TRADER’S: “With its rectangular shape, deep, crispy-edged crust, and golden underside, Detroit-style pizza has been wowing pizza fans and converting thin crust devotees since 1946. Believe it or not, the original Detroit-style pie was said to have been baked in steel pans originally used for auto parts!Trader Joe’s Detroit Style Uncured Pepperoni Pizza is decidedly not assembled in auto part pans, it is packaged in a rectangular, oven-friendly pan that’s sprinkled with cheese prior to pizza assembly. This crucial step delivers the golden, crispy-on-the-underside and pillowy-on-the-inside crust that’s characteristic of a Detroit Style pie.“
If you are looking to try Trader Joe’s (new) DETROIT STYLE UNCURED PEPPERONI PIZZA all I can say is GOOD LUCK! Frequently Sells Out – Most of the time I went looking to buy it all I found was an empty shelf.
I have a feeling this is due to social media; At the moment, this is HOT item. I guess each store gets a certain amount per day and whatever they get, sells out pretty fast.
When this happens I always wonder? Is it really that good or is it just Hype? When I finally saw it, I didn’t hesitate for a second and grabbed one! Here’s my honest review.
First I should say as a native “Noo Yawkah” pizza lover of our (classic) thin crust pizzas, I’ve never been a fan of thick crusts. And as you can see, the crust here is pretty thick. But you know what? Tasting this Trader Joe’s pizza I can tell you it is quite tasty.
My wife and I both enjoyed eating it, despite the amount of crust. I never had a Detroit pizza in my life so I can’t judge how accurate Trader Joe’s version is. But I do know that this was pretty damn tasty, folks!
Yes it is pretty dough-y, But overall tasty. All the elements were good. The tomato sauce is nice, thick and flavorful, very tomatoey, It matched perfectly with the nice amount of cheese.
The star of the show is of course that pepperoni. The uncured pepperoni on this is EXCELLENT. There was no pool of grease you see usually see on pepperoni pizzas. Nor did it shrink up into the cups like some pepperoni does. Is it very spicy? Nope. This uncured pepperoni is pretty mild.
What I’ve learned with this pizza is how to make this as good as possible. The main point being, make sure to get it well baked. See the last pic for how it looked when we ate it (i made some veggies for a side)
TIPS: The package says bake in the included oven safe paper pan for 23-25 minutes at 425. I say you can/should adjust their instructions.
I did not use their pan. I put it on a sheet pan as I thought metal will give it a better bake. After all a real one is baked in a steel pan, right?
I suggest it needs more time to get really well baked which is what it should be. After 25 minutes I tried it and decided it still needed another 5-7 minutes or so baking. I added a squirt of olive oil on the bottom to give the crust some help. The oil will help brown and crisp the bottom. Figure at least 30 minutes, and check it and adjust as needed. Also let your oven get very pre-heated, at temp for a good 10 minutes before you put in the pan.
I could have even brushed on some oil on the edges/sides. It looks a little dry as you can see; but this iis easily fixed with some evoo
I added my normal seasoning I like; slivered garlic, oregano, crushed red pepper….
My wife thought the two of us should eat the whole thing. I said that’s too much, let’s eat 2/3 of it and leave some. She fought me bitterly and snuck in a few bites of the “leftovers”. As you see, I made our meal a bit healthier with some veggies!
Not a bad deal at about $8 bucks for a pizza that can feed 2 or 3 people.
Would you say this looks like Trader Joe’s wants to get in on the this whole popular “drizzling” trend with olive oil in a squeeze bottle? Are you thinking this looks like the popular “Graza Sizzle” oil? Trader Joe’s is appropriately enough calling their EVOO oil in a squeeze bottle, “Main Squeeze”. As usual for Trader Joe’s this is a pretty budget friendly item.
MAIN SQUEEZE is a blend of Mediterranean olive oils from three counties: Tunisia, Spain, and Italy. Its “packed in Italy”.
