6 Trader Joe's Spices You Should Stock Up On And 4 You Can Ignore

From the windows to the walls, Trader Joe's has it going on. Everything from the frozen section full of creative pasta dishes to the assortment of fancy cheeses has the ability to lure you in and make you a fan for life. One section that's easy to overlook, though, is the spice rack. It may be small, but just like the rest of the company's offerings, it is mighty. Even better if you know which spices are good enough to stock up on and which you can ignore. All of the various salts and peppers are shoo-ins for your spice rack, but what about the more creative seasoning blends?

As a self-proclaimed die-hard Trader Joe's fan, I've tried nearly every spice and seasoning blend the grocery chain has released over the last 10 years. With this in mind, I've got the insider deets on which ones you should keep on hand at all times and those you can pass on. That's why I compiled this handy guide to help steer you in the right direction. After consulting my memory banks and my spice cabinet (let's be real), I came up with six seasoning blends that won't let you down and four that are just meh, at least compared to the ones that kick so much serious butt. My recommendation is that you commit the bangers to memory and snag them on your next visit to Trader Joe's. If not, you'll be missing out.

Chili crisp, also referred to as chili crunch, is a condiment worthy of some serious praise. It's spicy, crunchy, and oh so delicious in Asian cuisine and beyond. Trader Joe's, in particular, makes a fantastic Crunchy Chili Onion version of the recipe that more than holds its own against the seemingly endless competition, and if you're already a fan of it, you can go ahead and get excited because TJ's has made incorporating the same delectable flavors into all your dishes even easier. Spooning chili oil into dishes isn't terribly complicated, but sometimes a dry seasoning blend is in order, and when that time comes, Trader Joe's Crunchy Chili Onion Sprinkle is ready to blow your mind.

Packing all the same yummy flavors found in the company's oil, plus some dried Szechuan pepper and brown sugar, Trader Joe's Crunchy Chili Onion Sprinkle is a force to be reckoned with — that is, of course, if you can handle a bit of lip-tingling heat, something I revel in. This seasoning blend is a new find for me, and I can already say that will be a constant on my spice rack forevermore. So far, I've sprinkled it on top of popcorn, guacamole, pizza, and a grilled cheese sandwich, and it hasn't disappointed once. Actually, it's the complete opposite. Everything it touches turns into a dish popping with complex flavors that any person who loves chili crisp oil will swoon for.

Though it sounds quite idyllic, the Green Goddess Seasoning Blend is a skip for me. Before anyone gets upset, I'll state, there isn't anything exceptionally wrong with it; it just doesn't pack the same punch as many of the brand's other seasoning mixes. Dare I say it just kind of ... blends into the background? (Sorry, I had to!)

Trader Joe's Green Goddess Seasoning Blend is made with a mix of onion, salt, garlic, black pepper, lemon, chives, green onion, spinach powder, and parsley. Doesn't sound bad! But while it has a touch of fresh flavor and some herb-y goodness, it isn't unique or complex enough for me to require a special mix of spices just to achieve the ultimate result. The flavors here are muted as well, and I'd much rather infuse them into my dishes the old fashioned way. Considering all the yummy seasoning mixes Trader Joe's offers, space on my spice rack is somewhat limited at this point and doesn't have room for underwhelming. I'd much rather save it for one of the other, much tastier recipes found on this list. I recommend you do the same.

Trader Joe's Everything But The Elote Seasoning Blend has been a staple on my spice rack for many years, and if you aren't already keen on its drool-worthiness, that's about to change. I'll go ahead and tell you you're welcome in advance, too, because once you get a taste, you'll wonder how you ever lived without it. Even if you aren't the kind of home cook who whips up Mexican cuisine on the regular, this seasoning blend has what it takes to transform so many dishes.

Before I get too ahead of myself, Trader Joe's Everything But The Elote Seasoning Blend is made to mimic the iconic flavor of Mexican street corn, aka elote. It features chile peppers, Parmesan cheese, cilantro, cumin, salt, and chipotle powder! As you might imagine, a world of dishes could benefit from a dash of this tasty blend, especially if you like a mild smattering of heat (and it truly is mild at most). Sprinkling it on corn is an obvious, direct choice, but since it doesn't contain lime, you'll want to add a squeeze if you're trying to recreate your favorite street food. That's just where the fun starts, though. Trader Joe's Everything But The Elote Seasoning Blend has enough depth and kick for anything from popcorn to pizza to salads.

