If you love ridiculously easy dinners, this hack is for you. Like the viral Trader Joe’s pizza, the Trader Joe’s caramelized onion dip pasta doesn’t take much effort at all. For this rich, creamy pasta, you only need two ingredients: a box of spaghetti and a container of Trader Joe’s Caramelized Onion Dip. The dip can be found in a 10-ounce tub in the refrigerated section.

This recipe has been flying around Instagram and TikTok, and the reviews rave about the end result. I decided to pop a tub of the onion dip in a mini Trader Joe’s cooler bag and head straight home to cook. The result was reminiscent of a rich Alfredo sauce with a delightful added texture from caramelized onion pieces.

How to Make Trader Joe’s Caramelized Onion Dip Pasta

Pot of cooked spaghetti on the left, pot of caramelized onion dip on the right, with a small bowl of pasta water in betweenKristina Vänni for Taste Recipes

Step 1: Cook the pasta

I used spaghetti, but any shape of pasta works for this recipe. Cook your pasta according to the package directions. Once the pasta is perfectly al dente, be sure to save about a cup of the pasta water before draining it.

Step 2: Heat the dip

Empty the container of caramelized onion dip in the same pan where you were cooking the pasta. Over medium heat, allow it to smooth out and warm up. Working with about a tablespoon of pasta water at a time, gradually add some of it to the dip as it warms.

You want a smooth and creamy sauce. I used about two or three tablespoons of pasta water before adding the drained pasta back into the pan and tossing it to coat with the sauce.

Step 3: Finish the dish

You can keep this a true two-ingredient recipe, or top with fresh ingredients. I finished my pasta off with a sprinkle of chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Next time, I might add chopped garlic, a spoonful of chili crisp or a pinch of red pepper flakes. Bulk up the dish by adding meatballs, chicken or cooked vegetables.

Anything that would work a creamy Alfredo pasta will work well here. Ring that Trader Joe’s bell and alert your friends and family that dinner is served!

Author
Kristina Vänni
Kristina has been in the food-writing space for more than a decade. Apart from freelancing for food and lifestyle sites like Taste Recipes and The Kitchn, she’s also working on her first cookbook. She is the owner and on-air host of Cooking Contest Central, an online community for cooking and recipe contests.
Read More
Kristina Vänni