When I first saw this jar, I immediately thought about Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Creamy Pasta Sauce (which is back on shelves albeit temporarily). The names seem similar. The color of the contents seemed similar. So, I wondered what the difference was. And yes, that pasta sauce is something worthy of stocking upon. Seriously.
Taste and review
The heat (and more importantly the humidity) has finally eased here in New York. And I can finally justify the idea of eating soup.
I had heard that people had been using the pasta sauce as a base for soup. I personally enjoyed the past sauce enough I wasn't willing to spare an extra jar to experiment with that idea.
Now I don't have to. Here is a soup that is very similar to that pasta sauce with some exceptions. This soup is very hearty. It eats like a meal.
If you aren't into a thick and chunk soup that means those words, then skip over this one. If you are a fan of the sauce, then you might consider picking this up.
Now, this is a premium soup and pretty much a premium price. This jar will set you back $3.99 and will provide two generous servings. But those servings are loaded heavily with veggies that are tender, still, have texture to them, and aren't mush. This soup eats like a meal and with the addition of protein could easily be a meal on its own.
Aside from the fresh-tasting veggies, you have a creamy tomato soup base that pairs well with it. It's not quite as creamy as say the Autumnal Pasta Sauce. But then again, there would be nothing wrong with adding a splash of cream. And yes, I'm not sure I would want a soup to be that creamy without something to cut through the richness.
Overall
If you are a fan of the pasta sauce, this is another home run.
Would I buy this again? Yes, yet another seasonal item I'll need to stock up on before it disappears from shelves. It seems to be a seasonal item like the similar pasta sauce, so I'll be making room on my shelves for a few extra jars to get me through the winter season. This is absolutely worth a try.
Product Photos
The jar of Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Soup:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
How to prepare:
After being heated you get:
And a closer look at this:
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The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Soup
Product Name: Trader Joe's Autumnal Harvest Soup
Product Description: A creamy tomato based soup with pumpkin and butternut squash.
Price: $3.99
Summary
A creamy tomato soup with pumpkin and butternut squash.
Pros
- This is a hearty rustic style soup that if it were served to me I would have believed it to be homemade
- Large chunks of veggies
- Very filling
Cons
- Those who avoid dairy products will need to steer clear of this too.
- This is more expensive than canned soups, but the quality is absolutely there
- Like so many pre-made soups this is high in sodium
Alek says
I'm thinking of adding some pasta to giving it some hearth.
judilyn says
I can think of boodles of ways to use this enticing "soup", as it looks hearty enough to be a sauce base for any number of really interesting dishes.
Virtual hugs,
Judie
Ttrockwood says
My store didn’t have this in stock when i went, but shoot! I didn’t realize it has dairy! Harumph. I’ve always wanted to try that pasta sauce but that’s also a dairy issue.
Sounds delicious. You could just add in some chickpeas or lentils to make it more of a meal, maybe some pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds on top for crunchy bits
becomebetty says
Hey Ttrockwood! This has dairy too. It would be nice to see a vegan answer to this one too. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and share!
Anne with a silent E says
I bought some this morning - all the Harvest stuff and too many other things! It sounds so good - I'll have to report back - it's still too hot in Florida to think about soup but I wanted to grab some before it was gone.
becomebetty says
Hey Anne! I can't wait to hear your thoughts, I know Florida is a few degrees warmer than it is here in NY, by to be honest we haven't been as cool as we usually are. I waited until that first sweater weather day to crack into it. Thanks so very much for stopping by and sharing.
Erica says
I used the sause as a soup. I also dipped texas cheese toast in it as a side.
becomebetty says
Hey Erica! Great suggestions on this one. And yes, I've used Texas Toast as a compliment to this as well. I hope you stocked up, because this item was seasonal. I can only hope it will return next year. Thanks so much for stopping by!
Lorna says
Very hearty and thick with a generous amount of veggies. It's a bit too thick and rich for me as a standalone soup, so I take a heaping 1/2 cup serving and add a 1/2 cup or more of the TJs Veggie stock to thin it out, top with parmesan cheese, sour cream, croutons, TJs pretzel slims...maybe some avocado. You could add just a squeeze of lemon or balsamic vinegar to cut the richness with some acid. Straight out of the jar it's thick enough to use as a pasta sauce or as part of the filling for a veggie lasagna. Delish!
bridmorgan says
I had this just now, and I was very disappointed. While the flavor was ok, the crunchy vegetables were a major turn-off. I followed the stove top directions and let it simmer for almost 10 minutes.
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!