If you love heat, here are the top 17 spicy foods at Trader Joe’s! Sorted by popularity, you’ll find hot sauces, spicy snacks, condiments and more. You can also download the spicy shopping list to get all these fiery products (and more) in a printable format. Hope you like it!

For about 6 years, I didn’t live anywhere near a Trader Joe’s. Jesse and I just moved to a new city, and the first thing I did was head to the store that I’d been missing so much. As I walked around with the biggest grin on my face, I was thrilled to see that there are more options for heat lovers than the last time I was there.
So out of curiosity (and not wanting to miss out), I jumped on the Trader Joe’s site to see their current offerings. I noticed that they categorize products by tags, and one of them is called “Mouth On Fire” just for us fiery food fanatics. 🌶 Then sorting by “Popularity,” I generated this list of the top spicy foods at Trader Joe’s for all of us to enjoy.

Let’s get started!
(Don’t forget to download my spicy grocery list so that you can use it for your next trip to Trader Joe’s.)
notes on this list
- Product availability can change at any time and many things are seasonal.
- Items may not be available at all locations. Visit Trader Joe’s website and enter your location to view the products at your local store.
1. Crunchy Chili Onion

This product reminds me of the delicious chili oil found on the tables of Asian restaurants. Described as “smoky,” “slightly sweet” and “subtly spicy,” ingredients include olive oil, dried onions and garlic, crushed chili peppers and paprika. Use this chili onion crunch on eggs, pizza, soups, pot stickers or other foods where you want a kick of flavor with a crunchy texture.
2. Trader Joe’s Peri Peri Sauce

Made with fermented peppers in South Africa, Trader Joe’s Peri-Peri hot sauce brings the heat with a little bit of tartness and sweetness to balance it out. Peri-peri peppers are hotter than Jalapenos, but not quite as hot as Habanero peppers. These sweet and smoky peppers aren’t easy to come by, so here’s an opportunity to try them in a sauce that’s perfect for all kinds of proteins, rice, veggies and more.
3. Salsa de Cacahuate

Here’s a popular, southern Mexican sauce that you’ll want to try before it’s gone. (It says “Limited” on the TJ site.) Described as savory, nutty, and spicy, this salsa uses a combination of chile Guajillo, Jalapeno peppers and Cayenne powder to bring the heat, while peanut butter and peanuts give it the creamy, nuttiness that makes it so versatile as a dip or food topping.
4. Trader Joe’s Spicy Mexican Style Riced Cauliflower

Cayenne and pickled Jalapenos add heat to this Mexican-style “rice” made out of cauliflower. This is a tasty option for those cutting back on carbs or people following a vegan diet. It comes frozen so you can just heat it whenever you’re ready to make a burrito bowl or need a side dish.
5. Organic Spicy Honey Sauce

Here’s a sweet and spicy option for topping foods like roasted veggies and desserts or mixing in cocktails. You can also use it as a sweetener in a batch of jerk marinade or homemade spicy gummy bears! Trader Joe’s hot honey is made from three organic ingredients: honey, distilled white vinegar and natural chili pepper flavor.
6. Trader Joe’s Jalapeno Hot Sauce

If you love the flavor of Jalapenos, this one’s for you because it has more than 50% fresh jalapeno peppers. (By the way, this jalapeno sauce is the most-searched-for Trader Joe’s hot sauce as of this writing!) It’s also creamy, vegan and described as “hot without being overwhelmingly spicy.”
7. Crispy Jalapeno Pieces

Here’s a peppery replacement for a crispy, french onion topping! Trader Joe’s crispy jalapeno pieces can be used for foods like casseroles, burgers, pizza, mashed potato toppings or as a simple crunchy, heat-filled snack. If you don’t like nuclear-hot food, this is a great option.
8. Spicy Porkless Plant-Based Snack Rinds

The title says it all. If you’re familiar with chicharrón (fried pork rinds), this plant-based version gets its fire from habanero pepper powder, cayenne pepper powder and paprika. Enjoy it as a snack with a beer, or eat it as Jesse does in a bowl mixed with onions, tomato, cilantro, avocado, peppers, lime juice and a chopped protein.
9. Creamy Cauliflower Jalapeno Dip

I’ve been trying to eat more veggies so this product caught my eye! This cauliflower dip isn’t going to be real spicy (if at all) because it has cream cheese and other dairies in it, but that Jalapeno flavor makes it ideal for snacking.
10. Spicy Jollof Seasoned Rice Mix

Jollof rice, a dish from West Africa, is another spicy offering at Trader Joe’s. Long grain rice, red pepper flakes, tomato and spices make this the perfect base for rice dishes like jambalaya or as a side to spicy chicken thighs.
11. Spicy Mango Lemonade

This fiery lineup wouldn’t be complete without a beverage! Trader Joe’s spicy mango lemonade uses jalapeno puree and cayenne powder to create a tropical, peppery refreshment that’s good over ice or mixed into other drinks. Spicy margarita anyone? 😀
12. Trader Joe’s Ghost Pepper Salsa

