I Tried Stanley Tucci’s New Taste of Tucci Recipe Kit and It’s the Little Bite of Italy We All Need

If you’ve been around Kitchn’s website, you know that we take our love for Stanley Tucci very seriously. Although I’m sure everyone on the team wishes they could actually be BFFs with Stanley himself, there’s only one person who actually is: ME. Or at least I felt like I was earlier this year, when we created a drink together on the spot. Was it all in my mind? Maybe, but I’m totally OK with that because in that moment, I found out we have much more in common than I thought we would.

Aside from our love for always having a good sip handy, we also share a love for good food — and yes, that includes pasta. So when I heard that the Inside Man star released his own pasta recipe kit in partnership with S.Pellegrino, I knew it was my time to shine.

To be quite honest, I was both surprised and excited to hear of the new recipe kit. Although I think it’s absolutely a no-brainer for the actor and author to have his own recipe kit, it still took me by surprise because I wasn’t sure what exactly to expect of it as a partnership with S.Pellegrino. The result, however, was a tasty and (what I presume to be) an authentic Italian pasta experience that I wouldn’t mind making again.

The recipe for Stanley’s Gnocchetti con Salsiccia e Broccolini was easy to follow, as the kit included everything I needed, with the exception of kitchen tools — like measuring cups, knives, cutting boards — and both salt and pepper. The kit, which was also in partnership with World Chef, gave me step-by-step instructions for how to use the pre-portioned and packaged ingredients, but it also included a QR code that goes right to a step-by-step video of how to make the meal. Convenient? I think so!

The cooking instructions note that there are 13 steps to making this delicious recipe. And because everything is already pre-portioned and labeled, all you have to do is cut open your packages and follow each step in the order they’re given. As the kit also comes with two bottles of S.Pellegrino, you’ll want to make sure those are chilled before you start the cooking process so that you can enjoy it with your meal.

Because this was a kit that came with literally everything I needed, it was a very easy and foolproof dinner to create. The portions for each of the ingredients were perfectly measured out and I wasn’t left feeling like I had to chaotically search for anything because enough was not given.

With that all being said, though, I will say that there wasn’t much flavor — even with the pepperoncini, garlic, and fennel that was supplied. Initially, the mixture gave a very fragrant smell that excited my palate, but once it was all added in together, I felt as if that smell didn’t quite add up with what I expected to taste. The fix? Adding in my own seasonings to get the taste I was looking for. I don’t think, however, that this will be an issue for everyone; it all comes down to your palate’s preference. I also suggest pairing with the bread of your choice — because who doesn’t love bread?

Overall, though, I truly enjoyed this recipe and wouldn’t mind seeing a complete line of Italian-inspired meal kits from Stanley in the future. This was probably one of the easiest meals to make and it was perfect for a low-lift, middle-of-the-week dinner. It took around 30 minutes to make and makes four to six servings total — which is more than enough for my small household of two.

Ready to try your hand at making this limited-time kit from my favorite BFF? The Taste of Tucci Recipe Kit is available online for $120 (plus shipping and taxes). Ship dates range from Wednesday, November 16 to Wednesday, December 21, so if you’re not sure what to make for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, this could be a good substitute.