This awkward spaghetti recipe is causing online backlash against a British grocery store

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Just add coffee.

Last week, British grocery store chain Sainsbury's launched a new fall campaign called "Twist Your Favourites." Among their suggestions - which include tasty sounding meals like mac 'n' cheese with horseradish and lasagna with chorizo - was a recipe for spaghetti bolognese with instant coffee.

First spotted by BuzzFeed UK's Patrick Smith, people began posting pictures from their local Sainsbury's on Twitter and judging the recipe, which recommended "add[ing] instant coffee to your spag bol."

Soon Twitter was filled with people giving their take on whether this was a viable recipe addition or if it would ruin your spaghetti entirely. Some seemed to be intrigued, while others dismissed the suggestion entirely.

The instant coffee recipe was not the only way Sainsbury's recommended that customers improve upon the Italian dish. In a post titled "6 flavorsome twists on spag bol," the team in conjunction with the Huffington Post UK also suggested adding alternatives like anchovies, porcini mushrooms, red wine, soffritto, and turkey.

But it was the instant coffee they chose to advertise in TV commercials and in stores.

"Who on earth would have thought that coffee would enhance bolognese sauce?" the Sainsbury's team asked while defending their choice on their website. "Give it a try before you dismiss it!"

And when BuzzFeed reached out to Sainsbury's to ask if they were serious, head of consumer PR Cath Wilkins told Smith that the recipe was the real deal.

"The coffee adds a underlying depth of flavour that helps to balance the sweetness of the tomato-based ragu," she told BuzzFeed UK.

To be fair, the recipe addition isn't all that different from adding coffee or chocolate to chili. Both coffee and chocolate have a rich flavor that can enhance these beef-and-tomato-centric dishes and make them taste more complex.

The ick factor might center around the fact that this is instant coffee instead of coffee grounds, which many coffee snobs may look down upon. But in fact, instant coffee is often more concentrated, which means more of the coffee flavor would come through.

Our only worry is the amount of caffeine.