The New $4.99 Trader Joe’s Find I’m Stocking Up On

I depend on Trader Joe’s for high-quality pantry staples because its products use thoughtful, high-quality ingredients and the prices are reasonable. I also love the store’s rotating cast of fun, new, and seasonal products with exciting flavor combinations. I always browse my store’s “new” section to see what I might want to try. 

It was there that I recently discovered Trader Joe’s new Caro Sugo Italian Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce. “Caro Sugo” translates to “my dear sauce” in Italian, the kind of sweet and thoughtful detail I love. Tomato sauce is a pantry staple that makes easy work of many quick dinners like pasta, meatball subs, pizza, and even shakshuka. 

I was very excited to try this new sauce when I saw it was made in Italy and only contains seven ingredients: whole peeled tomatoes, olive oil, onion, sea salt, garlic, basil, and dried oregano.

Why I Love Trader Joe’s Caro Sugo Pasta Sauce

This sauce has all the depth of flavor of artisanal jarred tomato sauces that sell for twice the price. This sauce is produced in Puglia, which is located in southern Italy. The producer not only makes the sauce but also grows the tomatoes. 

The two most prominent flavors in this sauce are tomatoes and basil. You can see whole basil leaves in the jar, and a lot of them to boot! The tomato flavor is sweet but well-balanced by the onion and garlic. The sauce is glossy and tastes like it simmered for hours. It really is something special. 

How I Served Trader Joe’s Caro Sugo Pasta Sauce 

A jar of pasta sauce lasts my family of two people for two nights. The first night, I used the sauce as a bed for Chicken Parmesan and served it with a big green salad with Italian dressing. It was such a delicious compliment to the crispy, salty chicken breast. The second night, I went for the classic spaghetti with tomato sauce. I topped the pasta with ricotta, Parmesan, and fresh parsley. 

The sauce was absolutely delicious with both dinners, and this will be my go-to tomato sauce as long as it lives on the shelves at Trader Joe’s.  

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