Trader Joe's New Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce Has Fans Excited

Shopping at Trader Joe's is always an adventure — for one thing, their stores always seem to be mobbed and getting up and down those aisles can take a lot of patience and deft maneuvering. To be fair, though, those eager Trader Joe's fans are there for the same adventure we all are: discovering new and intriguing snacks, entrees, spices, and drinks tucked on shelves and in coolers. Trader Joe's makes it feel like a literal treasure hunt since we know that many of the store's best finds quickly go out of stock or have a short, seasonal run. 

Trader Joe's fan sites also help keep a lookout, sharing the latest finds on social media so shoppers can dash to the nearest location to snag goodies before they disappear. (Lucky are those who have several stores in their area that they can check!) With more than 1 million followers, @TraderJoe'sList is one of those accounts that watches for and reports on the appearance of holiday favorites (hello, Candy Cane Joe-Joe's) and exciting new eats. The latest new product they've discovered and shared is a brand-new pasta topper that looks absolutely decadent and delicious: Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce. 

Anthony Bourdain once professed his obsession for the simple pasta dish of cacio e pepe (translating literally to cheese and pepper) on his show "No Reservations," where he called the meal "the greatest thing in the history of the world" (via The Kitchn). In so doing, he was likely a driving force behind this dish suddenly trending across many food sites over the last few years. Trader Joe's caught on, too: My Recipes shares that the chain introduced a frozen version of prepared cacio e pepe pasta, as well as a cheese-filled ravioli version. And the fascination continues today with TJ's new cacio e pepe jarred sauce.

As seen in @TraderJoe'sList's post, the Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce is made with Pecorino Romano cheese and ground black pepper (it really is a very simple sauce!). It's rich enough that you only need a quarter cup for each portion, and the jar has seven servings in total. The Instagrammer shared that the sauce, which has 110 calories per serving and 10 grams of fat, is delicious and cheesy, "with a peppery kick." 

While the Cacio E Pepe Pasta Sauce isn't on Trader Joe's website just yet, it appears to be hitting store shelves now. @TraderJoe'sList says they found theirs this week, and a phone call to a Trader Joe's store near us revealed that the sauce was just put out on shelves today! You never know if this might be the next hard-to-find Trader Joe's treasure, so you should probably grab one soon.