The Trader Joe’s shelves have been full of fall items since early September. From seasonal snacks like fall harvest salsa or pumpkin pie spice bark to pumpkin butter or apple pie spreads, there is no shortage of autumn-inspired eats.
Unfortunately, Bloomington residents have to drive to Indianapolis — the closest Trader Joe’s — to get a taste. Although the nautical-themed store hasn’t settled in Bloomington, there are plenty of ways to get your fix of fall foods.
Here are three copycat Trader Joe’s fall meals you can make in your own kitchen.
Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese
Found in the frozen section of Trader Joe’s, the Butternut Squash Mac n’ Cheese is one of my favorite fall items. The fall twist on this classic meal always hits the spot.
The first step to this delicious meal is to roast one butternut squash. To do so, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, cut the squash in half longways, drizzle some oil, salt and pepper on it, put it face down on a baking sheet and cook for 35-45 minutes.
While the squash is cooking you can go ahead and grate 6 ounces of gouda, 3 ounces of parmesan, 3 ounces of white cheddar and set them aside. Once the squash is done, scoop it into a blender and add 3/4 cup of milk, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of sage, 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne.
Once blended, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil, add one bay leaf and then mix in your butternut squash puree. Keep the puree on low heat while you cook one box of rigatoni pasta separately. Save 1/2 cup of pasta water and then add your pasta to the sauce. Finally, alternate between adding the cheese and a splash of pasta water. Mix until it is fully coated and then enjoy with some red pepper flakes on top.
While this dish takes some time from roasting the squash and grating all the cheese, it is definitely worth it for the delicious fall flavors.
Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce
Another fan favorite is the Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce. Though I haven’t had the Trader Joe’s version, the copycat version filled my kitchen with fall scents and it tasted great.
To make it, start by chopping half an onion, three cloves of garlic and three carrots. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot and add your chopped veggies. While those are sautéing, dice up one butternut squash.
After a couple of minutes, once onions are translucent, add a 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, a 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, your diced butternut squash and 1/2 cup of chicken broth. Next, season with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and a pinch of cayenne.
Bring your mixture to a simmer and let it cook covered for around 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add around 1/2 cup more of broth if it is reducing too much. After about an hour, once squash is tender, transfer the sauce in batches into a blender and blend until smooth. Finally, mix in 1/2 cup of half and half, then serve over pasta with parmesan cheese.
Though this meal was also more time consuming to make, it was full of fall flavor and worth it if you're in the mood for cooking.
Another item I haven’t gotten the chance to try yet is the Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Bisque. Now I won’t have to after making this easy copycat recipe.
First, chop one medium onion and one garlic clove and add them to a large pot with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté for about two minutes.
Once sautéed, add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of tahini, a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, 2 cups of veggie broth, 1/2 cup of milk and some salt. Mix and bring it to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and let it simmer for at least 10 minutes.
Optionally, you can transfer it to a blender to make it smooth, however I didn’t, and it was equally as delicious.
Out of all three meals this was the quickest, taking me only around 30 minutes making it the perfect weeknight meal.
With the weather cooling off, now is the perfect time to try all of these dishes. While some of them take some time to prepare, they are all worth it and can last for around a week in your fridge.
