What Should You Cook with Trader Joe’s New Seasoning Blends? The Internet Has Some Ideas

Will Cuban Style Citrusy Garlic and Za’atar overshadow Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel?

January 15, 2021

Should Everything But the Bagel be worried? The fan-favorite Trader Joe’s seasoning just got a little more competition. This week the quirky grocery-store chain announced it was adding Trader Joe’s Cuban Style Citrusy Garlic Seasoning Blend to its seasoning lineup.

“Inspired by all the marvelous mojo-marinated meat we’ve enjoyed over the years, Trader Joe’s Cuban Style Citrusy Garlic Seasoning Blend is, as its name would suggest, traditionally tangy, good-n-garlicky, and downright delicious,” Trader Joe’s wrote in an announcement on its blog. “We first saw these classic Cuban flavors in convenient seasoning form at a Miami minimarket, and we knew we had to make one of our own.”

The blend — offered in 2.25-ounce jars, priced at $1.99 — combines garlic, lime oil, lime juice, onion powder, salt and red pepper, along with bay leaves, coriander, cumin, cilantro, black pepper, oregano, cilantro, basil, lemon oil, marjoram and parsley, to comprise its Cuban-cuisine inspired flavor.

It can be used as a rub on meat, poultry or fish or to add flavor to vegetables, tofu, rice or beans. Someone on Reddit said they plan to use the blend in seafood. A commenter on Instagram speculated that it would be good “in … guac;” another wants to “rim a Bloody Mary glass” with it; a third plans to use it “on black beans.”

Suffice it to say that Trader Joe’s shoppers are definitely psyched for a different dash of flavor. A post about the new Cuban-inspired seasoning on @traderjoeslist (not officially affiliated with the chain) has been liked 49,685 times (and counting) in two days.

@traderjoeslist just spied another new Trader Joe’s blend, too: Za’atar; a post heralding that Middle Eastern-inspired seasoning blend, which comes in a slightly smaller, 1.87-ounce jar, has been shared more than 25,000 times in just one day.

Trader Joe’s Za’atar is “aromatic, versatile and about to become your favorite,” the bottle’s label boasts, noting that it can be used in hummus or Greek yogurt, olive oil and pita bread and on meat, fish, vegetables or potatoes. Its ingredients include toasted sesame seeds, thyme, marjoram, coriander, oregano, chickpea flour, sea salt, sunflower oil, citric acid and lemon oil.

“TJ’s CRUSHING THE SPICE GAME THESE DAYS,” gushed one Instagrammer in response.

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