Trader Joe's Spinach And Artichoke Dip Is A Slept-On Pasta Sauce

Many Trader Joe's products seem to inspire a cult-like devotion in shoppers: The vividly purple ube ice cream is one fan-favorite, the Reese's copycat peanut butter cups are another. If you're new to the specialty grocery store and wondering what you should buy on your first trip to Trader Joe's, the chain's Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip is a versatile addition to your shopping list. The dip is meant for chips and crackers and can even serve as a sandwich filling if you're feeling innovative. However, one of its most underrated uses is as a flavorful sauce for your favorite pasta.

This dip's star vegetables pair seamlessly with pasta dishes. Spinach is beloved for its earthy flavor that's tinged with mild acidity, while artichokes are known for having a nutty taste that's offset by a palatable bitterness. Along with spinach and artichokes, Trader Joe's dip features ingredients like parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and garlic. That makes it an ideal pairing for all sorts of noodle dishes, both for its rich flavors as well as the convenience it affords home chefs. It's also a wonderfully creamy component that complements other common pasta add-ins, including braised beef and chicken. That means you can whip up a hearty meal with just a few ingredients and limited hassle in the kitchen.

When it comes to pasta pairings, look for shapes that are traditionally served with creamy and cheese-based sauces. This includes fettucine, which are long, flat noodles, or ziti, a hollow, tube-shaped pasta. These shapes are best for retaining all the dairy-based deliciousness that the spinach and artichoke sauce has to offer. Much like Alfredo sauce, Trade Joe's version of spinach and artichoke dip permeates pasta dishes with a creamy richness that makes for a decadent dining experience. 

While it's perfectly fine to use the Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip alone to adorn pasta dishes, incorporating other ingredients will make the recipe even more of a standout. For instance, fresh spinach increases the vibrancy of the dish, while shredded parmesan enhances the sauce's sharpness. For added texture, homemade parmesan croutons can be crushed and sprinkled atop the pasta for some nutty, cheesy crunch. As for seasonings, if you like a bit of spice, cayenne pepper will add some welcome heat. If you'd rather accentuate the dish's warming notes, shavings of fresh nutmeg will amp up the coziness factor that makes this melty dip so compelling in the first place.

If you need further convincing that Trader Joe's spinach and artichoke dip makes a wonderful accompaniment to pasta, just consider what people have to say about it on Reddit. According to the author of one thread, using the dip as a pasta sauce was borne out of the desire for a simple dinner that didn't involve takeout. As for the result, the Redditor claimed that they were "very happy" with the pairing and intended to combine the dip with pizza at some point in the future. 

A similar pasta recipe also appeared on TikTok, which puts it in good company with the platform's viral million-dollar spaghetti. In this iteration, the spinach and artichoke dip is combined with cherry tomatoes, which are roasted alongside the dip in the oven before being mixed with the pasta. Commenters on the clip seemed to love the combination, and one asked which protein would go best with the dish. The creator of the video said that their preferred option would be chicken, and another commenter added that they used Trader Joe's Spicy Jalapeño Chicken Sausage and deemed the addition "perfect." No matter what ingredient pairings you ultimately choose, combining pasta with Trader Joe's spinach and artichoke dip is sure to delight your taste buds.