The $4.49 Trader Joe’s Find I’ve Been Buying for 10 Years

I love bold flavors, but they aren’t a given in my everyday cooking. I don’t always have the time on weeknights to do loads of prep or make additional trips to the store to replenish flavorful fresh ingredients with short shelf lives.

I value pantry items that can do the hard part for me by adding instant flavor and a little something special to a quick lunch or dinner. That’s why I’ve been buying Trader Joe’s Julienne Sliced Sun-Dried Tomatoes for over a decade. 

Why I Love Trader Joe’s Julienne Sliced Sun-Dried Tomatoes

I know it’s a good day when I hear the satisfying pop that comes with opening a jar of Trader Joe’s Julienne Sliced Sun-Dried Tomatoes. The tomatoes inside have a complex flavor that tastes of its main ingredient, with notes of basil and other spices. Adding these tomatoes to simple dishes instantly turns a good meal into a great one.

Unlike some sun-dried tomatoes, these are packed in olive oil, so they aren’t hard and chewy. And since they’re a shelf-stable item, I can keep a jar in my pantry indefinitely and use it whenever the mood strikes. 

Tips For Using Trader Joe’s Julienne Sliced Sun-Dried Tomatoes

The possibilities for how to use these tomatoes are endless. For basic uses, they’re great mixed into a simple bowl of pasta, tucked into a sandwich, or added to eggs. I love sprinkling them on top of avocado toast since the saltiness of the tomatoes meshes perfectly with the creamy avocado. 

Because the tomatoes have a Mediterranean flavor, they also go wonderfully with feta. One of my favorite uses for them is in an egg-feta-spinach wrap, using the oil from the jar to cook the eggs and mixing in the feta, spinach, and sun-dried tomatoes. I’ve also used them in more complex recipes like gnocchi with a creamy “Marry Me”-style sauce.  

The tomatoes are small enough to use whole, but you can cut them in half or chop them into tiny pieces. The jar needs to be refrigerated after opening, which causes the oil to congeal. When this happens, you can fish the individual sun-dried tomatoes out of the congealed oil straight from the fridge or take the jar out in advance so the oil warms up to room temperature. You may even be tempted to spoon out a tomato or two to eat on their own—they’re just that good. 

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