The Ultimate Guide To Trader Joe's Dips
Trader Joe's: It's a store, it's a podcast, it's an obsession, and it's a dip lover's paradise. Whether you're putting together a crudité platter for a cocktail party, a tailgating spread before the big game, or just stocking your personal snack stash, the array of spicy, zingy, lip-smacking dips that Trader Joe's offers will cover all of your bases. As a bonus, you can throw yourself into a dip-buying frenzy without emptying your bank account thanks to the store's unique business model that keeps prices low, as The Washington Post explains.
The sheer number of dips on offer can be daunting to the discerning customer, not to mention the fluidity of the selection. Items can vary greatly from one Trader Joe's to the next and from season to season, and some products heartbreakingly disappear, never to return (bon voyage, Bacon Cheddar Ranch dip, we shall never see your like again). With that in mind, we've compiled a helpful guide to many of the best-loved dips you'll find gracing TJ's shelves.
Keeping the existential, brain-bending question of "what is a dip?" in mind (thanks to Refinery29's exhaustive investigation), this guide is limited to items that feature the word "dip" in their name — no sauces, condiments, or spreads, even though many of these dips can be used for those purposes and many more.
Buffalo Style Chicken Dip & Vegan Buffalo Dip
The Buffalo wing, an iconic bar food staple and classic, American dish, has a hotly-contested history, as USA Today explains. While Buffalo, New York's Anchor Bar claims the title as the recipe's originator, a man named John Young had been selling whole wings, fried and doused in spicy sauce, years earlier. Whether or not the truth is ever untangled, one thing that's undeniable is America's love for the food, which has spread across the globe to places as far from its origin as Russia and Kenya, according to The Buffalo News.
But if you're not heading to the local pub and don't own a deep fryer, how can you satisfy a craving for that special Buffalo spice? Trader Joe's has the answer with its Buffalo Style Chicken Dip. There are heating instructions on the container, but according to a Reddit poll featured in a Trader Joe's group, most fans dive into the dip cold. It's so versatile, you can even use it as a pasta sauce. Redditor nomoanya loves it, saying it's "creamy and flavorful, a bit spicy but not overly so." There's a vegan version as well, so plant-based eaters can get a taste of Buffalo's most famous export, too.
Caramelized Onion Dip, Regular & Vegan
The caramelization process takes the humble onion and elevates it to new levels of flavor; but what is caramelizing exactly? According to Betty Crocker, it's the process of slowly heating a food — and the sugar inside of it — until it browns, which transforms it into a richer, more intense version of itself. A sharp and pungent onion, when caramelized, becomes sweet, soft, and deeply delicious, and a great ingredient to enjoy in dip form. But take it from Slate — caramelizing is hard work, fraught with perils that can result in a burnt, inedible mess, and it always takes longer than you think.
That's where the Caramelized Onion Dip from Trader Joe's comes in. No need to waste your evening crying over a cutting board or standing at the stove praying that your onions don't end up scorched in the trash. A blend of mayo, sour cream, and cream cheese serves as the rich base for the deep onion flavor. Instagram account @traderjoesfoodreviews calls it "sophisticated and decadent." While TJ's recommends you scoop it up with classic potato chips, one Redditor describes it as "scrumdilicious" with carrots, and other fans say cucumbers are the way to go. The vegan version is made with a dairy-free cream cheese alternative, and boasts onions that are caramelized for three hours to give them exceptional flavor. Commenters on Trader Joe's Reviews are sold, calling the vegan dip "a winner" with "on point flavor and texture."
Tzatziki Dip, Regular & Vegan
While the etymology of tzatziki is Turkish, and its ingredients are suspiciously similar to India's raita, the herbaceous yogurt-based dip is most closely associated with Greece, according to Taste Atlas. Trader Joe's offers a regular and vegan version of the bright and tangy product, both of which showcase traditional flavors of cucumber, garlic, dill, and lemon. A kefir cheese-sour cream blend and a dairy-free cream cheese alternative serve as the base for each tzatziki dip, respectively.
One commenter on Trader Joe's Reviews calls the dairy version "the best tzatziki" they've had, and a writer for The New York Times Wirecutter chose it as their favorite item from TJ's, praising its range of uses as a dip, a seafood topping, or even straight up with no vessel at all. The vegan version has drawn praise from all corners of the internet, too — Redditor joonimo says it's "even better than the original" and "the best vegan product" they've had from the store. Others in the thread agree, describing it as "absolutely amazing" and "SO frickin' good." So whether you eat dairy or not, you can dip your way into the Mediterranean.
Creamy Cauliflower Jalapeno Dip
Cauliflower is the first ingredient in the Creamy Cauliflower Jalapeno Dip from Trader Joe's, but there's plenty of dairy to add richness: ricotta, Parmesan, and cream cheeses are all in the mix. That makes this an unfortunate skip for plant-based eaters, and there isn't a vegan version yet.
Redditor Egg_Cellent gives this dip props for being "nice and creamy" but mentions that they "did not find it spicy at all." The lack of heat is similarly reported by the long-time product reviewer from What's Good at Trader Joe's, who complains that the item "flat out needs more spice if they're going to include 'jalapeno' in the title of this product." A few commenters on the post disagree, with one saying "the heat level is perfect as is."
