FEMAIL places the Heinz Carbonara in a can to the check

As a self-proclaimed Gen Z who’s all about convenience, I was curious and excited to hear that Heinz was releasing a Carbonara dish in a can – and jumped at the opportunity to try it.

With a silent apology to my Sicilian colleague – and one of my best friends from Tyrol – I beamed in excitement as I received the tins which promised that I’d be able to enjoy the Italian-inspired delicacy in as little as two and a half minutes if I owned a microwave.

I decided to opt for the hob instead – in a misguided attempt to make the meal feel more authentic and hearty – but ultimately feel I may have been better off not sampling this at all.

While I applaud the company for attempting to squeeze a fairly easy to make dish into a £2 container, it became clear from the first forkful that not every Italian dish needs to be hashed into a ready to make concoction.

Perhaps, I found myself thinking as I winced at how soupy the final product was, it would have been less mentally disheartening to have just splashed out for some eggs, parmesan and pancetta myself.

As a self-proclaimed Gen Z who’s all about convenience, Elmira was curious and excited to hear that Heinz was releasing a Carbonara dish in a can – and jumped at the opportunity to try it

My initial feelings were not as pessimistic. When I first opened the can, I was surprised by how nice the meal smelt, wafting a smoky fragrance of the cooked pork coming through.

Excitedly, as I poured it into the pan on the hob, I imagined it transforming from the pale white mixture into a thicker, more structured meal. 

Unfortunately, this is wear my faith started to wane.

The sauce didn’t thicken, but rather stayed thin and frothy, and when I went in to have a bite I felt it slipping off the pasta and plopping into the dish of the splash.

Perhaps bizarrely, the best executed part of this appears to be the pancetta, which while tasting far from ‘straight-from-the-butcher’ in quality, was surprisingly nice and flavourful for a canned variant.

It is not that the Heinz Carbonara in a can tasted particularly bad to me – but rather, its flavour and texture offered so little, that I felt upset eating it.

However, while my reaction was mildly disappointed, many have been outraged by the creation. 

Ciara Tassoni, 31, manages posh Italian restaurant Bottega Prelibato, in Shoreditch, east London. Her establishment banned the dish last year after British customers kept demanding cream, mushrooms and chicken.

While Elmira applauds the company for attempting to squeeze a fairly easy to make dish into a £2 container, it became clear from the first forkful that not every Italian dish needs to be hashed into a ready to make concoction

The sauce didn’t thicken, but rather stayed thin and frothy, and when Elmira went in to have a bite she felt it slipping off the pasta and plopping into the dish of the splash 

She told The Sun: ‘Now they are putting it in a can? It’s a disgrace and it couldn’t be any further from authentic carbonara.

‘If somebody came in here and asked for a can of carbonara they would immediately be thrown out.’

Alessandro Pipero, owner of Pipero, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the heart of Rome, agreed.

Speaking to The Times, he compared the tinned pasta to ‘cat food’, adding: ‘I don’t really know how to respond to this, shouldn’t we stick to putting things like Coca-Cola in a can?’

Alessandra de Dreuille, Meals Director at Kraft Heinz said, ‘We understand that people are looking for convenient meals that are effortless to prepare, and our new Spaghetti Carbonara delivers just that. 

‘It’s the perfect solution for a quick and satisfying meal at home. Whether enjoyed as a comforting meal after a long day or shared with friends whilst catching up on the latest TV series, Heinz Spaghetti Carbonara is the perfect fuss-free dinner solution.’ 

Heinz is no stranger to weird, wacky and divisive products.

In April, it launched a new sauce as a twist to its legendary tomato ketchup.

The Smokey Bacon Tomato Ketchup is for all those who dream of bacon all day every day, so they can incorporate it into every aspect of their lives.

Elmira decided to opt for the hob instead – in a misguided attempt to make the meal feel more authentic and hearty – but ultimately felt she may have been better off not sampling this at all

Perhaps bizarrely, the best executed part of this appears to be the pancetta, which while tasting far from ‘straight-from-the-butcher’ in quality, was surprisingly nice and flavourful for a canned variant

It follows the successful recent release of pickle flavoured tomato ketchup at the end of last year.

Initially released in Iceland nationwide, before rolling out across other major UK supermarkets later this month, a bottle will set you back £3.39.

And fans of its viral Tomato Vodka Pasta sauce can rejoice as Heinz and Absolut Vodka’s take on the culinary delight returns to supermarket shelves across the UK.

The beloved pasta sauce, which hit supermarket shelves this week, has made a much-anticipated return after its original launch in March 2023 – which sold out in just four days.

The unexpected partnership between Heinz and Absolut Vodka was inspired by supermodel Gigi Hadid’s viral social media recipe for spicy vodka pasta, which quickly became a culinary sensation online and in restaurants alike.

The recipe’s unique twist uses vodka to unlock and intensify the flavours of a rich and creamy tomato, basil, and cheese sauce.