They are selling this 750 ml (25.4 oz) bottle for about eleven bucks – which is cheaper than some of the other oils they sell as many come in a smaller 500ml bottle, like the EVOO from California for example. $10.99 is a fairly good deal for a 750 ml bottle. Graza brand oil sells now for about $17 at Target for this same 750 ml size bottle. I don’t have any of the Graza oil at home now one so can’t directly compare them. That one is from one place (Spain).
They say this: “Imported from the Mediterranean, it’s a golden, grassy, and pleasantly peppery cold-pressed Olive Oil, ideal for everything from light sautés to dipping bread, and it’s contained within a consummately convenient Squeeze bottle topped with an adjustable spout. The squeezable design is perfect for drizzling over roasted veggies, burrata, or soups. It’s also versatile enough for dipping bread, making pesto, or general pan-frying and sautéing. “
I tried this Main Squeeze Oil and pretty much liked the taste. Yes, it does have “a golden, grassy, and pleasantly peppery taste with a mild kick on it’s aftertaste”.
One thing I don’t like? The nozzle. It’s not great. Hard to grip for a start. I found it tricky to open and close. It is very narrow, so hard to grip, and turn to open and close. It should be wider. I found I needed to grab it with something (towel, etc) to get a firm grip.
The nozzle also had a tendency to get gunked easily. I had to wipe it often as it got gunky after about two uses.
Now do I think the oil is as good as their best EVOO oils (the Sicilian and California ones)? No I would say just a bit under those two excellent oils, however they are more expensive. Those both cost more than this.
So is TJ’s MAIN SQUEEZE is worth trying if you want to try the whole “drizzle” experience. Its of course cheaper than Graza Sizzle EVOO. This says it is “$13.85/quart”.
Like all extra virgin oils keep it in a cool dark cupboard if at all possible to stay as fresh as possible.
$10.99 (750 ml)
“Packed in Italy; Oil from Tunisia, Spain and Italy”
Here’s my honest review of Trader Joe’s “Calabrian Chili Tomato Dumpling Soup”
This soup is really TERRIFIC. Taste-wise I was impressed at just how good this is. It’s really a great tasting tomato soup, full of flavor and just a bit creamy. This tastes like a wonderful homemade tomato soup you (or your Grandma) made.
A bit creamy and full of tomato flavor with great spice additions. Lip smacking yummy. Surprisingly good for something out of a jar. But you will get a great tomato soup.
A jar of this can make a super easy weeknight meal. So I recommend this as a great thing to have in the pantry. It should feed two with a few other things (salad.. bread….a veg)
One review I found on Insta says: “i love it so much. my husband & i think it’s one of the best tomato soups we’ve ever had ~ & we make homemade tomato soup, so that’s saying something! perfect amount of warmth/heat from the chiles”
Ok there is one thing. Dumplings?! Based on the name, you would expect that you would find dumplings, no? Guess what? I didn’t really see any dumplings in the whole jar of soup. I just found a few fingernail size pieces of something I assume used to be a dumpling.
Not just my jar either. I saw another reviewer complaining about how she found no dumplings in this to speak of, also just a few little bits. So just a heads up. The name says Dumplings but its pretty much dumpling free (or they just fall apart).
But you know what? I didn’t care too much as it’s it was so tasty, that really compensated for this one element which I can more or less fix – If you really want something in the soup do what I did. Add some cooked pasta.
Here’s what I did to make up for the missing dumplings. I just boiled up a bit of pasta till al dente. Drained it, then tossed the cooked pasta into the soup. I used a small handful of TJ’s Macaroni.
Sure you don’t have to to bother doing this, the soup is fine on it’s own. Don’t just throw in dried pasta as that may soak up quite a bit of soup. Pre-cook some pasta separately.
Which pasta that would work? Any small shaped pasta. Orzo, macaroni, fusilli, bowties. What about GNOCCHI? Why not?
While of course “spicy” is very personal, to both my wife and I who were reviewing this, we thought this was just a little bit spicy. Certainly not roof on fire spicy. In fact I could easily see one adding a small dab of TJ’s superb ITALIAN BOMBA sauce made with those same Calabrian Chilis, if you wanted this a bit spicier.