This extra hot salsa is my top pick at Trader Joe’s because it’s fiery and delicious! Made with chilies including habanero, serrano, japones peppers and smoked ghost pepper powder, you taste the heat right away before it builds into the full-on fire. It’s a bit of a chunky salsa, which makes it perfect for scooping or just adding to every dish that you can think of (like Jesse and I do.)
13. Organic Spicy Taco Sauce

Trader Joe’s spicy taco sauce has red jalapeno pepper purée, cayenne peppers and other organic ingredients including oregano, onion and garlic. This sauce is described as “tangy,” “savory” and “spicy,” but not super hot. (Btw, here’s a recipe for how to make hard taco shells in case you can use one!)
14. Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing

This spicy cashew dressing at Trader Joe’s is described as “sweet,” “spicy,” “zesty” and “creamy.” It’s also completely vegan. You can use this dressing on all kinds of foods like salads, tacos, cold noodles and sandwiches.
15. Trader Joe’s Spicy Peanut Vinaigrette

This savory, spicy peanut dressing is made up of ingredients including jalapeno peppers, rice vinegar, soy sauce and peanut butter. Use it on dishes where you want lots of flavor with a sweet and nutty kick that has heat! Trader Joe’s describes it as a versatile sauce that enhances foods like noodles, dumplings, wraps and soups.
16. Trader Joe’s Spicy Jalapeno Chicken Sausage

Not just sausage, but spicy Jalapeno chicken! I’ve had these medium-hot sausages before, and I’m happy to see them still in stores. They are delicious with scrambled eggs or heated up with rice or veggies.
17. Trader Joe’s Spicy Thai Shrimp Fried Rice

Red Thai chilies heat up this flavorful rice. With shrimp, chunks of veggies and lots of spices, this rice pairs well with a curry or can even be a meal on its own.
Um, Hello There!
So as I was walking the aisles of Trader Joe’s, I found even more spicy foods that aren’t listed on the website. You might want to look for them in your local store or on Amazon (see below).
Trader Joe’s Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce

Calabrian chili peppers are a medium-heat pepper with a somewhat fruity and smoky taste. And, being that this bomba sauce is made with fermented chilies, it probably has a bit of a vinegar flavor too. This sauce looks delicious for sandwiches, soups, noodles or topping eggs with it!
Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Sauce

The green dragon hot sauce tastes earthy and like fresh veggies. Heated with organic jalapeno pepper puree and habanero powder, it also has ingredients like cilantro, spinach powder, tomatillo puree and lime juice. This Trader Joe’s green hot sauce has a smooth consistency with a medium heat.
Trader Joe’s Crispy Habanero Peppers

I love the simple ingredients in these crispy habanero peppers: olive oil, habanero peppers, salt, garlic powder and lemon pepper. Hotter on the heat scale, these habaneros would be great mixed into a salsa, on top of a pizza, in pasta or wherever else you want a spicy bite!
Trader Joe’s Crispy Thai Chilies & Sesame Seeds

The peppers on the bag caught my eye! I wasn’t sure how to use these Thai chilies at first, but the bag says it’s a spicy snack. Maybe eat it like popcorn? Another thought is to top Pho or other soups for added fire.
Trader Joe’s Yuzu Hot Sauce

Yuzu — a tart, aromatic citrus fruit native to East Asia — has a flavor combination of grapefruit with hints of Mandarin orange. [source] The words “spicy & citrusy” accurately describe the taste, and the lemony aroma is a nice bonus. Trader Joe’s Yuzu is ideal for anything that would benefit from a hot, tangy flavor, such as fish, pasta salad or tacos.
Trader Joe’s Smoked Ghost Chilies

How cool is this?!? Trader Joe’s smoked ghost chilies has a grinder on top of the 0.7 ounce jar. The ingredients are simply “smoked dried ghost chili flakes.” Use it wherever you enjoy eating HOT pepper flakes, or carry it around as an emergency spice when your food is too bland. 😉
Trader Joe’s On Amazon: Spicy Edition
Are Trader Joe’s products available to buy on Amazon? You’ll find some items, but these products are sold by resellers and not Trader Joe’s themselves. This means higher prices, but you get to buy Trader Joe’s products online if you don’t live near a store. You can also find some favorites after they disappear off the shelves!
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Here are some of the most-searched-for, spicy Trader Joe’s foods on Amazon:
- Trader Joe’s Ghost Pepper Chips
- Trader Joe’s Habanero Hot Sauce (The Scoville rating isn’t listed on Trader Joe’s habanero sauce, but it’s said to be HOT!)
- Trader Joe’s Truffle Hot Sauce
- Trader Joe’s Hot and Sweet Jalapenos
- Trader Joe’s Spicy Mochi Rice Nuggets
- Trader Joe’s Sweet and Spicy Pecans
==> All Trader Joe’s products on Amazon
My Trader Joe’s Spicy Shopping List
Here’s a handy printout of the 17 fiery products mentioned in this post.
Wrapping Up
I hope you enjoyed this tour of spicy foods at Trader Joe’s. I don’t think they’ll ever carry anything that’s considered superhot, but it’s fun to see what comes out next!
If you like these types of curated lists, be sure to stay tuned for my favorite fiery-food picks on Thrive Market. For now, be sure to check out the spicy kitchen series.
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