6 Ways To Turn Trader Joe's Pasta Sauces Into A Gourmet Dish

Trader Joe's is an ideal one-stop shop for snacks, beverages, fresh produce, and all manner of nutritious and delicious meals. Among the bevy of products with their own cult following and standard go-to's alike, you can combine a few of your favorites together for a full-fledged meal. Tasting Table has done the research, ranking all of Trader Joe's pasta sauces to keep you well-informed of the many different flavor profiles to choose from. Whether you use these sauces as a marinade for barbecued meat, braising liquid for a rich vegetable entree, or the topping for an unforgettable Italian artisan pasta dish, the options are nearly endless for sauces such as Calabrian Chili Spicy Pasta Sauce, Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce, and many more.

The variety of bold flavors is what really comes through the most in Trader Joe's pasta sauces. Not relegated to one mere mild red sauce, the lineup of pasta sauces includes creamy and cheese-laden offerings, rich pink sauces, and even options erring on the spicier side to suit everyone's taste preferences. When choosing coordinating and complementary TJ's products to mix with your preferred type of pasta sauce, remember to consider the overall flavor you want to achieve as well as how the sauce will help you get the right texture and consistency.

Trader Joe's Thick, Bold & Spicy Red Sauce certainly lives up to its name with a tomato-rich flavor that comes from both sun-dried and fresh diced tomatoes in juice and tomato paste. In addition to a combination of tomato ingredients, this pasta sauce also boasts diced onions, garlic, basil, and an eye-opening spice mixture that includes mildly spicy ancho chili pepper powder, paprika, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, all of which is simmered to a lusciously thick texture, making the sauce ideal for a number of different culinary applications. The balance of heat, sweet, and tanginess in this TJ's sauce should definitely turn your attention toward the grill.

To infuse a bold flavor into your next meal, use this Trader Joe's pasta sauce as a marinade for grilling your favorite meat. For example, start with Trader Joe's All Natural Shaved Beef Steak and toss the raw beef in the sauce until it's evenly coated, giving it some time to really soak in all the deliciousness before cooking it on a barbecue grill or in a frying pan. You can serve this marinated steak atop a TJ's Brioche Bun or a bed of riced cauliflower to really let the flavors of the meat and pasta sauce marinade shine through.

This spicy pasta sauce is an especially great addition to a number of unconventional pasta shapes that can hold up to a hearty and powerful sauce. Both the heat and noticeable orange color of Trader Joe's Calabrian Chili Spicy Pasta Sauce come from an infusion of spicy Calabrian chili paste, which is balanced by other complementary ingredients, including apple cider vinegar and honey. With a heat level that ranges from 25,000 to 40,000 Heat Units on the Scoville Scale, Calabrian chiles sit somewhere between a serrano and cayenne pepper for a taste that definitely brings the spice, but can still accommodate palates that aren't looking to be scorched. 

As such, choosing a cheese to temper the heat would be an excellent idea to add on top of your pasta dish. Start with a bag of TJ's Organic Italian Artisan Gigli Pasta and cook it to your preferred level of doneness before mixing it with a generous portion of Calabrian Chili Spicy Pasta Sauce. To this, you can choose from a number of rich cheeses to add on top. Freshly grate a wedge of Trader Joe's Italian Truffle Cheese or sprinkle a handful of TJ's Shaved Parmesan, Romano & Asiago Cheeses right over your pasta dish for a taste sensation that balances the spiciness and cheesiness in every satisfying bite.

This version of pink sauce a la Trader Joe's is a true success. Combining the tastes of a rich and creamy Alfredo sauce with a zingy marinara results in a most delicious Rosatella Pasta Sauce that can be used on even more than just pasta dishes. The dairy in the sauce hails from Italy's Piedmont region and ensures an extra decadent finish that mixes especially well with the simple and effective marinara element, which includes such ingredients as onion and garlic purees alongside tomato paste. The well-balanced flavor makes this pasta sauce perfect for dressing up a variety of proteins with even more flavorful flair.

If you want a protein-rich dish that takes minimal effort and yields dramatically delicious results, start with a package of TJ's Sous Vide Turkey Breast Tenderloins. These tenderloins have been seasoned with garlic, sea salt, and onion powder and come already cooked, allowing you the convenience of simply opening the package and heating it up to eat. Considering the mild flavors of the turkey pieces and the crave-worthy flavor of Rosatella Pasta Sauce, pairing the two together is essentially a no-brainer. All you need to do is warm up both, and combine them to your liking. Add a side of TJ's Little Gem Lettuce salad or sauteed Organic Tuscan Kale for extra veggie goodness.

This new and improved Bolognese Style Tomato & Beef Pasta Sauce demonstrates Trader Joe's commitment to improving its offerings by upgrading ingredients, which, for this sauce, included adding 9% more beef and all imported Italian tomatoes for a less acidic and sweeter version of the classic sauce. When it comes to bringing the beef, what better way to celebrate this elevated pasta sauce than by using it to simmer meatballs for a picture-perfect sandwich? There are many ways to upgrade a meatball sub, including elevating the sauce.

And this impossibly hearty Bolognese is just asking to be used as a simmer for TJ's Homestyle Angus Beef Meatballs. Just remember, low and slow is the way to go. Once you've fully cooked everything through, take those tender, sauced-up meatballs and pop them into a sliced open Trader Joe's Sandwich Roll, Ciabatta Demi-Baguette, or Everything Ciabatta Roll. Whatever type of bread you choose, make sure it can stand up to a hearty mixture of beefy sauce and meatballs. Add a melty slice or more of provolone cheese on top and just try not to devour the whole thing too quickly.

A luxurious mix of cheese and pepper, Trader Joe's Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce combines a bold balance of both peppery spice and creaminess, which lends itself to a wide variety of creative applications. The most obvious choice would be to shortcut a traditional cacio e pepe dish by using the sauce with the pasta type of your choosing. If you'd prefer to take more of an unconventional approach, however, try using it alongside what is largely considered an underrated gem of TJ's produce selection: its red and white Belgian Endives.

For a truly unforgettable gourmet dish, start by braising these notably bitter veggies in a chicken broth to help tenderize and temper the intensity of the endives' bitter flavor. You can also grill your endives either in a pan on the stovetop or on a barbecue if you want to try an alternative option for cooking the vegetables that maintains more of a crunch. Finish everything off by spooning a hefty helping of TJ's Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce on top of your cooked endives for the ultimate complementary flavor.

When you don't feel like making your own from scratch, having a dependable marinara sauce is a must for easy weeknight dishes. Trader Joe's Organic Marinara Sauce keeps its sauce simple and to the point. With a list of ingredients that includes organic tomatoes grown in California, organic tomato paste, parmesan cheese, and a hint of basil, garlic, and oregano, this fully-organic pasta sauce is ideal for just about any dish you can think of. Because of the addition of parmesan cheese, the pasta sauce is not vegan; however, there are a myriad of vegetarian options for which you can include this simple sauce as a building block to create a well-rounded and nutritious vegetable-rich meal.

Start with fresh TJ's Portabella Mushroom caps or frozen Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms and create either individual pizzas with the portabellas or a casserole-style pizza bake with the shiitakes using the pasta sauce. Layer the Organic Marinara Sauce with hearty handfuls of shredded mozzarella cheese and bake everything until it's rich and bubbly. You can also include spinach, basil, kale, olives, or any of your favorite pizza toppings into these dishes for even more wholesome nutrients.