campbells Chicken With Rice (25% less sodium), Great Value Condensed Chicken & Rice Soup, Kroger Chicken with Rice Condensed Soup, Pacific Foods Organic Chicken & Wild Rice Soup, (Traditional) Progresso Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

The post Best Chicken and Rice Soup for Sickness or in Health appeared first on Sporked.

And that’s where we come in. We assembled a tableful of different rice pilaf brands (including wild rice pilaf, rice with orzo pilaf, and classic rice pilaf) in our quest to find the best rice pilaf for your dinner. We tried 10 kinds of seasoned rice pilaf and five made the cut. Here are our picks for the five best rice pilaf boxes you can find on your local store’s shelves, or Amazon.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Buttery Taste

Rice-A-Roni Herb & Butter

Instacart

This mix of rice and pasta (it’s like short pieces of vermicelli) certainly delivers on the buttery taste. You get that buttery quality from the included sauce mix and from the fact that the first step in cooking it is sautéing everything in two tablespoons of butter. It all works. And this mix of rice and pasta comes out with a rich, creamy flavor with plenty of garlic, rosemary, and black pepper. (But let’s face it, butter will always be the star!)

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best “Traditional”

Near East Rice Pilaf (Original)

Walmart

While there are so many different blends of pilaf, this rice with orzo pilaf is probably what you think about when you think about a rice pilaf box. It’s a basic mix of long grain rice and orzo pasta, flavored with onions, garlic, and tumeric. But, it’s also a simple, tasty, homey dish. While it may not be as flashy or flavorful as some of the other rice pilaf brands on this list, it’s the best boxed rice pilaf for you if you’re looking for something that tastes like a dish your grandma used to make.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best 90 Second Pilaf

Good & Gather 90 Second Rice Pilaf With Toasted Orzo

Target

While most of the rice pilafs on this list have to be boiled and simmered on a stovetop for around 30 minutes, this pre-cooked rice and orzo pilaf mix comes in a bag that you can just microwave for 90 seconds before serving. And, unlike some other rice pilaf brands, this one “fluffs” up nicely with a fork, making it really hard to tell it was previously a solid lump of bagged mush. And it also tastes great. The chicken broth flavor mixed with dehydrated soy sauce gives it lots of savory umami. And how often do you manage to get “tasty” and “lazy” from the same package?

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Cilantro Lime Mix

Lundberg Family Farms Long Grain White Rice & Seasoning Mix Cilantro Lime Rice

Instacart

Was this the best cilantro lime rice pilaf we tasted? Yes! Was it also the only cilantro lime rice pilaf we tasted? That’s besides the point! Because the important thing is that this is really tasty. The lime gives it a really bright flavor, with enough cilantro to balance out the citrus, but too much that it steamrolls the rest of the dish. And the rice itself cooks up perfectly al dente. This rice pilaf box seems even more like a side dish than some of the other entries, but it’s a REALLY great side dish. And it’s also the only gluten free rice pilaf option on the list!

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Rice-A-Roni Rice Pilaf

Walmart

Yeah, it’s a classic, but there’s a reason Rice-A-Roni rice pilaf has been around this long. The mix of rice and pasta blends so well. And there’s plenty of flavor, too, with lots of butter, chicken broth, onion, and garlic to round out the flavor. It’s a traditional rice pilaf flavor, only ramped up to where it could easily be a main dish. It really is a treat, San Francisco or otherwise. And it’s the best rice pilaf brand to buy.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Other rice pilaf dishes we tried:  365 Whole Foods Market Organic Garlic & Herb Rice Pilaf, 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Long Grain & Wild Rice Rice Pilaf, Ben’s Original Ready Rice Pilaf (With Orzo Pasta), Good & Gather 5 Grain Rice Pilaf (w/Red Quinoa, Buckwheat Groats, Black Barley, Millet & White Rice), Yolélé Fonio Pilaf Jollof (Tomato, Onion & Garlic)

The post Best Rice Pilaf on Store Shelves, Ranked appeared first on Sporked.

But, with so many frozen boneless wings filling up the frozen foods aisle, how can you find the best frozen boneless wings for your party and non-party scarfing needs? Well, once again, we’ve taken it on ourselves to stuff ourselves with as many options as we could to help you find the perfect saucy appetizer for your next party. Here’s our ranking of the best frozen boneless wings you can find at your local store (or Amazon), including the best frozen boneless Buffalo wings.

