This Vegan Bolognese At Costco Has Shoppers Excited

Plant-based pasta enthusiasts, this news is for you: Costco's vegan penne alla Bolognese has hit refrigerator sections in Los Angeles and Hawaii exclusively, @costcodeals posted to Instagram. The Monterey Gourmet Foods USDA Organic product includes "pre-cooked al dente penne pasta" paired with "an artisanal tomato and red wine sauce." Each six-serving pouch microwaves in six minutes, a fraction of the time it takes to simmer the classic Italian meat sauce from scratch.

Based on photos and videos, the plant-based product appears to be an impressively hearty substitute for the original recipe. Each piece of penne is stained bright red from the wine-infused tomato sauce, and every bite includes a generous sampling of "meat" — made from crumbled tofu instead of the traditional ground beef. If you find yourself in Hawaii or L.A., grab a couple of packages of Costco's Plant-Based Bolognese, then proceed to make it rain showers of vegan parmesan and downpours of red wine.

Since this exclusive product is only available in two regions, most Costco fans haven't gotten to give it a try. Many Instagram users commented excitedly on @costcodeals' post, posting heart eyes and tagging friends who need to sample the dish. Some were concerned about sodium levels. According to @ace813106, "This was a little more salty than I can handle." Others commented in favor of a different Monterey Gourmet Foods product: Plant-based fettuccine Alfredo with cashew butter and coconut cream. "Alfredo one was good, this one not so much," user @kcwildfire76 wrote. User @itschristinachinn agreed, writing, "I miss the Alfredo one tho!"

If you don't live in L.A. or Hawaii, make a Costco run anyway. The chain carries Impossible Foods' vegan "ground beef," which means you can cook your own version of plant-based Bolognese and pair it with your pasta of choice (via VegNews).