Ingredients include tomato paste, “dumplings”, and heavy cream, carrots, vinegar, honey plus spices.
In spite of almost no dumplings found, a super yummy all over a tasty tomato soup to have in your pantry!
Trader Joe’s Pizza Bianca (Made with Parmesan cheese sauce, Mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, Onion and Rosemary)
Trader Joe’s added this slightly “controversial” pizza to their line of frozen pizzas, many of which are pretty good.
Why controversial? “PIZZA BIANCA” is of course a white pizza, meaning it doesn’t have tomato sauce or tomato. To some, that means, its “not a pizza”.
This pizza is made with three different cheeses which make a rich, creamy and delicious sauce which also includes some onion and rosemary. The description on the box sounded intriguing to me, even though I admit I am a bit of a traditionalist and generally think of pizza having tomato of some kind on it.
However the word from the internet was that Trader Joe’s new PIZZA BIANCA was good. Really good. So I thought I should try it. My honest review?
This white pizza is really tasty. If you served this to friends and hid the box you could probably fool them that you ordered it in!
I must say I was impressed at just how tasty this actually is. I found it pretty delicious and my wife loved it as well. So this new pizza is yet another very good frozen pizza you can get from Trader Joe’s, which has a ton of good ones to choose from. And, another great buy for a pizza at just $4.99. Which can feed two.
(right out of the package)
The crust has been partially pre-baked, as you can tell from a few dark spots on it already.
When I was preparing I did have an idea to Hack this Pizza Bianca.
Who says it has to be completely white? I love me some tomatoes, so think “why don’t I cut up a tomato and put some on!?” It’s not a bad idea at all. As a test, on half the pizza I put some sliced Roma tomato.
Guess what? It’s fabulous also that way. We both loved the result. Adding tomato is not a sin. I would say its a terrific hack for you to try as well. Though try it on half to start with, so you can taste it as intended too. It is very tasty “au natural”, but I loved it with some fresh tomatoes (use Roma or cherry tomatoes sliced). Trader’s suggests topping it with some arugula for nice veggie flavor to mix in with the cheesy sauces.
I might recommend trying either after you try it the first time, just “bianca”. Just so you can see this is versatile. You could even add Prosciutto after baking though that would be even richer.
The crust is thick and chewy with a nice flavor. The mix of Parmesan cheese sauce and all the other cheeses are delicious, with the back notes of onion and that rosemary.
(before baking – yes i put some tomato on half!)(after)
HOW TO COOK PIZZA BIANCA – As per the package: Pre-heat oven to 400 (Give your oven a good 1/2 hr to get to steady temp). Place the pizza on a baking sheet, sheetpan or foil in the center of the oven. Bake at 400 for 14-16 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the pizza is heated thru (bubbly). I turn at the halfway mark as many oven heat unevenly.
“Enjoy pizza as is or top with arugula for a zesty contrast to the rich melty cheese”
“It’s made with a base of rich and fluffy Whipped Cream Cheese that’s been mixed with a tangy sun-dried tomato spread, Parmesan cheese, garlic, and a series of savory seasonings, all of which work together to evoke the taste of cheese Pizza on the palate.”
So here is another one of those Trader Joe’s products that came out and seemed to blow up all over social media.
Sometimes I find the things that go viral worthy of the hype, however sometimes they leave me with the opposite impression, with an “I don’t get it” feeling.
So how does this product strike me? Somewhere in the middle I think.
Everything But The Pizza Whipped Cream Cheese Spread has sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, Parmesan cheese and spices. Kind of imagine taking some whipped cream cheese, and mixing in marinara sauce. Tasted right out of the tub on a spoon, I would say you might find it tastes kind of “strong”. This definitely needs to go on something or with something.
I tried it on a toasted bagel which one of the things everyone says is Da Bomb. For one thing, if you do that at least toast the bagel so you get some of that crusty chewy effect you want. I thought that combo tasted pretty good. Just not earth shattering as claimed that on a bagel it “tastes like a pizza”. If I was going in that direction, I would prefer the classic muffin pizza. English muffin toasted up with a little tomato sauce and melted mozzarella. I grant you there is slightly more work involved.
