The only thing better than quick dinners are the ones that require just 5 ingredients. These 5 ingredient Trader Joe’s dinner recipes will become your new favorites!
It’s Trader Joe’s week and I’m super excited to share some new, 5-ingredient Trader Joe’s dinner recipes that can be pulled together in a pinch. This post is not sponsored by Trader Joe’s, and all recipes and opinions are honestly my own.
As far as favorite grocery stores go, Trader Joe’s takes the cake. Hands down, it is where I shop the most. And for obvious reasons, too! This week I’m going to talk about why I love Trader Joe’s and share some of my favorite recipes using their ingredients. You can check out my favorite buys from Trader Joe’s on my YouTube video.
Frankly, there is so much to love about Trader Joe’s. The chain has been around for several decades, yet they still are able to maintain a cozy, neighborhood grocer kind of vibe.
Simply walking into Trader Joe’s is an experience in and of itself. Did you know that Trader Joe’s is nautical themed? The crates used both inside and outside the store are not just decoration. They are used to look like a coastal trading post! How cool is that?!
Have you ever noticed the cute signs that advertise different products? Or the floral display that looks like you’ve stepped into your own secret garden? I get happy just thinking about Trader Joe’s.
These 5-ingredient Trader Joe’s dinner recipes were inspired by my most recent trip to Trader Joe’s. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!
Loaded Potato Crispy Pan Seared Gnocchi
Gnocchi (pronounced N(Y)OH-kee) is just one of those foods that looks interesting to eat and maybe even a little daunting to make from scratch. I love that they are so versatile. Gnocchi can be served as a side dish or main dish and can be boiled, pan-seared, and even oven-baked.
If you haven’t tried gnocchi, you’re really missing out. I like to describe it as soft, with a silky-smooth texture. (By the way, making gnocchi is really simple, but buying it pre-made is even simpler!)
These little pillow-shaped foods are usually made from potatoes. Gnocchi can also be made with other ingredients though. Trader Joe’s carries several varieties of gnocchi, including cauliflower gnocchi and their new kale gnocchi that launched this year!
For my recipe, I used Trader Joe’s pre-made regular gnocchi, and created flavors that are reminiscent of a loaded baked potato!
Caprese Flatbread
Focaccia is a simple flatbread that uses basically the same ingredients to make pizza dough, and when baked, can be used in so many ways. From sandwiches to pizza to serving with soup, to eating as an appetizer, focaccia is an all-purpose bread.
Trader Joe’s must have known that I love tomatoes and olives and focaccia. All this goodness in one? Yes, please! It’s a wonder why I hadn’t tried this particular flavor before. Now, I might be hard-pressed to try other flavors. Trust me, it was that good.
I topped the Tomato and Olive Focaccia with some burrata cheese. If you haven’t heard of burrata cheese, I’ll try to explain it in just three words: velvety, creamy, and delicious. It’s one of those cheeses that tastes good with just salt and a drizzle of olive oil, but can easily be dressed up with balsamic glaze.
P.S. — When served as a main dish, focaccia is a meal that can stand on its own. (Think focaccia topped with some greens, cheese, and a protein.)
P.P.S. — Burrata cheese is delicious when paired with summer fruit like fresh berries, melon, and stone fruits.
P.P.P.S — Just because I couldn’t resist another postscript! But I have to make it known that Trader Joe’s has the lowest priced burrata cheese that I’ve found.
3 Ingredient Soup
Right now it’s definitely not fall weather, but that isn’t stopping me from making soup. I’m not embarrassed to admit that I am one of those people who make soup year-round. I just can’t resist!
Friends, it doesn’t get any simpler than this! Each ingredient (and there are just three!) brings so much flavor, I guarantee that you’ll be impressed. You definitely don’t need to add anything more to the soup, but if you’re feeling a little daring one night, garnish the soup with cilantro and cotija cheese to make it 5 ingredients total! Go ahead, I dare you!
Three ingredient soup uses one of my all-time favorite Trader Joe’s ingredients, their Italian Chicken Sausage. I use this sausage in so many recipes, but it is especially delicious in my famous stuffing recipe, in Instant Pot bolognese, and used as meatballs. So. Much. Flavor.
I always recommend pairing this 3-ingredient soup (or 5-ingredient soup!) with this Bacon Cheddar Cheese Cornbread!
Bacon Cheddar Cheese Cornbread
Who said cornbread could only be plain, sweet, or full of corn pieces? This Bacon Cheddar Cheese Cornbread is amazing! It is the perfect companion for any chili or soup (see above). Or casserole. Or morning snack!
Using Trader Joe’s cornbread mix was the perfect beginning to this story. It is satisfyingly sweet, but not not too much that topping with honey overdoes it.
I cooked some Trader Joe’s Uncured Black Forest Bacon, crumbled a few pieces to toss into the batter, and then shared the rest with my kids. Mmm, bacon.
My preference is to use uncured bacon because the only nitrates and nitrites it contains are those naturally occurring in sea salt. But feel free to use whatever suits your fancy.
Throw in some shredded cheddar cheese before baking and you’ve got the perfect side. Are you an ingredient experimenter? Or do you prefer to stick to the recipe? If you’re feeling adventurous, try this recipe with different kinds of cheddar cheese.
Make sure to tell me if you cook any of these Trader Joe’s dinner recipes! I’d love to hear about it! I love to see when you make things from the blog, it seriously makes my heart happy! ???? Share it with me in the comments or tag me on Instagram (@moremomma)!
Happy shopping at Trader Joe’s!
xoxo,
Meg
Loaded Potato Crispy Pan-Seared Gnocchi
Loaded, crispy potato gnocchi are the perfect mix between a crispy French fry and loaded baked potato.
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Package Pre-made Gnocchi
- 2 Tablespoons Butter
- 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
- 3 Slices Bacon, Cooked until Crispy
- Sour Cream
- Chives, Sliced
- Kosher Salt and Pepper, to Taste
Instructions
- Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the butter and gnocchi and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until crispy.
- Top with crispy bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, chives, salt and pepper.