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Dry Rubbed

Just Bare Lightly Breaded Chicken Breast Spicy Bites

Instacart

I know, I know. When you think wings, you think sauce. But what this brand lacks in sauce it makes up for in heat, with a spicy “dry rub” like taste thanks to plenty of paprika and cayenne in the breading. These frozen boneless wings definitely don’t disappoint when it comes to pure flavor. Plus, the small bites are also perfect for dipping, if you’re looking to make a large mound of shareable appetizers.

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

6/10

Sporks

Best Honey BBQ
(Runner-Up)

TGI FRIDAYS Boneless Chicken Bites Honey BBQ

Target

These frozen boneless chicken wings come lightly breaded, with a big packet of frozen Honey BBQ sauce that you defrost and coat them with after cooking. The bites themselves have a great flavor and texture, with some pepper mixed into the breading for extra seasoning. And the sauce has a great molasses-y sweetness, mixed with plenty of smoke to keep it from becoming too cloying. The only downside is that it only comes with only one packet of sauce, so if you want the full BBQ experience, you have to make (and presumably eat) the whole box at once. (Somehow, I was able to rise to this challenge.) These are the best honey BBQ frozen boneless wings if you want the sauce on the side. If you want your honey BBQ wings presauced, go ahead and get our number one pick for the best frozen boneless chicken wings.

Credit: Liv Averett / Target

Rating:

6/10

Sporks

Best Classic BBQ

FarmRich BBQ Boneless Chicken Bites

Instacart

If you’re looking for a more traditional barbeque taste, this one has less honey, although there’s still plenty of sweetness in it thanks to some sugar and dehydrated pineapple juice. Once again, you cook the frozen boneless wings separately, then toss them in the defrosted sauce, giving them a nice, thick coating. The box actually recommends dipping them in ranch dressing, too. And I’m never going to argue for less sauce on…well, anything, really.

Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Buffalo

TGI FRIDAYS Boneless Chicken Bites Buffalo Style

Walmart

The spicy Buffalo sauce that comes with these frozen boneless chicken wings is comparable to some of the better store-bought Buffalo sauce brands, and while it’s not going for the ridiculous heat you might find on one of those devil- or butt-themed-pun sauces, it’ll definitely deliver enough kick to make sure you and your sinuses remember what you had for dinner. Even better, they also give you more than enough to really drown your meat in all of it, to give you that authentic “hey, the sauce is getting everywhere, do you know how much I paid for this shirt” wing experience. Definitely the best frozen boneless Buffalo wings to buy. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Tyson Any’Tizers Boneless Chicken Bites Honey BBQ

Walmart

Unlike the other sauced frozen boneless wings we tried, these are actually frozen pre-sauced, allowing you to cook up as many (or as few) as you want, while still getting the full sauce experience. The meat itself is mild with a good texture that really allows the sauce to shine. And it’s a really tasty, tangy blend of sweet and spicy. While I could’ve easily spaced these out as a regular snack treat, I ended up devouring them all at once anyway. The sauce was that good.

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

The post Best Frozen Boneless Wings for Pre-Game or No Game appeared first on Sporked.

Now, if you peeked at the list, you may be asking, “What’s with all this ‘au gratin’ stuff?” Well, scalloped potatoes is just the American name for the French dish “potatoes au gratin,” although we Americans tend to leave out the original dish’s breadcrumbs. You’ll find similar boxed dishes under both names on store shelves, so we’re judging them all together. Here are our picks for the best box scalloped potatoes (and the best boxed au gratin potatoes) you’ll find at your local stores—including the best gluten free boxed scalloped potatoes. 

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Gluten Free

Idahoan Scalloped Homestyle Casserole

Walmart

You’d think a dish that’s basically just potatoes and cheese sauce would be naturally gluten free, but almost all of the mixes we tested had wheat in them. But the Idahoan scalloped potatoes box sports a gluten free label and I can happily report it doesn’t affect the flavor one bit. What makes these gluten free boxed scalloped potatoes more “casserole” than any of the other boxed scalloped potatoes? I’d say it’s the creamy sauce, which gave me hints of buttermilk and sour cream. And there’s still plenty of cheesy goodness, with a mix of cheddar and blue cheese. It’s not as “cheese heavy” as some of the others, but it’s still got plenty of dairy goodness.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Buttery

