Pepperoncinis are a very versatile pepper as they are used in many dishes such as anti-pasto platters, pizza, salads, and even sandwiches. Even some of the most popular burger chains in the world have Pepperoncinis as a side option to eat with your burger.
Does Trader Joe’s sell Pepperoncinis? To everyone’s dismay, Trader Joe’s does not sell Pepperoncinis. However, Trader Joe’s does have a myriad of different peppers available to purchase.
In this article we will take a quick look at the Trader Joe’s store, what they offer inside, as well as some alternatives to Pepperoncinis that you can find in store.
Trader Joe’s Grocery Store: A Quick Look
Trader Joe’s is unique in their approach as to what they provide in terms of customer service and products. They believe in providing healthy foods that are free from artificial dyes, preservatives, and flavors.
Their stores are small, which means they have limited inventory space. Each store has the same layout which makes navigating a new store familiar and easy. You will also notice that the store has a Hawaiian theme with team members wearing these shirts.
Customer service is outstanding, and you will never find an employee that isn’t anxious to help you with your requests.
Trader Joe’s sells their own line of items under their brand name which in turn helps bring unique products to customers at affordable prices.
What Does Trader Joe’s Sell?
Trader Joe’s sells a wide variety of items. When it comes to meat and produce, they have pretty much all the basics. You can find your baked items such as breads and rolls, fresh fruits, vegetables, beef, chicken, pork, and fish. But this is where the similarities tend to stop.
Just about every item you see on the shelves will have the Trader Joe’s brand name attached to it. This does a few things. It helps keep the costs down, and it also helps keep Trader Joe’s unique. Trader Joe’s works with many well known suppliers to bring in new products under the Trader Joe’s brand name.
This helps Trader Joe’s provide unique items to their customers all while bringing in very competitive prices.
You can expect to find unique frozen entrees, snacks, baked desserts, lunch entrees, and even breakfast entrees that are unique to any other store that you have been in.
This means you can come into Trader Joe’s every week with a new set of items and new meal ideas for the week.
Seasonal items are also offered at certain times of the year. Shelves are cleared of old inventory to make room for new and upcoming products. Don’t worry, you will always most likely be able to find your favorite items each and every week, as long as they have a good sell through rate.
What are Pepperoncinis?
Pepperoncinis are also known as sweet Italian peppers, or Greek peppers. They a light green to yellow color and are a few inches long. They usually come pickled in a glass jar which makes them perfect for cold dishes and hot dishes alike.
Upon first bite, they will have a slight crunch with seeds on the inside. Best practice is to take a bite of the pepper whole while leaving just the stem, and then taking a bite of your pizza or burger.
These peppers are often sliced into small circles and thrown into sandwiches or antipasto salads.
Pepperoncinis have a mildly spicy flavor and come in at about 100 – 500 scoville units on the heat scale.
To check the current price and availability of Regal’s Whole Pepperoncinis, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
Does Trader Joe’s Have Pepperoncinis?
Unfortunately, we were unable to locate Pepperoncinis at Trader Joe’s. We used a few different methods. I shop at Trader Joe’s regularly, and I was unable to locate them in any of the aisles.
Upon checking the Trader Joe’s website, I was also unable to pull up Pepperoncinis with a quick search. 0 search results actually popped up.
If you search just the word “peppers” you will see a big list of items. Below we will take a look at some of the alternatives to Pepperoncinis that you can find at Trader Joe’s.
Alternatives to Pepperoncinis at Trader Joe’s
Although you won’t be able to find Pepperoncinis at Trader Joe’s, you will be able to find a few alternatives that you can try instead.
Trader Joe’s Sweet Picante Peppers – These sweet peppers are crispy on the outside and come with a creamy cheese filling. They taste great on their own, but also pair well with many side dishes such as pastas and salads.
These pickled picante peppers have the perfect hint of peppery and sweet, but is also slightly tart due to the cheese filling on the inside.
Trader Joe’s Hot and Sweet Jalapeños – These pickled jalapeños are another great alternative to Pepperoncinis. Not only do they have a mild spice, but with the added sugar, you will have a nice kick of sweetness as well.
Trader Joe’s Fire Roasted Red Peppers – Fire roasted red peppers that are packaged in sea salt, red wine, and vinegar. These peppers have a strong flavor with some char, but is balanced out nicely with the sweetness from the peppers. These pair great with cheese and protein dishes.
Final Thoughts
Pepperoncinis go great on sandwiches, in salads, and pairs well with pizza. They are also much milder than most peppers which makes them a great ingredient to use for those that are not keen of hot and spicy foods.
Unfortunately you will not be able to find Pepperoncinis at your local Trader Joe’s. The closest thing you will be able to find is Trader Joe’s sweet picante peppers, hot and sweet jalapeños, and fire roasted red peppers.
