We Tried Trader Joe’s Thick, Bold & Spicy Red Sauce

When it comes to “red sauce,” Trader Joe’s already has a lot of options. In fact, the Sporked team recently ranked all the pasta sauce options at Trader Joe’s, and at least eight of them could be classified as “red sauce.” So what’s different about this Trader Joe’s Thick, Bold & Spicy Red Sauce?

The first thing you’ll notice about this new Trader Joe’s pasta sauce is that it comes in a salsa jar rather than the usual pasta sauce jar. My initial suspicion was that someone in supply chain management ordered too many salsa jars and they had to use them for something—why not pasta sauce? But after reading the intended uses cases for the Thick, Bold & Spicy Red Sauce—on pasta, layered in a lasagna, and for dipping bread—it seems that they really wanted to lean into its versatility, so they put it in a wide, shallow jar you can dip straight into. I appreciate the thought, but is it worthy of your breadsticks?

The first word that came to mind when I took a whiff of this red sauce was “muted.” In terms of aroma, it reminded me more of the red sauce you were served in the school cafeteria than red sauces that was simmered on a stove all day long. But there must have been some simmering involved, because the sauce is cooked down to a thickness that clings to a spoon instead of just coating it. Trader Joe’s Thick, Bold & Spicy Red sauce is certainly thick. And I suppose I have to admit that it’s also “bold” and “spicy”—I just don’t think it’s in the way they had hoped for.

New Product!

Trader Joe’s Thick, Bold & Spicy Red Sauce

Trader Joe’s

Pros: I haven’t tried Trader Joe’s Calabrian Chili Spicy Pasta Sauce, but Sporked EIC Justine Sterling really disliked it when she taste tested every Trader Joe’s pasta sauce. Based on her description of that sauce, I am confident Trader Joe’s Thick, Bold & Spicy Red Sauce is better. Plus, TJ’s nailed the thickness of this sauce. It’s heavy enough to thoroughly coat pretty much any pasta shape and it’s going to cling very nicely to a crust of bread.

Cons: There’s just too much heat here. It’s not quite enough to make you cower in fear, but it made me want something, anything, to balance out the intensity. I couldn’t see myself dipping anything straight into this because of all that spice. Bread should be able to do the trick, but I think you need something like dairy to really neutralize the spice. I’d lean toward using this in lasagna, where it will be teamed up with layers of ricotta and mozzarella cheese. And while it was certainly bold to make a sauce this spicy, they didn’t really nail a bold tomato flavor—the spice shouldn’t overpower the richness and umami of the tomatoes. Because it lacks balance, I think even heat freaks will struggle to appreciate this sauce.

Rating:

6/10

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