I thought the best thing to do with this is to add it to some pasta. Thin it out with some pasta water, milk or cream or even mix in some marinara sauce. You can end up with a nice creamy pink pasta sauce. It did kind of work for me with pasta. What I ended up liking it on, believe it or not, was actually putting it on some pizza!
I had a thought when I was making some pizza from scratch of adding some to my pizza. When it was all toppped, I put a few dollops of this all over with all the other things using two teaspoons. After baking, it came out of the oven with those creamy bits now caramalized a bit. Some creamy bites with lots of flavor. Pretty good!!
I think with pasta, or on a pizza, this stuff is worth trying out. This is one of those you have to try it for yourself and see what you think items. Invent some uses that you like.
All in all I was just a little bit under impressed with this in comparison to all the hype and viral plaudits I saw online about it, however your mileage may vary. Let us know what you think via the Comments
This TikTok’er “hated on it” but discovered she likes it using it to make an open egg sandwich, using toasted sourdough bread:
Another TikTok’er suggest eating it on raw bell peppers, as kind of a crudité dip. So try it with other things like carrot sticks, celery sticks and the like….
I’m surprised I never got around and actually reviewed this Trader Joe’s standard, which is a kind of a Classic in it’s own right.
I had tried the other one, Trader Joe’s roasted garlic marinara and liked it. So I thought I it was time to give the original flavor a spin.
First and foremost, either of these Trader Joe’s sauces are a great deal. $1.99! A jar still costs less than two bucks. This sauce is a very good what I might call an every day tomato sauce, frankly equal to some big brands that cost more.
You can fix it up easily too. Love garlic? I do. So I added a few cloves of slivered fresh garlic to the pan in a bit of olive oil, let the garlic get a little toasted, then poured in this sauce. Add some more herbs to your liking as well, especially a little fresh basil should you have some. A dash of red pepper flakes perhaps?
Even if you do nothing, this is a very tasty versatile sauce which can not only be used for pasta but for cooking and making other dishes. “Use it as a simmer sauce for chicken breasts or meatballs. Or, let it be the starting point for your own sauce-creation. So many different ways to enjoy this enduring sauce.” https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/tomato-basil-marinara-sauce-045029
I even like the way this one tasted way better than an organic version I tried a while back and gave a fail.
This would also be a good sauce for making your own pizza, using either fresh dough or a crust (or naan) from Trader Joe’s.
I don’t know if it can go toe to toe with Trader Joe’s frankly fantastic (and upscale) Italian CARO SUGO sauce. However that one costs $5 a jar. You could buy 2 1/2 jars of this sauce for that. When you want a super special dish, the Caro Sugo might be worth it, but this is fine for more everyday level. Especially if you are using a sauce for cooking.
If you are on a tight budget Trader Joe’s can help with dinner. Let’s figure, you buy one of their pastas that still cost 99 cents. Grab a jar of this sauce. You’ve spent three bucks and you have dinner.
If your budget allows that might even leave room for some upgrades to say, one of their “artisanal” pastas ($2) and maybe some leeway to add a bread and salad…. $1.99 for a baguette and maybe a $2.29 bag of arugula.
Trader Joe’s ORGANIC RADIATORE pasta is a relatively new addition to the pasta shelves there. They were introduced along with the square rigatoni pasta, which I also gave a great review.
Want to know the translation of “radiatore“? Funny enough it means what it sounds like: “radiator”. Because that’s what these look like. Little radiators.
The shape has all those nooks and crannies which are perfect for taking in and holding a lot of sauce. By the way, did you know the Italian government recognizes about 300 different pasta shapes?
A 1 lb package goes for $1.99. It’s a high quality, bronze die cut pasta, imported from Italy and made from organic durum wheat semolina.
