Saffron Road’s New Line of Vegeterian Entrees

You may have already heard about Saffron Road’s new vegetarian entrees, which are making quite a buzz on places like Facebook and Twitter. Vegetarians, vegans and those who are gluten-free are raving about the flavors and quality of these products, and I couldn’t agree more.

These Manchurian Dumplings photographed above were soft, saucy and had a nice kick of spice to them. The ginger tasted so fresh that it came as a really nice surprise- how often do you find that in a frozen entree? This is done right. (It’s also suitable for vegans).

I’m quite amazed at the variety of flavors in the four new entrees: an all-American dish (Macaroni & Cheese),  Chinese/Indian (Manchurian Dumplings), Italian (Three Cheese Lasagna) and Thai (Thai Basil Chili Tofu). I couldn’t decide which one to have first.

My first pick to try was the Macaroni & Cheese– a comfort food that I grew up eating. It was quite creamy and cheesy, just the way I like it. I felt the taste was really authentic and that the cheese was a great quality (some of which are a Wisconscin Yellow Sharp Cheddar).

Saffron Road’s Macaroni & Cheese is made with cheeses that do not contain animal rennet and are made from rBST-free milk. Very important stuff.

It was a filling dish that didn’t taste salty and didn’t leave me looking for something else to eat, though the portion was such that I could have easily shared it with my someone and had a side salad instead.  I only added a little bit of fresh parsley because I love it on any type of pasta.  Overall, it was a really delicious lunch.

There are two more new vegetarian entrees in the new Saffron Road line, which I also tried- the Three Cheese Lasagna and the Thai Basil Chili Tofu.

Three Cheese Lasagna

I could tell the sauce on the lasagna was fresh because it wasn’t dark red or over-cooked, but instead a light fresh tomato color and taste. I also loved the creamy cheese inside. I’ll be getting that one again, insha’allah. (The cheeses in this entree contain no-animal rennet and are made from rBST-free milk).

Thai Basil Chili Tofu

If you aren’t a fan of tofu, try this entree. Why? Because the coconut, vegetables and spices in this dish flavor the organic tofu so you don’t taste what can often be a bland experience with the soy product. It’s also suitable for those on a gluten-free diet.

Overall Review

In my opinion, all of the entrees are well-proportioned and fresh-tasting, uncommon qualities in frozen entrees, particularly in the ethnic cuisine market. I think this is such great news not just for the halal consumer, but since they are ALL suitable for vegetarians, that just adds to the amount of people who can enjoy these for a quick lunch without worrying about the quality of ingredients.  For a complete list of where you can find Saffron Road foods, you can visit their store locator.

Note: The Manchurian Dumplings are also suitable for vegans and is a gluten-free entree; The Thai Basil Chili Tofu is also gluten-free.

Because I’ve worked with them in the past and have had extensive conversations with the innovators behind the scenes, I feel that I have a good idea about the care Saffron Road takes in bringing their products to market. That’s why I feel great about recommending them to all of you. I hope you’ll feel the same when eating or cooking with their products.

Bismillah and Bon Appétit!

Disclaimer: I was not paid by American Halal Consumer Co. (owner of Saffron Road Foods) to conduct this review. I was given a package of each new entree to try but was not asked or compelled to write a review as a result.