22 Genius Trader Joe's Ingredient Hacks I Wish I Knew About Before My Last Grocery Run

If you're a loyal Trader Joe's shopper like I am, you are probably well aware of many creative ways to use your favorite TJ's products. But every once in a while, I come across a Trader Joe's hack that makes me think, wow, I wish I had learned that sooner. So, without further ado, here are some borderline genius cooking tricks using Trader Joe's ingredients, all from Redditors and members of the BuzzFeed Community (plus one of my very own favorites).

1. "I have found the tomato feta soup makes a great pasta sauce. I also use the Unexpected Cheddar soup in my baked mac 'n' cheese. It makes it really creamy and adds some veggies."

2. "Mix one container of precooked lentils (found in the refrigerated section), a tub of bruschetta, and a container of feta cheese. OMG, it's so good, especially great with their pita crackers or even tortilla chips."

3. "Grab a bag of frozen garlicky pasta. I tossed in clams, wine, and clam juice, and it's such an easy dupe for a spaghetti alla vongole."

4. "I make hummus from the canned giant baked beans in tomato sauce. Put the whole can in a blender with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and tahini."

5. "I've been using TJ's frozen jasmine rice to make fried rice, and it works perfectly for anyone who is lazy (aka me) or doesn't have time/energy to make rice the day before."

6. "Cut up the frozen puff pastry dough into about one-inch chunks, mix with grated Gruyère cheese and Everything But the Bagel seasoning, and then place in muffin cups. You can also add their pancetta (which is already cubed for you). The best savory monkey bread you will ever eat."

7. "I eat the canned dolmas with some fat chunks of feta served with some olive oil, oregano, and pepper sprinkled on top as a light dinner or snack when I don't feel like cooking. Sometimes I'll also have the cumin chickpeas with them as well. So good."

8. "Take some frozen taquitos and top them with green or red enchilada sauce (or both!). Bake at 350 until hot in the middle, then toss some shredded cheese on and throw it back in the oven until the cheese melts."

9. "I use the goddess seasoning to make dip combined with Greek yogurt. The Everything But the Bagel seasoning also makes a great dip this way."

10. "To make tofu that tastes like juicy chicken, use Everything but the Leftovers seasoning blend. I made the Pinch of Yum recipe for crispy air fryer tofu and swapped her spice blend for Everything but the Leftovers seasoning blend. I eat meat but cook vegan/vegetarian at home. I can say with confidence that this tasted like super juicy and delicious fried chicken. 10/10 recommend. Pro tip: freeze and defrost your tofu before you squeeze out the water. The texture is next level."

11. "Pressed watermelon juice, vodka (or tequila), and lime make the perfect summer cocktail. As long as this seasonal beverage is on TJ's shelves, just mix everything together and pour over ice. It's my favorite, easy go-to drink and so easy to make for a crowd."

12. "I like to make shakshuka with canned eggplant, tomatoes, and onions. Just heat it in a pan and add eggs, cover, and simmer."

13. "Make 'tiniest chocolate chip cookies' cereal. I knew it needed to be done."

14. "Someone suggested mixing the roasted red pepper and tomato soup with the chana masala, so I tried it for myself, and it was amazing."

15. "Make easy fish tacos with a box of frozen fish nuggets, tortillas, and pretty much any TJ's bagged salad. They're so quick and delicious!"

16. "There's a Kenji pork belly recipe I had saved for a long time, but instead of doing all the pork belly prep in the recipe, I just dice the Trader Joe's prepared version into cubes and crisp it up in a pan. Then I divide it into a handful of loose little piles and scatter some mozzarella cheese. The cheese that hits the pan turns super crispy, and the rest is melty. Put the cheesy pork belly onto some tortillas and top as desired. The textural contrast is amazing. It's a delicious and easy weeknight dinner ."

17. "Last night, I put the last of my Unexpected Cheddar Dip on my baked potato. There was no need for any extra cheese or sour cream like I usually do. It was one of the best potatoes I ever tasted. The dip just makes it so creamy and tasty. Next time, I will try putting the hatch chili version on or adding it to mashed potatoes. I recommended trying this with your leftover dip at home."

18. "Make a three-ingredient mocktail with the mango smoothie, jalapeño limeade, and mint. Muddle some mint in a glass, add one part mango smoothie to two parts jalapeño limeade, and it's delicious. As a non-drinker, it's always fun to have more drinks to enjoy, and I love this one."

19. "I make the chicken shawarma thighs in my Instant Pot, add some water, then shred it. I add a cornstarch slurry at the end to thicken the sauce. Pair it with their frozen garlic naan, and it's delicious."

20. "One of my go-to dinners is spinach artichoke pasta. I bake Trader Joe's frozen artichoke dip at 350ºF for 45 minutes with a pint of cherry tomatoes, then boil a package of pasta and dump it into the dip and tomato mix, stir, and boom! Ready. I'll make it for guests when I feel lazy, and everyone I've served it tosked for the recipe. I think it's like $8 worth of ingredients, and it'll last you a couple of meals."

21. "Put some chili lime seasoning in a bowl and dunk your mango cream bar into the seasoning. It's the hack of a lifetime."

22. "This hack is completely rocking my lunch game. A local restaurant has a fantastic cilantro-lime salad with a vinaigrette-style dressing. I love it and wanted to make a dupe for my lunch, but I wouldn't say I like creamy salad dressings. So I was grabbing a tub of TJ's in the TJ's refrigerated section and noticed the chimichurri. The ingredients are oil and cilantro. So I added a little lime juice, and it was perfection! Use two tablespoons of chimichurri, one tablespoon of lime juice, and a little salt. It's epic."

What is your favorite creative cooking hack or recipe upgrade using Trader Joe's ingredients? Tell us in the comments or add your tips to this anonymous form.

Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.