So I guess people were using Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce as a base for soup and really loving it. Word on the street is that TJ's heard about it and developed their own soup inspired by the pasta sauce by the same name. Don't confuse the red creamy autumnal pasta sauce with Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Alfredo Sauce. That stuff was weird and bland but I'm pretty sure it's not around anymore.
At any rate, this soup is tomato-based, but it's also bursting with big chunks of butternut squash, onions, celery, and carrots. There's pumpkin puree and butternut squash puree, too. Garlic, parsley, rosemary, and sage help round out the flavor profile and yield a surprisingly tasty, hearty soup.
We heated ours on the stovetop and made just over half the jar for our video review. We both enjoyed it quite a bit. It's savory and a little sweet—nowhere near as sweet as Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bisque, to be sure. It tastes "harvesty," if that's even a word. It should be. "Harvestacular" might be more accurate.
It's surprisingly chunky, filling, and none of the veggies were particularly stringy, which is always a plus. We'll easily finish the jar in a day or so, just the two of us. It's finally soup season here in the Upper Midwest, and cooler temperatures always put Sonia and me in the mood for dishes exactly like this one.
$4.99 for the 25 oz reusable glass mason jar. Would buy again. This is the best fall soup we've seen from Trader Joe's since the Harvest Chili we looked at seven years ago. Nine out of ten stars from Sonia for Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Soup. I'll give it eight out of ten.
We're looking at another authentic Italian import today. This time, it's butternut squash risotto. It's actually the second butternut squash risotto product we've reviewed from Trader Joe's, the first being a low carb riced cauliflower version from five years ago.
Like its predecessor, this risotto has real butternut squash, cheese, and Italian spices. It's nice and creamy, smooth, and savory, too. We think the overall flavor is stronger with this product since it's got real rice in it.
The sauce blend seems a bit better in this instance, as well, for reasons I can't quite put my finger on. Maybe it's just because it's truly Italian. It feels thicker, creamier, and cheesier.
We ate ours with some arugula to give it a bit of extra texture. The flavors worked well together, too. The nuttiness of the greens complemented the cheesiness of the risotto and gave the dish a nice earthy undertone. We're quite sure it would go great with chicken or fish or pork if that's your thing. It would make a fine side dish or even a standalone meal.
We heated it on the stovetop, but the microwave is fair game, too. Instructions say to heat on medium for 6-7 minutes. Ours took 15-16 minutes. Hey, it's still much faster than making it from scratch.
$4.49 for a pound of imported risotto. Product of Italy. Found in the frozen section. We'd both buy it again. Sonia gives Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Risotto eight and a half out of ten stars. I'll go with seven and a half on this one.
Not much needs to be said about these happy morsels. They're better than most pre-packaged vending machine snack cakes, but not like worlds better. People rave about them online like they've never had chocolate candy or chocolate cake before. Available only during the fall season, these pumpkins have been around year after year for quite a while—at least a decade, if not longer.
If you miss them this autumn season, have no fear. The exact same product reappears for the holiday season in the form of chocolate mousse presents. And then again around Easter as Chocolate Mousse Eggs. And then again later in the spring as Chocolate Mousse Flowers. There's also a larger cake version around Valentine's Day called For The Love of Chocolate Mousse Cake.
The BEST product in this line by far, however, are the Raspberry Mousse Cakes, available in the spring and summer. That raspberry buttercream gets me every time. I, personally, think they're head and shoulders better than all these chocolate mousse cakes.
That's not to say these are bad. They're perfectly tasty, noshable, and fun. I think they're better when the ambient temperature is warm. I've eaten them plenty of times when it's super cold outside, and I feel like you really want them to be soft, moist, and supple. I haven't tried microwaving them for a couple seconds yet, although I'm tempted.
I've heard some people actually freeze them and eat them cold and solid. I can't see how that would work, but I guess I'd try it at least once. They're usually best when you eat them immediately after purchase. Don't wait until the best by date. Don't refrigerate them. Just pop 'em in your mouth in the car on the ride home and wash 'em down with some chocolate milk.
$3.99 for six little pumpkin shaped chocolate mousse cakes. Found with the baked goods. Kosher. Would probably buy again. We've been all over the place when scoring these things. I feel like they're worthy of seven and a half stars today. Sonia agrees.
