Trader Joe’s is well-known for selling fantastic products at insanely low prices. With the popularity of phyllo dough skyrocketing, it is no surprise that so many people wonder whether they can pick up their phyllo dough from Trader Joe’s. So, does Trader Joe’s sell phyllo dough?
Yes. Trader Joe’s sells phyllo dough, sometimes. You can find it in the frozen dessert section in your local Trader Joe’s. The price will vary slightly depending on your shop, but it will always be incredibly affordable.
Let’s tell you a little bit more about phyllo dough, including how you should use it, and the health considerations you need to consider when picking it up.
What Is Phyllo Dough?
Phyllo dough (sometimes called filo dough) is an unleavened pastry. This means that when you bake it, a leavening agent makes it rise. Phyllo dough originates from Ancient Greece, although it is mostly consumed with Middle Eastern and Balkan dishes.
Phyllo dough is very similar to puff pastry. It is formed of multiple layers of very thin dough stacked on one another. When it is baked, the layers crisp up, creating a beautiful, light dough that can be used for both sweet and savory dishes.
Phyllo dough is rather simple ingredient-wise. It has flour, water, vinegar, and oil. Compared to puff pastry (which it looks very similar to), phyllo dough has barely any fat in it.
Of course, despite it the simple ingredients, it takes a huge amount of effort to make. Each person has their own ideas about how their phyllo dough is put together, most of it related to the thinness of the layers.
It isn’t uncommon for people to spend hours and hours perfecting their phyllo dough. It is no wonder so many people want to pick it up from Trader Joe’s!
Does Trader Joe’s Sell Phyllo Dough?
Sometimes. Trader Joe’s does not always have phyllo dough in stock. We presume it depends on how often Trader Joe’s is able to source it from their suppliers.
Most people class it as a seasonal item, and you are much more likely to find it during the summer months when the type of dishes that go well with a good phyllo pastry tends to be summery dishes.
Although, you can find phyllo dough throughout the year at various times. If you ever want to know whether Trader Joe’s has phyllo dough in stock, then you can always check out their website.
If it is listed there, then you should be able to find it in your local Trader Joe’s store. If they do have it in stock, then they will only stock the product under the Trader Joe’s brand.
They will only sell it frozen too. Despite it being used in a variety of dishes, you can find it in the dessert freezer section. Although, you will need to be quick. We have seen the phyllo dough sell out incredibly quickly!
Nutrition and Health Considerations
Phyllo dough isn’t nutritionally dense. It barely has any flavor to it, although the same goes for most doughs. Most of them are nothing more than flour and water, after all.
What we can say, however, is that phyllo dough is one of the healthier doughs out there. It is significantly better for you than puff pastry.
This is because phyllo dough contains barely any fat. The oil is the only fat in the mixture. A single ounce of phyllo dough contains a little over 1g of fat.
Puff pasty would contain 11g in the same quantity, and most of that would be saturated fats (of which phyllo dough has none of).
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should be eating phyllo dough constantly, You really shouldn’t. It has absolutely no nutritional value whatsoever.
None of the essential ingredients that you need in your day-to-day life. It does little more than act as a carrier for the foods that you are eating or, at the most, helps to fill up your stomach which can help you to lose weight.
Remember, because phyllo dough contains flour, it is not good for those with a gluten intolerance.
How to Use Phyllo Dough
Phyllo dough can be used in a multitude of different ways, and it works well for both sweet and savory dishes. We recommend:
- Baklava: a very popular dish in the middle east. The phyllo is loaded with nuts and honey.
- Bougatsa: filo pastry wrapped around a variety of fillings, mostly custard.
- Bundevara: a pumpkin pie from Serbia.
- Spanakopita: a spinach pie from Greece
Honestly, there are all sorts of amazing dishes that you can come up with for your phyllo pastry. Pies seem to work the best, as you can wrap the filling in the pastry.
Vegetable-based pies, and those loaded with sweet treats e.g. fruit, work incredibly well. Meat-based dishes could also work.
If you don’t want to make a pie, then you can turn the phyllo dough into an open sandwich. Just add some ingredients on the top and bake.
Do bear in mind that phyllo dough barely has any taste and can be quite dry, so choose ingredients that would work with that.
If you buy frozen phyllo dough from Trader Joe’s, then keep it in the freezer. If it defrosts, then consume within a week. Ideally, you should be using it within three months of purchase if kept in the freezer, but it should last indefinitely. It just won’t taste the same after three months.
Final Thoughts
Phyllo dough at Trader Joe’s is a seasonal product. It is normally sold during the summer months. It will be sold in the freezer section. They do not sell fresh phyllo dough.
You can use the phyllo dough to make all sorts of wonderful dishes. You can look into Middle Eastern and Balkan cuisine, both of which use phyllo extensively. Alternatively, you can make your own amazing pies, etc. Because phyllo dough has barely any taste, it works well with both sweet and savory foods.