Your enjoyment here may depend on your need for heat — or your dipping vessel. As one Redditor observes, the dip's mild character is "why it works with a more flavorful chip" and others mention they add more chiles to bump up the spice.
Everything but the Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip
You're not imagining things: Everything bagel seasoning is everywhere, popping up on foods from donuts to potato chips, as AMNY reports. There's even an everything bagel ice cream from Jeni's. It's no surprise that Trader Joe's jumped on the trend, launching its own Everything but the Bagel seasoning blend in 2017. The classic mix of sesame and poppy seeds, dried onion and garlic, and sea salt, is made to go with...you know, everything.
A few years later, they launched Everything but the Bagel in dip form. It really just consists of Greek yogurt and the seasoning blend, which as What's Good at Trader Joe's points out is easy -– and probably cheaper -– to make yourself, also mentioning that the seasoning seems "a little more crisp and potent when freshly added." There's even a recipe for DIY dip on the Trader Joe's website, although it calls for sour cream rather than Greek yogurt. It does need 30 minutes of refrigeration time before serving, so if you're short on minutes or just don't feel like putting in the effort, the premade dip is there for immediate gratification. Redditors like to scoop this dip with veggie straws and potato chips, although one is such a fan they prefer to "just fold up the plastic dip container and funnel it" into their mouth.
Everything and the Elote Greek Style Yogurt Dip
A portable street food found throughout Mexico, elote is like the fun, festive, party version of corn on the cob. As Taste Atlas describes, typical ingredients include mayo, cheese, citrus, and spices, especially chile powder. Trader Joe's captured the essence of this street snack with its Everything but the Elote seasoning blend, adding flavors like chipotle, cumin, and cilantro, along with corn flour and cane sugar to emulate all the tastes you'd get from a bite of the cob.
Then, as they so often like to do, TJ's decided to offer this seasoning in dip form, using Greek yogurt as the base and adding kernels of corn and grated cheese. What's Good at Trader Joe's isn't thrilled about the kernels, calling their inclusion "odd" and "kinda weird" but in the end, says the dip as a whole is "delicious and kinda addictive" with "a little heat, a little smoke, lots of spicy depth balanced out nicely with the cool creaminess." Redditor irateworlock54 seems to agree with the addictiveness: "I have to stop myself from eating the whole damn container." And several others recommend having it with TJ's Organic Elote Corn Chip Dippers to maximize the elote experience.
Green Goddess Dip
San Francisco is a colorful city: the Painted Ladies, the Golden Gate, and of course, the Green Goddess. As KQED reports, the famous salad dressing was invented at the Palace Hotel's Garden Court Restaurant, an aptly named venue for the fresh, herb-packed, vibrantly verdant substance. Somewhat surprisingly, the dressing's name was not inspired by its bright green color; instead, it was named in honor of an actor who was a guest of the hotel at the time and starring in a play titled — you guessed it — "The Green Goddess."
The play and its problematic racist overtones haven't aged well since the 1920s, but Green Goddess as a flavor concept has stuck around and is still going strong. Trader Joe's has a slew of Green Goddess items, including a sour cream and mayonnaise-based dip that's brimming with herbs like chives, basil, and parsley, and made even greener and creamier with the addition of pureéd avocado.
Redditor Adventurous-Cattle38 claims "it's so good I don't think you can go wrong any way you eat it." And What's Good at Trader Joe's describes it as "citrusy, garlicky, acidic, a touch spicy but in a flavorful, not heated kinda way." Another commenter on Reddit enjoys it with steamed artichokes, which is how it was originally served back in its early days. And while there isn't a vegan version as of yet, you can make your own by following this handy recipe from Trader Joe's.
Pimento Cheese Dip
Pimento cheese may have not been invented in the southern United States, but over the past hundred or so years, it has become an icon of the region's cuisine, as Anne Byrn writes over at Southern Kitchen. Originally consisting simply of chopped peppers mixed into Neufchâtel cheese, it's evolved across the South and beyond into a spicy, tangy, mayonnaise-based concoction. This "paté of the South" is even famously served at the annual Augusta National golf tournament as a sandwich spread.
Trader Joe's Pimento Cheese Dip puts cheese first — sharp cheddar, specifically — and folds it into a cream cheese and mayonnaise base along with pickled pimento peppers for an acidic kick. Redditor CookieButterLovers reports that the most recent release has had a few tweaks to the recipe, including swapping out roasted peppers for pickled ones. Another user prefers the new iteration, saying it's "much thicker with full shreds of cheese" and has "all around better texture and flavor." And it's not just for sandwiches — according to one Reddit user, pimento cheese dip and ghost pepper chips make a "deadly delicious combination."
Romesco Dip
Romesco is a versatile sauce hailing from Spain, as described in The New York Times. It can take many different forms, but there are a few necessary ingredients to make it authentic — namely tomatoes, chiles, nuts, and garlic, with olive oil and bread to thin it out and thicken it up, respectively. Chefs around the world use it in a variety of ways, such as adding texture to soups and sauces, as a topping for seafood and vegetables, as a dip and sandwich spread, and to dress pasta or potatoes.