Great Value Au Gratin Potatoes

Walmart

The source of the buttery taste of the cheese sauce in this box of scalloped potatoes is pretty obvious: the recipe calls for twice as much butter (2 tablespoons) than any of the other sauces. But that extra butter pat gives an extra richness to the sauce’s heavy cheddar flavor, making it taste less like a powdered mix and more like real, melted cheese. It can be a little weird to describe anything you find on Walmart shelves as “decadent,” but the store’s brand of boxed au gratin potatoes comes pretty close.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Creamy

Kroger Au Gratin Potatoes

Ralphs

It’s a small thing, but the instructions on this scalloped potatoes box suggest whipping the mix before adding in the potatoes, and I think that’s why it ended up being a little creamier than the other mixes. It’s got a really tasty sauce, which is also heavy on the cheddar, but with a bit of onion and garlic to give it all a bit of extra bite. Would definitely recommend as some of the best box scalloped potatoes, especially if you regularly shop at a Kroger-owned store. 

Credit: Merc / Kroger

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Cheese

Chef’s Cupboard Scalloped Potatoes

Instacart

This brand of scalloped potatoes in a box probably has the most interesting mix of flavors of any of the scalloped potatoes I tried. Like some of the others, it includes a mix of cheddar and blue cheese, but with some added onion, paprika, and celery. The closest I can come to describing it is: a combination of Ruffles Cheddar Chips and Ruffles Sour Cream and Onion chips. That is to say, it is really, really good.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Betty Crocker Scalloped Potatoes

Walmart

This scalloped potatoes box produces some classic scalloped potatoes—just like my grandma used to make… when she bought this same Betty Crocker boxed scalloped potatoes decades ago. It’s got a nice, thick sauce with a mellow, aged cheese flavor, again with cheddar and blue cheese. There’s also some good traditional savory seasonings in it, like onion and celery, and even some chicken broth to round it out. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to devour some more, while I miss my grandma.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

Other boxed scalloped potatoes we tried: Betty Crocker Au Gratin Potatoes, Chef’s Cupboard Au Gratin Potatoes, Idahoan Au Gratin Sliced Potato Bake

The post Best Box Scalloped Potatoes for Your Cheesy Cravings appeared first on Sporked.

But what’s the best frozen Salisbury steak to buy when you need to scratch that nostalgic itch?

We sampled a bunch of frozen Salisbury steak brands to find the best Salisbury steak for you. What were we looking for? Nothing too processed. Well-seasoned meat. We’re talking salt and pepper, and maybe a bit of seasoning salt? And umami-rich gravy. Above all else, we wanted that nostalgic, uber-savory quality that we devoured as kids. Here’s our ranking of the best frozen Salisbury steak you can find at your local store (or Amazon).

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best “Healthy” Option

Lean Cuisine Protein Kick Salisbury Steak With Macaroni & Cheese

Target

I think we can all admit that Salisbury steak typically isn’t the healthiest food option, especially since the main ingredients are usually “salt,” “red meat” and “more salt.” But if you’re trying to eat a little healthier, there’s always this Lean Cuisine meal, which gives you a satisfying Salisbury steak experience for only 250 calories. It also gives you a good-sized patty (made from a mixture of beef and pork), which is covered in a tasty mushroom and onion gravy. There’s also a side of mac and cheese, which never rises above average, but the steak and gravy more than make up for it. Overall, this low-cal Salisbury steak frozen dinner is a pretty satisfying little meal, as long as you set your expectations.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

5/10

Sporks

Best Steak Only

Great Value Salisbury Steak

Walmart

While the packaging on this frozen Salisbury steak tells you it includes six beef Salisbury steak patties in gravy, it fails to mention that they all come in one big tub, forcing you to cook them all at once, in one giant Salisbury-steak-a-palooza. That said, the quality is surprisingly good, with some nice texture to the meat and a beefy sauce with hints of Worcestershire and soy sauce. You don’t get any side dishes, but if you’re still hungry after six steaks, you have both my respect and my sympathy.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

6/10

Sporks

Best Protein

Banquet Mega Meal Salisbury Steak Meal

Walmart

Technically, the “Great Value Six Steak Bonanza” we just talked about had more protein, but at 32 grams, this Salisbury steak frozen dinner has the most for a meal designed to feed one single person. But this is still a pretty huge meal with three steak patties, each made from chicken, pork and beef. And while the gravy is pretty average, the mashed potatoes were surprisingly buttery and creamy. I can definitely think of worse ways to get some extra protein in your diet.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Nostalgia Factor

