Bomba Calabrese. That's what this little jar of Trader Joe's Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce is. But you want to know something? This jar is hot. Like Harissa levels of hot.
Taste and review
I tried this on some toasted Italian bread. Spread thinly.
Let me tell you. This brings the heat. And it lingers.
And cleared my sinuses too.
Now, I can't say that I've had other Bomba Calabrese. But I can tell you that most other commercially available jars have some form of vegetable to cut through the heat: often eggplant or mushrooms.
Here? No such luck. This is chili pepper, oil, and some basil.
Now, when it says Chili Peppers, one can infer (ok, maybe assume) that this is made from either peperoncini. The ones from Calabria would be small cherry sized peppers that pack a punch. Way hotter than a Jalapeno.
And yes, usually the smaller the pepper the more heat it packs.
This condiment is without a doubt hot. And the seeds are in the spread, so there isn't much of a reprieve.
This product is fermented, so it has a pickled pepper taste to it as well. (Cue the Peter Piper references)
It's flavorful. But be warned, go easy with this.
For $2.99 this is a very different flavor profile than say Trader Joe's Harissa. So if you are into spices, this might be worth a try.
If you are like me and just like a medium heat you'll have to find a way to temper the heat in this.
How would I use Trader Joe's Italian Bomba?
Other than spreading this thinly on bread, I'd pair this with something that could mellow the flavor. Other ways to enjoy this would be to use this for heat in an arrabbiata sauce, fra diavolo, in making homemade 'njuda, pair with some goat cheese or even ricotta, even in mayo it would make a flavorful aioli.
And if you have a different use for this, leave a comment ok? Those help a lot of people. Just sayin'.
Overall
Use sparingly because the heat in this little jar lingers. But despite the heat this brings, this does have a good pickled pepper flavor.
Would I buy this again? No, I probably won't be buying Trader Joe's Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce again. A little goes a very long way.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Product Photos
The jar of Trader Joe's Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce:
The nutritional information and the ingredients:
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Trader Joe's Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce
Product Name: Trader Joe's Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce
Product Description: Trader Joe's Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce is hot sauce but as a picked pepper taste.
Price: $2.99
Currency: USD
Availability: InStoreOnly
Summary
Trader Joe's Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce tastes like Trader Joe's met Peter Piper.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Spice junkies will appreciate this
- Best in moderation
- Has a nice flavor despite the heat
- Must like pickled pepper flavor to appreciate this
Cons
- It's hot and the heat lingers
Alek says
Maybe put a dollop of it in tomato sauce. Or marinate for meats. I would treat it like crushed pepper flakes.
becomebetty says
Hey Alek! Totally treat it like crushed red peppers with a pickled taste to it. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing these suggestions!
Dagma says
Add a little to some marinara sauce. Or a very small amount to some ground meat to make meatballs. Or thinking about a thin smear on a flatbread with heirloom tomatoes and various Italian cheeses.
Barbara says
We enjoyed this product with the Trader Joe’s chicken potstickers.
becomebetty says
Hey Barbara! What a great use for this. Good to know the flavors pair well. Thanks for sharing!
Nancy Mercer says
Hi, just got this jar and first thing I made is deviled eggs. YUM. My husband(not a foodie) just brought up again how really great his egg snack was today. Used a bit of Dukes mayo and this Bomba sauce to bind the yolks and it is the BOMB!
becomebetty says
Hey Nancy! Thanks for sharing how you used this and for sharing your thoughts!
Katie says
I mixed it with hummus and ate it with tortilla chips. It tasted like a healthy/vegan version of buffalo chicken dip. Yum!
becomebetty says
Hey Katie! That sounds like a great combo. Thanks so much for sharing!
Dagmar says
I love this stuff! I mixed a little with some guacamole, spread it on a tortilla, added some shredded rotisserie chix & a bunch-o-chz. Topped w/another tortilla & grilled on my George Foreman. Great quesadilla.
CAROLYN CALLAHAN says
Just picked up, and love it! Great for hubby's scrambled eggs or omelet. Put it on pizza, mix it into my tomato basil garlic oil pasta. Put some in my artichoke dip, or my 1-1-1 dip ( 1 cup Hellmanns, 1 cup diced Vidalias, 1 cup melting cheese like gruyere baked at 350 til GBD). Use it in my soups, salad dressings, coat a steak with it, and I could go on.
becomebetty says
Hey Carolyn! Thanks so much for sharing how you enjoy this. The recipe you shared here sounds really delicious. Thanks again for taking the time out of your day to stop by and share!
Tricia says
We tried a bit on nachos and found it quite spicy. Plan to stir it into stuff. The funniest part of the jar? "Servings: about 7"
becomebetty says
Hey Tricia! This is one of those rare times where I would get way more servings from this jar. Thanks so much for stopping by and sharing!
karenincalabria says
Interesting, I haven't noticed this product in Trader Joe's. The "bomba calabrese" is what they refer to something similar in Calabria, except there would be a lot of other vegetables finely chopped up in the mix. The classic Calabrian peperoncino is the Diavolicchio Diamante, which is an elongated shape and indeed quite a bit hotter than the Jalapeño but no where near as hot as the habanero, which TJ's might be using. Calabrians would put it on a bruschetta or drizzle a little onto a finished plate of pasta or mix a little into the sauce.
becomebetty says
Hey Karen! Thanks for your insight on this and taking the time to stop by.
Mariana says
Delicious it is very spicy ! I used this on a open faced Italian Sandwhich ,mixed with a little Mayo so delicious .
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing!