7 Best Ways To Use Trader Joe's Everything But The Elote Seasoning

By now, you probably already know that Trader Joe's has become royalty in the frozen food market. You may even have your own strategies for how to cinch some of their hard-to-find products. Some of its most popular items, like the Everything but the Bagel seasoning or frozen lava cakes, may already have a home in your kitchen and recipes, but if you've grabbed a jar or two of its Everything but the Elote seasoning, you may be wondering exactly how you can use it.

Made with a blend of salt, chile pepper, cheese, chipotle, and cumin, this popular seasoning mirrors that of real elote (aka Mexican street corn) — it's a little cheesy, a little spicy, and has just the right amount of sweetness. Like some seasoning blends, you may have picked this bottle up and tossed it in your cart for the fun of it, only to get home and realize you don't know exactly where to incorporate it. Luckily for you, we did the heavy lifting (and eating) to figure out some of the best uses for it.

A no-brainer for us is to use this on some tacos — or even quesadillas and burritos. Whether you're whipping up some fried pork belly tacos or seasoning some ground beef for a classic Taco Tuesday, this blend is an easy way to add some depth of flavor to your protein. Just liberally season the meat before cooking. It will go perfectly with all of your favorite toppings, too, whether you're a pico de gallo, shredded cheese, or crumbled cotija type.

Imagine using this seasoning to create a batch of double-fried crispy elote chicken tenders; or really, any breaded chicken will hit the spot. Simply stir it up with your breading mix and dredge your chicken as you normally would. When serving, consider including some dipping sauces that would play well with the sweet, spicy nature of this blend — think chipotle mayo, sweet chili sauce, or even some hot honey.

If you're looking to make some breakfast, consider grabbing a box of Trader Joe's cornbread mix and whipping up some pancakes with it. This is a yummy way to not only make a unique recipe out of a seemingly straightforward product like cornbread mix, but you can easily incorporate this seasoning blend to make breakfast really shine.

On the other hand, if you're just looking to make actual cornbread, adding a few tablespoons of this seasoning can take it to a whole new level. No matter which route you go down, the pairing of elote seasoning with cornbread is a win-win, if you ask us.

Watermelon is one fruit that's begging to be seasoned. Similar to how sprinkling some tajin on watermelon is a well-known summertime treat that brings a hint of spiciness to a hydrating, sweet fruit, adding a bit of Everything but the Elote to it has the same effect. This blend of spiciness, saltiness, and slightly sour notes balances out the watermelon perfectly, delivering a flavor bomb to your mouth. While you can simply shake a bit into a bowl of watermelon, you can also skewer them to make their presentation a little more elevated.

Sheet pan fajitas are an easy way to make a big batch of food. Whether you're using chicken, shrimp, beef, or pork, consider using this seasoning to add flavor to both the meat and the veggies you're cooking alongside them (usually some mixture of sliced bell peppers and onions). It's a great way to add depth without having to grab a ton of different spices.

If you're having pizza night at home, consider making one with an elote vibe. You can use ingredients like roasted corn, jalapeños, shredded mozzarella, and crumbled cotija cheese for an easy way to make a unique pizza. Just top it with a good sprinkling of the Everything but the Elote blend at the end, and you've got yourself a delicious Mexican-inspired pizza. And served along with a pitcher of spicy margs? Count us in — please, and thank you.

While you might like to add butter and salt to your popcorn, have you ever considered taking the flavor vibes up a notch? While adding some sweetness, like M&M's or chocolate-covered raisins has been known to work, you can also go the other direction and give a little more zest to your popcorn. In fact, a good sprinkling of Everything but the Elote is a fun way to make your movie night snack even more enjoyable — and it actually makes a ton of sense since both elote and popcorn come from corn. The result will be an addictive bowl of popcorn that has just the right amount of saltiness, spiciness, and sweetness.