The Trader Joe's Soup That Doubles As A Decadent Pasta Sauce

It can be easy to overlook the hidden gems at Trader Joe's, especially if you don't shop there frequently. The store sells an array of unique snacks and dishes along with standard staples. Many of them can have a dual role in your kitchen. One of the more recent examples of this is a pre-made soup that doubles as a pasta sauce.

Sold in the refrigerated section, Trader Joe's Lobster Bisque Soup is a new fall item that features real bits of lobster, sherry wine, butter, and thyme, in one creamy bite. You can heat the soup in the microwave or over heat on the stove, both methods yielding you an easy-to-make and fairly inexpensive dinner — one 16 ounce container only costs around $5.

But besides its traditional preparation, the lobster bisque has been taking the internet by storm as customers transform it into a sauce for their favorite pasta. There's no right or wrong way to use the soup in a pasta sauce. Some versions of the concoction include additions like cherry tomatoes, garlic, white onion, cheese, red pepper flakes, and chunks of lobster. Others incorporate spinach, give the option to swap out shrimp for lobster, or even add white wine while sautéing the onion, garlic, and lobster.

While the lobster bisque seems to be making the rounds primarily as a pasta sauce addition, it can be utilized in other ways too. If pasta is on your mind, you could incorporate the soup into a robust mac and cheese. Homemade mac usually starts with a roux (essentially a fat and flour mixed together). Then, milk and cheese are added to the roux to create a thick and creamy sauce. You can add some depth to the basic recipe by incorporating Trader Joe's lobster bisque. For a really chunky mac and cheese, throw in some fresh or frozen lobster as well.

Along the same lines, the soup can also be used to enhance velvety dishes like our slow cooker seafood chowder. The more classic version contains veggies, potatoes, shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari, crab, and half and half. To upgrade it craft a lobster chowder using the bisque as a base. (Keep in mind you may have to experiment with proportions to get the consistency right.)

This product could also come in handy if you want to elevate instant ramen noodles. Some chefs may use eggs and mayonnaise, stocks, or even heavy whipping cream for that purpose. But if you're in search of a more seafood infused flavor, you can add Trader Joe's lobster bisque to your instant ramen to make it both rich and packed with protein, all in one bowl.