Hungry-Man Salisbury Steak

Walmart

This Salisbury steak frozen dinner is a classic “TV dinner” style meal—the kind that’s been a staple of the supermarket’s frozen foods section for decades. It’s definitely a full meal, with two frozen salisbury steak patties made from a mixture of beef and pork, smothered in a delicious beef and onion gravy, along with mashed potatoes, green beans, and a brownie. The patties are a little small (which might be why you get two), but they have some of the best seasoning of any of the steaks we tried. And while it’s a little off-topic, the brownie was particularly good, baking in the dish like a “mug brownie” and coming out moist and tasty. It is a little messy, as you have to scoop it out of the tray mid-way through cooking. But overall, it is a big, tasty meal that shows why Hungry-Man has stayed around all these years.

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Boston Market Salisbury Steak

Instacart

With the best flavor of all the frozen Salisbury steak patties we tried, this meal gives you two beef/pork patties covered with gravy and a side of “three-cheese rotelle pasta.” The patties have a real meatloaf-like texture and shape that makes them feel a bit more homemade than your typically “compressed meat patty.” And the gravy is especially tasty, with a mix of veal, beef, and chicken stock that gives a lot of hearty meat flavor, along with some onions and mushrooms to round out the flavor. Even the side dish of pasta is good, with plenty of cheddar cheese taste. This is the best Salisbury steak frozen dinner you can get without traveling back to the 1950s.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Other Salisbury steaks we tried: Banquet Salisbury Steak Meal, Marie Callender’s Salisbury Steak, Michelina’s Salisbury Steak, Stouffer’s Salisbury Steak.

The post Best Salisbury Steak Frozen Dinner You Can Buy Right Now appeared first on Sporked.

It can be hard to judge the best bucatini brand from the box alone. So, I sampled them for you, ranking them on taste, texture, and “sauce interaction.” Here’s our picks for the best bucatini brands you can buy in a store or on Amazon. 

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Thin Noodle

Zaccagni Pastificio d’Abruzzo 

Amazon

I was surprised that the most authentic looking bucatini brand I tried turned out to be only so-so. Made in Italy, this dried bucatini pasta boasts only two ingredients: “organic durum wheat semolina” and “water.” It’s also a little skimpy on instructions, saying only to “Cook in booling (their typo, not mine) salted water and stir from time to time until the suggested cooking time.” That is only slightly more helpful than just writing “Cook it!” on the box. The noodles have a very light flavor and are pretty thin, with very little room for the sauce to climb inside. Still, they’re good noodles, I just liked some of the other options better. And they’re definitely one of the best bucatini options if you want a more delicate noodle.

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

6/10

Sporks

Best Instructions

Delallo Bucatini

Amazon

If you want a bit more coaching on how to cook your bucatini, this bag is covered with recommendations and tips on how to make the best bucatini possible. They also emphasize their al dente cooking option. Only 8 minutes of cooking does give you a noodle with a nice solid bite and a light taste, while still giving you that sauce-grabbing roughness you need. I appreciated the hand-holding I got from the instructions.

Credit: Merc / Amazon

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best Hearty Noodle

Mancini Pastificio Agricolo Bucatini

DR Delicacy

With this bucatini brand, we go back to cooking pasta on “hard mode,” as the bag for this Italian-made bucatini contains no information beyond a little blurb that just says “5 – 7 min.” That’s it. But after cooking it, I found that it had a particularly tasty wheat flavor that reminded me a little of Japanese soba noodles. This bucatini is also a little thicker, making a hearty noodle that filled me up more than the other brands. It’s the type of tasty noodle that might go better with a light sauce that can let its natural flavor shine through.

Credit: Merc / DR Delicacy

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Good And Gather Signature Bronze Cut Bucatini

Target

This was the best bucatini of the bunch, with a classic pasta flavor that I even enjoyed on its own, with just a little butter and parmesan. The noodles are also dense and long, giving you a lot of pasta for your money. It was just a really satisfying meal, both taste-wise and filling-wise.  If you’re looking for the best bucatini brand, you’ll find it at Target.

Credit: Merc / Target

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

The post Best Bucatini Pasta to Buy appeared first on Sporked.