How to Find Delicious Trader Joe's Recipes, According to Employees

Everyone loves Trader Joe's and the brand's unique (and sometimes kooky!) products. Those products taste even better, though, when they're transformed into tasty meals. If you're looking for recipe inspo for your latest TJ's haul, the most recent episode of the Inside Trader Joe's podcast might be able to help. Co-hosts Matt Sloan, vice president of marketing at TJ’s, and Tara Miller, marketing director at the grocery store chain, chatted with the brand's recipe developer, Kathleen, who takes listeners through her process and a few of her favorite creations.

To find them, or any tasty-sounding TJ's-themed meal, the hosts reveal that you can just hop over to the Trader Joe's website's recipe section, a collection of nearly 600 staff-developed dishes that celebrate the uniqueness of their products. Kathleen goes on to say that she is often inspired by specific, one-of-a-kind TJ's ingredients, meaning if you follow any of her recipes, you shouldn't substitute—definitely take a quick trip to the store if you’re missing one. (Don't need to tell us twice!) Kathleen also points out that she values practicality in her recipes, so when it comes to the number of ingredients, “The fewer, the better,” she says.

In fact, all of the recipes below have seven ingredients or fewer. They're perfect for just about any scenario—whether you’re just coming home from work on an empty stomach or about to entertain friends. Read on to discover a few of Kathleen's delicious Trader Joe's creations.

Green Goddess Fried Goat Cheese Medallions

Trader Joe's Green Goddess Seasoning Blend is packed with herbs and is the key ingredient in this unconventional, yet delicious, recipe. Incredibly, it requires less than five steps to make. Just slice some goat cheese, coat them with panko and seasoning, then fry the slices up. The warm, gooey-but-still-crunchy goat cheese is the perfect topper for salads, toast, or pasta. What’s more, as Kathleen points out, is that this recipe is infinitely adaptable by switching up the seasoning.

PB-Jar Overnight Oats

If you’re looking for a way to finish off the dregs of a jar of peanut butter in your fridge, this recipe is for you. Just add your milk of choice to the jar, then shake to loosen the peanut butter goop. Next, throw in flaxseed, oats, and berries, shake again, and store in the fridge overnight. Kathleen's peanut butter overnight oats not only sound fantastic, but it reuses the near-empty jar in your fridge, turning it into the next morning’s nutritious breakfast which, we guarantee, will finally leave that jar empty. 

Sicilian Tom Collins

This summer, we’re taking advantage of TJ’s new organic 100% Sicilian lemon juice in this slightly edgy Tom Collins. The recipe boasts a rosemary simple syrup which sweetens the classic bubbly gin cocktail and imparts an herby aroma. Plus, this cocktail could easily be turned non-alcoholic by forgoing the gin—the rosemary and lemon juice will still pack a serious flavor punch. It’s perfect for a lazy afternoon on the back porch or a classy cocktail party with friends.

Sweet and Spicy Whipped Brie

Most people don’t know that simply by putting a block of brie into a food processor, you can get whipped brie—all the flavor with a lighter, creamier consistency. Whipped brie is kind of underground, but once you’ve tried it, it’s sure to become one of your favorite TJ’s recipes. It only calls for TJ’s brie, hot honey, black peppercorns, and a French baguette.