The vivid red-orange Romesco Dip from Trader Joe's is similarly adaptable. Fans on Reddit report using it on pizza, as shrimp cocktail sauce, in scrambled eggs, and even just spooning it right out of the container. What's Good at Trader Joe's recommends it with TJ's Grainless Tortilla Chips, describing the dip as "warm, hearty, zesty and glowing" with "lots and lots of yummy flavor." Over on Instagram, @traderjoesfoodreviews says that even though they "wish it had a little more heat," it's still "a really fresh and tasty dip."
Sour Cream Spinach Dip
Trader Joe's has a lot of spins on spinach dip, but if you're craving something simple and classic, the brand's Sour Cream Spinach Dip is the no-frills, no-nonsense option. We compared it with other popular grocery store spinach dips, and TJ's came out on top with the best balance of ingredients, consistency, and homemade flavor.
Sour cream, spinach, and mayonnaise are the main players here, and aside from some acid and seasoning, that's it — and that's what you get flavor-wise. What's Good at Trader Joe's recommends enjoying it with pita chips, as the thick texture of the dip proves a formidable challenge for thinner vessels. Trader Joe's Reviews agrees, adding that a bonus of this dip — as opposed to the similar frozen version — is "the only prep work you have to do is open the top and dip your chip." Who doesn't love a lazy snack?
Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip
Classic spinach dip gets a healthy makeover here, as TJ's swaps out mayo and sour cream for Greek yogurt and adds nutrient-rich, powerhouse kale into its Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip. There are plenty of reasons to add more kale to your diet, according to Healthline, including its high levels of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins, not to mention its low-calorie content. And Greek yogurt, the base of many of Trader Joe's dips, is good for your gut, bones, and gives you plenty of protein (via BBC Good Food).
While this healthy version isn't everyone's favorite — users on both Reddit and Trader Joe's Reviews seem to prefer the Sour Cream Spinach Dip — it does have its fans. What's Good at Trader Joe's gives it a "thumbs up" and Mrs. Trader Joe's considers it "a great healthy alternative to a tradish spinach dip." So if you're looking for a dip that is lower in fat and calories and packs some nutritional punch, this may just be the one for you.
Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Trader Joe's Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip is the only variety featured on this list that's found on the frozen aisle; it takes a little bit more effort to prepare as you can't eat it right out of the package. Don't stress though — according to NYT's Wirecutter, it's one of their favorite items from Trader Joe's partly because it's just a quick zap in the microwave away from being enjoyed. Swiss and parmesan cheeses provide the creamy base for spinach, artichoke hearts, onions, and spices (via Become Betty).
Once it's hot and bubbly, it has a multitude of uses. Redditors report using it on everything from pizza to pasta to nachos. A review of the dip on Become Betty says it's "a household favorite" and "doesn't disappoint in any way."
Really, the only problem with this dip is its size. The small package can be tough to spot, but once you hunt it down, you might want to buy more than one, especially if you're feeding a family or hosting a party.
Garlic Spread-Dip
Trader Joe's bases their Garlic Spread-Dip on toum, a substance made from garlic, oil, lemon, and salt that hails from Lebanon, per Taste Atlas. TJ's didn't try to reinvent the wheel here, keeping it simple with only five ingredients and maintaining the authentic fluffy texture for which toum is known.
It's naturally vegan and, judging from the response on Reddit, might be the most versatile dip in this guide. In a thread asking for usage suggestions, there were more than 60 responses with a host of ideas, including white pizza sauce, potato salad dressing, avocado toast spread, tossed with roasted vegetables, added to risotto, and of course, as a dip for anything that goes with garlic (which is just about everything, really).
What's Good at Trader Joe's describes its flavor as "very garlicky, but simultaneously not overpowering" and a commenter agrees, adding that as a bonus there's "no peeling garlic or cleaning the garlic press." Become Betty calls it a "hidden gem," but judging from the volume of rave reviews, the greatness of Garlic Spread-Dip isn't so hidden anymore.
Organic Vegan Nacho Dip
Trader Joe's Nacho dip is vegan, so they don't call it cheese (although as Bloomberg reports, the definition of nacho cheese is something of a universal mystery anyway). According to a review from plant-based food site The Beet, however, this cashew-based version is close enough to the real thing that a non-vegan might not recognize it as dairy free. They go on to praise the dip for its satisfying texture and melting ability. Many Redditors are similarly impressed, calling it "a winner" and giving it "two thumbs up."
Not everyone is as enamored with this vegan concoction, however. Bon Appetit's reviewer doesn't enjoy the strong onion taste, although she notes that this comes with the caveat that her Texas roots, and therefore her allegiance to true queso, may provoke this negative reaction. Despite The Beet's otherwise rave review, they do warn that if Velveeta or other processed cheese is not your thing, this dip may not be either. So the consensus seems to be that if you enjoy the salty, creamy, tangy cheese sauce on ballpark and movie theater nachos, this dairy-free rendition may be right up your alley.