I made this pasta for dinner last night with Trader Joe’s TOMATO BASIL MARINARA sauce (a bargain at $1.99 and it’s excellent). OK, as I am a “cook” and can’t just open a jar and be done with it, I did add two cloves of garlic and a 1/2 shallot sauteed in a tablespoon of olive oil then added a 1/2 jar of the sauce (for two portions). Trust me it made it even better but you could go the easy route and just open a jar.
These radiatore cook pretty fast due to shape, in about 9 minutes. I probably took them out a minute before that (ie, pre-al dente) as I would cook them more in the sauce. I dumped the drained pasta into my pan with my sauce, added about a 1/4 of the pasta water, tossed them over and over for about a minute to let them marry and absorb some sauce till al dente.
I was going to serve peas on the side but as I was making this, my wife suggested I just toss everything in together. Which was actually a great idea as the peas add a nice flavor and texture and got into the nooks of the radiatore. Grated on some of my favorite TJ ROSEMARY ASIAGO which I especially love with pasta.
The texture and taste of this radiatore pasta was perfect and we really loved this dish we came up with “radiatore with peas in tomato sauce” which can now go into rotation. Try this combo! Super easy and delicious, not to mention a bit healthier with added vegetable protein. A little salad and bread made it all perfect.
The best thing? Pantry meal. Everything came out of the pantry (and freezer) so a perfect idea for when “you don’t have anything” in the fridge.
Delicious easy dinner for two, which probably cost less than 3 bucks.
Equally good would be the simplest pasta using this radiatore; just Butter and Cheese. Use lots of both.
I would buy these again. — (UPDATE: I looked for them today to buy more and didn’t see them on the shelves…. )
PASTA WITH PEAS recipe (pasta al piselli)
Toss your pasta into salted boiling water. Whatever time it says on the package, you will subract one or two minutes for “pre-al dente”. In a pan or pot, put a tablespoon of olive oil, and a nice pat of butter. (optional) Add 2 cloves of sliced garlic, and cook till golden. You could also add in 1/2 shallot too if you have one, or a 1/4 onion.
Add your favorite jarred (or homemade) sauce to the pan. When the pasta is “pre-al dente” (tests a little hard) add that to the pan and cook, adding in some pasta water (1/4 cup?). Toss in some frozen peas (1/2-1 cup as you wish) Toss everything over and over to mix and cook for about a minute or so, cooking the pasta just till it becomes al dente. That means “to the tooth” just after the pasta is no longer hard to bite and not soft or mushy. Italians hate overcooked pasta.
Plate and top with a nice amount of freshly grated ASIAGO cheese (or Parmagiano or Pecorino) and serve. Bread and a salad will round this out nicely into a dinner
Portions: for two people I usually figure about a 1/2 lb (half the package) pasta, and for sauce about a 1/2 jar but your ratio may vary. Again, Italians like just enough sauce to coat the pasta well but not to have pasta swimming in sauce the way most Americans think you make it.
I happened to see this in New Items shelf when is right next to our Checkout Line. This came out at Thanksgiving for the holidays obviously as it can make a nice Gift item for the Holidays. It’s a trio of authentic Italian pasta sauces from Puglia, Italy (for $9.99) Each jar is about 10 ounces.
I haven’t tried it but I found details on Trader Joe’s website….
“Packaged in a beautifully bespoke box, Trader Joe’s Italian Tomato Pasta Sauce Trio will delight even the most discerning foodies on your list. This handpicked selection of Sauces comes to us from Puglia, Italy, from a supplier who not only specializes in sauces, but also grows the very tomatoes that form their tasty base! With varieties including Roasted Vegetable, Cherry Tomato, and Puttanesca, each jar offers a true taste of Italy, bursting with bold tomato flavor in every spoonful.
The first Tomato Sauce features chunks of Roasted Vegetables (namely, zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers), a blend that imbues it with mild, well-rounded flavor. The second is made with Datterini Cherry Tomatoes (also known as “Baby Romas”), resulting in a Sauce with a sweeter and more intense Tomato flavor, its brightness further enhanced with fresh garlic and basil. Lastly, the Puttanesca follows a classic Tomato Sauce recipe that includes chopped Kalamata and Chalkidi olives, capers, and anchovies, resulting in an unctuous, supremely savory experience. Each jar provides a generous 2-3 servings, enough to coat about half a pound of pasta.”
