When pasta night needs to feel easier, I turn to Sam’s Club. These 15 Italian finds help me pull dinner together, whether I’m feeding the family on a busy weeknight or planning a more relaxed meal.
1. Member’s Mark Five Cheese Tortellini (24 oz., 2 pk.) – $9.53
Four-minute stovetop tortellini is my answer when everyone is hungry before I have settled on dinner. The two refrigerated packs provide 14 servings and work with tomato sauce, pesto, or simple butter.
Taste: Ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella, mascarpone, and romano make the filling creamy, savory, and more layered than plain cheese pasta. The tender exterior holds together nicely rather than collapsing around the filling.
Make It Better: Toss it with pesto and finish with shaved cheese, or freeze divided portions for later meals.
Parting Thoughts: Busy households will get plenty of mileage from this flexible, fast-cooking staple.
2. Rao’s Homemade Marinara Sauce, 22 oz., 2 pk. – $9.76
On nights when homemade sauce is not happening, this two-pack gives pasta, ravioli, or meatballs a convincing slow-simmered foundation. Each shelf-stable jar contains 22 ounces, so one can wait in the pantry for the next dinner.
Taste: Sweet Italian plum tomatoes bring a clean sweet-tangy flavor, with basil, onion, and olive oil adding depth. The sauce is silky and rich rather than thin or watery.
Make It Better: Simmer it with meatballs so their seasoning works into the sauce, then add fresh basil at the table.
Parting Thoughts: Worth the premium for anyone who notices the difference between a merely acceptable jarred sauce and a polished one.
3. Member’s Mark Italian Basil Pesto, 22 oz. – $8.58
A spoonful of this refrigerated, ready-to-eat pesto can rescue hot pasta before anyone starts suggesting takeout. The 22-ounce container combines imported Italian basil, artisan cheeses, oil, and pine nuts and can be served warm or cold.
Taste: Bright basil leads, followed by savory cheese and the rounded nuttiness of pine nuts. Its smooth consistency coats pasta evenly without feeling chunky.
Make It Better: Stir it into tortellini away from direct heat, using a little pasta water to loosen the coating; portion and freeze any excess.
Parting Thoughts: Best for basil lovers who want a fresh-tasting shortcut and do not mind dedicating refrigerator space to a large container.
4. Member’s Mark Italian Style Beef Meatballs, Frozen 6 lbs. – $22.97
When spaghetti and meatballs needs to feed a crowd, this six-pound frozen bag keeps the protein side wonderfully simple. Microwave only what dinner requires, then add the flame-broiled beef meatballs to warm marinara.
Taste: Italian seasoning and flame-broiled flavor give the beef a robust, savory character. The meatballs stay juicy and hold their shape instead of turning dry or crumbly.
Make It Better: Let the heated meatballs sit briefly in marinara before serving so the sauce and seasoning come together.
Parting Thoughts: Large families and frequent hosts will appreciate the scale; smaller households should make sure they have the freezer room.
5. Member’s Mark High Protein Penne Pasta with Italian Sausage, priced per pound – $5.12/lb
Dinner is essentially assembled already with this refrigerated penne, Italian sausage, and creamy tomato sauce, priced at $5.12 per pound. Bake it for 45 minutes when you need an easy family meal serving three to four people.
Taste: The sausage supplies a well-spiced savory note against the creamy tomato sauce and cheeses. Penne holds onto that sauce, while melted cheese adds soft, rich pockets throughout.
Make It Better: Add red pepper flakes or Italian seasoning before baking, then serve it with a simple salad.
Parting Thoughts: Anyone craving a substantial one-pan pasta dinner will find the longer oven time a fair trade for minimal hands-on work.
6. BelGioioso Shaved Cheese Blend (Asiago, Parmesan, Romano) – $9.94
Thick shavings of Asiago, Parmesan, and Romano give an ordinary bowl of pasta the finish it usually gets at a restaurant. Keep the refrigerated blend handy for last-minute dinners when the sauce needs a salty, polished final layer.
Taste: The trio balances sweet, sharp, nutty, and deeply savory cheese notes. Its substantial shavings soften and melt over hot pasta while retaining more presence than a fine dusting.
Make It Better: Scatter it over pasta immediately after saucing so the heat softens the cheese; freeze extra if the generous bag is more than you will use quickly.
Parting Thoughts: Think of this as a finishing ingredient rather than a main event, and it earns its refrigerator space.
7. Member’s Mark Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli 19 oz., 2 pk. – $8.78
Vegetarian pasta night lands on the table in about five minutes with these refrigerated spinach-and-ricotta ravioli. The two-pack provides approximately 10 servings and can work as a main course, side, or appetizer.
Taste: Creamy ricotta gives the filling richness while baby spinach adds a fresh, savory counterpoint. The pasta forms delicate, smooth pillows that remain intact after boiling.
Make It Better: Dress it with butter and shaved cheese for a lighter treatment, or use marinara when dinner calls for more tomato flavor.
Parting Thoughts: A smart pick for mixed households, since the meatless filling still feels like proper comfort food.
8. Al Bronzo by Barilla Organic Pasta Variety Pack (Radiatori & Rigatoni) – $8.58
Radiatori and rigatoni bring more sauce-catching power to the pantry than a basic smooth noodle. This four-pound shelf-stable pack of imported organic bronze-cut pasta is especially useful for Bolognese, pesto, and thick cheese sauces.
