Trader Joe’s Just Leaked Info on Four New Pasta Shapes Hitting Stores Soon
The latest episode of the Inside Trader Joe’s podcast dropped this week and it’s got a carbo-load of information. It’s very pasta-centric, including a segment on the best-selling pasta at TJ’s and even a sneak peek that covers the new shapes hitting the pasta aisle this season. Hosts Tara Miller and Matt Sloan — who are also employees — talk with Jasmine, the category manager of grocery at Trader Joe’s, about the newest additions to the nearly 30 different types of pasta offerings already in stores. Let’s take a look!
1. Tri-Color Spaghetti
The green, red, and orange mix is the first multicolored long-cut pasta to be sold at Trader Joe’s (did anyone else see some at their local store this weekend?). As Jasmine explains, the vibrant spaghetti was inspired by one of the grocer’s more successful and colorful pastas: radiatori. It’s a short-cut pasta that’s shaped like radiators (hence, the name). Special thanks to Matt for breaking down the difference between long-cut pastas (e.g., spaghetti, fettuccine, angel hair, pappardelle) and short-cut pastas (e.g., penne rigatoni, fusilli).
2. Fusilli Corti Bucati
This long pasta is similar to bucatini “with a perm,” says Matt (he also compared it to a telephone cord). Jasmine says she hasn’t seen this shape in any other store in America. Have you?
3. Bucatini
Speaking of bucatini, it’s also coming in as a limited opportunity. Jasmine adds, “We have that really, really amazing Limone Alfredo that we introduced during the winter, so we thought this would be a really, really great pasta to eat it with.” We bet it’s great with a red sauce too.
4. Cascatelli
Jasmine compared this playfully shaped pasta to beautiful waterfalls. She says, “the ridges are really thick and it eats really, really well.” As Matt says, “Pasta la vista.”
Which of these pastas are you most excited to try? Tell us in the comments below!