It feels like a direct contrast to the elote seasoning above, but I'd recommend leaving Trader Joe's Chile Lime Seasoning Blend on the shelf. Just like the last time we went down this path of products to avoid, it isn't awful by any means. You could definitely do a lot worse with something similar from your average grocery store. Still, considering how amazing Trader Joe's Everything But The Elote Seasoning Blend is, this one pales in comaprison

While the elote seasoning lacks lime, it does contain chile peppers, bell peppers, and salt (all three of which make up the bulk of the Chile Lime Seasoning Blend), so you get a lot of the same flavor with this one. Additionally, nothing beats fresh lime, so using it along with the Everything But The Elote Seasoning Blend leads to significantly tastier results all around. Or, if you don't want everything else that comes along with the elote mix, my recommendation is that you go for fresh lime, standard chili powder, and salt. Unlike the Chile Lime Seasoning Blend, which falls a bit flat, there will be no lack of flavor with that homemade combo, and there's a solid chance many home cooks already have those ingredients on hand.

Made with buttermilk flavoring, garlic, onion, dill, salt, sugar, black pepper, green onion, and chives, Trader Joe's Ranch Seasoning Blend brings you all the flavors you know and love from your favorite dressing in a handy sprinkleable format. What this means is you can savor the flavors with minimal effort, and, best of all, without adding all the calories that come along with the dressing. Hooray!

Odds are if you're a true ranch fanatic, you're no stranger to ranch seasoning blend. However, it typically comes in a packet. Trader Joe's decided to treat it like any other blend and put it in a glass bottle, making sprinkling even easier. Aside from the convenience, I enjoy the flavor of the TJ's version much more than the Hidden Valley seasoning.  

As for how to use it, the same limitless potential of ranch dressing applies here. You can sprinkle it on pickles, salmon, deviled eggs, pizza, popcorn, and the list goes on. Americans do love their ranch, after all. My favorite way to use Trader Joe's Ranch Seasoning Blend — and the main reason it will always hold a place on my spice rack — is to sprinkle it on boxed mac and cheese. It is just the thing you need to instantly upgrade even the most sub-par boxed mac and cheeses, providing an even more decadent, creamy flavor. But even if you like your mac as is, once you snag a jar and get a taste of this stuff, you won't have any issues coming up with ways to enjoy its striking ranch flavor.

Trader Joe's Citrusy Garlic Seasoning Blend sounds like it would be delicious based on name alone. Once I got my first taste, though, I felt a bit misled. Maybe I'm not super attuned to Cuban flavor profiles, but it just tasted lackluster to me. The elements didn't come together the way I hoped, either. Oh well.

Trader Joe's Cuban Style Citrusy Garlic Seasoning Blend has a lot going on, at least judging by the label. It contains a mix of garlic, lime (oil and juice), onion, bay leaves, coriander, cumin, cilantro, oregano, basil, lemon, marjoram, parsley, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Still, even with all those ingredients, I didn't find myself loving it. As noted, it wasn't a complete failure, but it didn't work as a cohesive seasoning to me. Was it bad enough that I tossed the rest of the bottle? Absolutely not. However, there is still some in my cabinet, and I'm not sure when or if I'll ever see the bottom of the jar. Just saying. Thanks, Trader Joe's, for always striving to come up with new and exciting products, but this one missed the mark in my book. Maybe, in this case, less would have been more.

Trader Joe's Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend may be banned in South Korea due to the poppy seeds within (it seems wild, but it's true), but here in the States, it's attained legendary status. It consists of a mix of white and black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, garlic, onion, and sea salt, and as expected, brings all the savory flavor of an everything bagel to your plate with the quick flip of your wrist. If you aren't drooling yet, you should be.