Taste: The pasta has a restrained flavor that lets a hearty sauce take the lead. Its rough bronze-cut surface grips sauce well, and the shapes can retain a satisfying al dente bite.
Make It Better: Reserve pasta water before draining and use it to help a thick sauce cling to all those ridges and curves.
Parting Thoughts: Sauce enthusiasts will value the texture, though households wanting only familiar shapes may prefer a simpler assortment.
9. Member’s Mark Chicken Alfredo, priced per pound – $3.98/lb
Twelve microwave minutes turns this refrigerated rigatoni, chicken, and creamy Alfredo sauce into a family dinner serving roughly two to four people. At $3.98 per pound, it is a convenient option for evenings when cooking from separate ingredients is unrealistic.
Taste: Garlic and parmesan give the Alfredo a rich, savory backbone, balanced by tender chicken. The rigatoni stays pleasantly firm under the velvety sauce rather than disappearing into it.
Make It Better: Add a few turns of Italian herbs after heating, then serve something crisp and green alongside it.
Parting Thoughts: Choose this when speed matters most, but skip it if you are looking for a light, restrained pasta.
10. Member’s Mark Artisan Ciabatta Rolls, 8 ct. – $4.54
Sauce left at the bottom of the bowl is reason enough to bring these eight Italian-style ciabatta rolls to pasta night. Baked fresh in-club daily, they are an easy shelf-stable side for family dinners or casual company.
Taste: The flavor is simple and pleasantly bread-forward, so it does not compete with a bold pasta sauce. A crisp crust gives way to a soft, moist center that is well suited to dipping.
Make It Better: Split the rolls among the table and use them to mop up marinara or serve them with olive oil and balsamic.
Parting Thoughts: The bread basket feels more complete with these, although pasta-plus-bread may be too heavy for some dinners.
11. Giovanni Rana Beef and Sausage Lasagna (40 oz.) – $13.82
Lasagna night becomes an oven-only job with this 40-ounce refrigerated beef-and-sausage bake. Ricotta and mozzarella give it the familiar layered comfort of a homemade-style dinner without requiring assembly.
Taste: The meat sauce balances savory beef and sausage with a touch of carrot sweetness, while ricotta and mozzarella round out the richness. Soft pasta layers and tender meat keep each forkful cohesive rather than overly saucy.
Make It Better: Bake it straight from the refrigerator and pair it with a sharp salad to balance the cheese and meat.
Parting Thoughts: Homemade purists may still prefer their own recipe, but this is a credible weeknight stand-in for four to six diners.
12. Member’s Mark Cheese Manicotti – $3.98/lb
Stuffed pasta feels surprisingly manageable when the ricotta-and-mozzarella manicotti is already nestled in marinara. Sold refrigerated at $3.98 per pound, it goes into the oven for an easy family-style centerpiece.
Taste: The filling is rich, creamy, and unabashedly cheesy against the tomato sauce. Soft pasta shells hold their shape well enough to keep that filling contained while serving.
Make It Better: Top the tray with extra shaved Parmesan before baking for a more pronounced savory finish.
Parting Thoughts: Cheese lovers get the biggest payoff here, while anyone wanting a tomato-forward dinner may find it quite rich.
13. Member’s Mark Italian Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts, priced per pound – $9.24/lb
For extra protein without preparing raw meat, slice these refrigerated Italian-herb chicken breasts into pasta or Alfredo after microwaving for about 19 minutes. They are prepared fresh in-club with garlic oil and cost $9.24 per pound.
Taste: Garlic and Italian herbs give the chicken a savory, aromatic flavor that fits naturally with creamy or tomato-based pasta. The breast meat remains juicy and tender rather than stringy.
Make It Better: Dice it into hot pasta at the end so it warms through without spending extra time in the sauce.
Parting Thoughts: Meal preppers should find it useful beyond pasta night, which helps justify the per-pound price.
14. Yo Mama’s Foods Low-Carb No Sugar Added Alfredo Sauce, 16 oz., 3 pk. – $19.98
Low-carb diners do not have to settle for dry noodles or an improvised cream sauce with this three-pack of shelf-stable Alfredo. Each 16-ounce jar is slow-cooked in small batches with no added sugar and can be heated gently on the stovetop.
Taste: Cream, butter, and Parmesan create a full, buttery flavor with plenty of savory cheese character. The texture is smooth and creamy enough to coat fettuccine or chicken evenly.
Make It Better: Warm it gently rather than letting it boil, then loosen it with a small amount of pasta water if needed.
Parting Thoughts: Keto and paleo households are the natural audience, though the three-jar commitment may be excessive for occasional Alfredo eaters.
15. Member’s Mark Italian Herb Grinder, 5.8 oz. – $5.98
A few turns of this shelf-stable Italian herb grinder can wake up sauce, pasta, chicken, or vegetables at the table. The 5.8-ounce recyclable glass bottle has an adjustable ceramic grinder head, making it useful for both family meals and finishing individual plates.
Taste: Freshly ground herbs add a lively, savory Italian accent without changing the base sauce. Adjusting the grinder lets the seasoning land finer or coarser, depending on how noticeable you want the herb pieces.
Make It Better: Grind it over pasta just before serving so its aroma stays prominent, or use it to reinforce a mild jarred sauce.
Parting Thoughts: Small finishing touches matter, and this is most worthwhile for cooks who will also use it on salads, meats, and roasted vegetables.