Probably a nice gift for many. I sure wouldn’t mind someone gifting me this!
Of course, this will be “Limited” so grab one while you can if you are interested….
Trader Joe’s got two new artisan pastas in this month. A spiral radiatore and this SQUARE shaped rigatoni. Both look perfect for our favorite (hearty?) sauce.
I got the square rigatoni to start with for review as I have never seen a square rigatoni before and could not resist trying it. It looks cool, right? First thing I thought was this: but after cooking is this going to stay square when it’s softer?! Well guess what, the answer: YES it does stay square as you can see….
TJ’s says this: ” What makes this pasta noteworthy? It starts with the Italian pasta maker sourcing high-quality, organic, and local durum wheat semolina, then going the extra mile to mill the flour themselves. High-quality tools are equally essential —bronze-coated extruders are used to produce thick, textured noodles that deliver a perfectly al dente texture, which helps support the heftiness of its partnered sauce while maintaining a delicate chew….Pair this uniquely shaped Pasta with a hearty Bolognese sauce and be in awe of how much sauce clings to, and even fills, each noodle. It is a natural choice for baked pasta dishes, as it can hold up well in a casserole without losing its shape.”
I just made the simplest pasta that day just to test it out quickly just butter and cheese; We liked this pasta quite a bit. Its great and tasty of course as I’ve found all of the artisan pastas from Italy the sell are (these are all high end pastas, organic durum semolina, bronze die cut….) But ideally this shape will excel and be perfect for a heartier sauce, especially something like a Bolognese or ragu, meat sauce as they suggest, or a baked pasta. Greek Pastitsio anyone?
Cooking time on the bag is 13-14 minutes. This two new ones including this one were $1.99 (1 lb) I would buy it again (PS they say these two new pastas are LIMITED editions, grab them while you can)
“For best flavor and crispy crust, pop into a 400F oven for 4-7 minutes“
These are only $1.29?! Wow!
CIABATTA DEMI BAGUETTE – Its a half size “demi” ciabatta bread. We tried it. We loved it. It comes slightly underbaked, to allow for additional baking that you will finish. This will really improve it to almost “freshly baked right out of the oven” status. Just pop it in for about 4-7 minutes in a 400 degree oven.
Don’t want to turn on the oven? I didn’t. So I tried this: I found I could toast it up on the stove top (covered) in my cast iron pan for about 5-7 minutes on each side. I cut it into slices. Flipped. Or you can cut in half lengthwise. Doing this way until it was slightly toasted which worked out fine. One more idea is you could perhaps toss it in an air fryer if you have one (I don’t). Or toaster oven or broiler.
The ingredient list has few ingredients and no preservatives. ING: Flour, water, sea salt, yeast.
Trader Joe’s says: ” The loaf is in the shape of a half baguette (“demi-” and “wand” in Italian), but the bread itself is ciabatta bread. Ciabatta dough contains a higher moisture content than traditional baguette dough—over 70% in this case— giving it a thin, slightly caramelized crust and a light crumb with large holes. Better yet, it’s made with just a few ingredients: unbleached wheat flour, water, sea salt, yeast, and malted barley. Though our supplier makes large quantities of bread, they are still able to achieve the sought-after artisanal taste and texture.”
The night we tried this bread, I had made a pasta frittata and this bread went perfect with that, as we used it for mopping up our extra sauce. Both my wife and I found this bread to be so tasty.
Another time, I used this loaf to make a classic grilled sandwich, a CUBANO. Sliced it horizontally and used the soft loaf (panini press style) Grilled up some pork slices, black forest ham, swiss cheese, pickles, mustard, mayo. Grilled on both sides until golden brown and cheese all melted. So yummy.
It’s a small loaf, just about 6 oz of bread. and it goes for just $1.29! A bigger ciabatta loaf (11 oz) goes for $1.99.
I would buy it again.
(their serving suggestion, brie, apples, bacon…! what’s not to like!)
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