Everything is arguably the best bagel flavor, so when I first spotted Trader Joe's Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend on the shelves of Trader Joe's many years ago, I grabbed a jar without even thinking about it. I sure am glad I did, too, because it's one seasoning mix my spice rack will never go without again. Not only is it packed with drool-worthy flavors, but it adds a nice crunch to everything it touches. In my house, that could truly be anything, but some stellar ways to use Everything But The Bagel Sesame Seasoning include things like mixing it into or on top of hummus, sprinkling on wings (I make mine with tempeh, but chicken is just as good), topping french fries or any other type of potato dish, adding some depth to mac and cheese, and a little extra crunch to salad. So, in addition to the flavor and texture benefits, it's nothing if not incredibly versatile.

The next time you spot Trader Joe's Salmon Rub Seasoning Blend on the shelf, I recommend you keep on moving. Not only is it somewhat niche — I mean, a seasoning blend just for salmon? — but it doesn't pack a big enough punch to provide the payoff I was hoping for. Instead, it was fairly subtle and only played a supporting role, at best.

First things first, I tried Trader Joe's Salmon Rub Seasoning Blend at a friend's house on veggies, not salmon, so take that for what you will. Mind you, Trader Joe's recommends using the mix for more than just salmon; it says any protein or even veggies benefit from a dash of it, but I beg to differ. It was too sweet for my liking and, as I mentioned, not really complex enough to make me want to purchase a jar of it for myself. What's in it? Well, lots of brown sugar, smoked paprika, thyme, salt, and black pepper. I guess the sweetness makes sense, judging by the ingredients, but it tasted one-dimensional to me.

This is the last spice at Trader Joe's I'll tell you to avoid, and you know what? It's kind of killing me. That's a bit dramatic, but for the record, I hate to besmirch Trader Joe's good name. Alas ... they can't all be winners, and unfortunately, the Salmon Rub Seasoning Blend is proof of that.

As if garlic wasn't already the best ingredient of all time — I'll fight anyone who disagrees — fermenting the glorious allium takes it to new heights. Black garlic is rich, sweet, and bursting with umami goodness. I'm not saying it'll replace regular garlic, but the fermentation process — which takes quite awhile, as it turns out — gives it a unique boost. Thankfully, Trader Joe's made it so you don't have to worry about making fermented garlic yourself either. Instead, you can grab a jar of the company's Ground Fermented Black Garlic and consider the job done. Garlic lovers rejoice!

After my first taste of Trader Joe's Ground Fermented Black Garlic, which happened about a year ago, I was ready to do a happy dance. Admittedly, I use so much garlic that a typical eater's overly-garlicky recipe will hardly even register with me. Still, Trader Joe's Ground Fermented Black Garlic is something to marvel at. It adds a burst of umami without nearly as much bite as regular garlic, and while I want both, it's mellow and sweet enough to appeal to every palate. Just like with your everyday garlic, it pairs wonderfully with almost everything under the sun. You can put it on baked potatoes, ramen (or any kind of pasta for that matter), avocado toast, pizza, and so much more — and they'll all taste better as a result.

Think you've had enough garlic? Hardly! I present to you the final Trader Joe's spice you should stock up on: Aglio Olio Seasoning Blend. Modeled after the traditional Italian pasta dish aglio e olio (garlic and oil), this seasoning blend takes those famed flavors to new places.

Trader Joe's Aglio Olio Seasoning Blend is made with garlic, sea salt, parsley, red bell pepper, and red chili pepper, so it's got all the good stuff any nonna would use in the classic pasta dish. With this blend, though, those flavors can go well beyond spaghetti. Just think about it — can you name a dish where salt, garlic, savory spices, and a touch of heat aren't welcome additions? Popping the blend into some olive oil makes for the perfect dip for a fluffy focaccia, and we can't imagine it working poorly on eggs or roasted vegetables, either. Bonus points if you use the Aglio Olio Seasoning Blend in tandem with Trader Joe's Ground Fermented Black Garlic as well — double the garlic, double the flavor! 

After all that seasoning, it may be time to brush up on the best Trader Joe's shopping tips. If you haven't yet planned your next TJ's run to restock your spice rack, now's the time.