When it comes to convenience meals, Trader Joe’s is a perennial customer favorite. With plenty of frozen dinners ready in minutes in a wide variety of flavors and cuisines, along with grab-and-go items like salads and sandwiches, there’s something for just about any craving or crowd.
Yet, while the product developers behind the chain’s beloved offerings have created items that are usually good to go as-is, it’s easy to get inventive, combining customer-favorite products into something totally new. One dish that many shoppers adore calls for just three readymade store classics — frozen gnocchi, boxed soup, and fresh greens — and takes less than 15 minutes to get on the table.
The best part about this three-ingredient meal is that it’s highly customizable. You can use any of the grocery chain’s frozen gnocchi, including the vegan cauliflower version, though Trader Joe’s Outside-In Stuffed Gnocchi with tomato sauce and mozzarella add some serious heft to the dish. These larger-than-typical dumplings have all the toppings you might normally put on your pasta already stuffed inside. Either make a great pairing for TJ’s Organic Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup or Condensed Cream of Portabella Mushroom Soup, which only require that diners heat and serve for a helping of velvety, savory spoonfuls.
While these items are delicious on their own, tossing the gnocchi into the soup results in a more substantial dish that bursts with flavor. By adding some nutrient-packed greens like spinach, arugula, or even microgreens, you can round this out to create a super simple, cozy, but complete and satisfying meal. Of the many Trader Joe’s secrets you’ll wish you knew sooner, this may hit the top of the list.
Preparing and personalizing your supergroup soup
This is a no-recipe kind of meal — it’s simply a matter of combining the gnocchi and soup in a pot, then heating on the stovetop for about eight to 10 minutes. At that point, you can add your preferred amount of greens and simmer for another couple of minutes, until they’ve softened and your soup and stuffed pasta are nice and hot.
In addition to being super easy, this preparation is a contender for the budget-friendly meal category — the red pepper soup and bag of filled gnocchi will each run you $3.49 (the cauliflower gnocchi is $2.99, while the portabella mushroom soup is $1.99); a bag of spinach is $2.29. Plus, given the dish’s heartiness, it’s likely to yield several portions.
Beyond these fortified soup options, you can swap in classic chicken broth ($1.99) for a slightly lighter and more delicate finished dish. If you’re not a fan of greens, you can opt for some soft carrots to preserve the veggie element, and if you’re feeling like your crowd may crave protein, you can even reach for a bag of Trader Joe’s meatballs (which can be found in a range of options, both frozen and refrigerated, in a variety of meats and even meatless). There are tricks to snagging Trader Joe’s most in-demand items, but whipping up this soup at home doesn’t require any special strategies — and it might just be your new favorite meal.
