The Delicious $5 Noodle Hack Hiding in the Freezer Section at Trader Joe’s

I appreciate a good shortcut, especially when it comes to dinnertime. TikTok has astutely picked up on this tidbit about me, which is why upwards of 70% of my FYP contains savvy dinner upgrades and viral meal hacks. (Much of the remaining 30% is currently compilations of celebrities from the ’90s set to the Goo Goo Doll’s hit song “Iris.”)

Just over a week ago, the algorithm fed me a big bowl of brothy noodles from content creator @jzeats titled: FRENCH ONION RAMEN WITH CRISPY SHALLOTS. It’s part of a winter ramen series and featured several items from none other than Trader Joe’s. I watched the entire 14-second video several times, wrote myself a mental grocery list, and headed to my neighborhood TJ’s to try it for myself. 

After reading this, I’m pretty sure you’ll do the same.

It’s a deliciously easy mashup of two of my favorite winter foods: French onion soup and instant noodles. Plus, all the ingredients can be found at Trader Joe’s, including a two-pack of Cuisine Adventures French Onion Soup. (Note: This is not a Trader Joe’s-branded product, which means it must be special. The grocer notoriously stocks very few name brands on its highly curated shelves.)

The French onion soup is found in the freezer section and individually packed in vacuum-sealed cylindrical portions, so you can make yourself this dinner twice in one week (or two days, no judgment here). It’s surprisingly flavorful — with savory notes add a slight sweetness from the onions. It could benefit from a little extra something, which is where the remaining three (to four) ingredients, depending on your preferences, come in. 

The original version — which commenters called “genius,” “brilliant,” and “INCREDIBLE” — combines said French onion soup with some beef broth, and, of course, noodles, then tops it all off with shredded Gruyère and crispy shallot bits for extra cheesy richness and crunch. (The bready croutons in the soup don’t get crispy when heated on the stovetop.) The whole thing takes about 15 minutes to make and disappears much faster. 

It’s so simple, in fact, @jzeats needed less than 15 seconds to explain it on TikTok. Some of the details were a bit sparse (like exactly how much beef broth is in that measuring cup you’re using?). If you like a more detailed road map for this dinner adventure, here’s what I did — and what I’d do again. 

Like I said, everything can be found at TJ’s, so I grabbed each of the ingredients on my most recent grocery run, including a block of Gruyère (please shred your own cheese) and a pack of the store-brand squiggly noodles, which first popped up in 2023. These are thicker than standard ramen noodles, and hefty, so they’re incredibly filling so you only need one pack instead of two.

I quickly shredded somewhere between 1/3 to 1/2 cup of Gruyère and set it aside. (I, like many family members, measure cheese with my heart.) As I waited for the water to boil for the noodles, I heated up the cylinder of French onion soup and 1/2 cup of beef broth in a separate pot over low heat, stirring and spooning the liquid over the cylinder occasionally to help speed up the heating process. 

It timed out pretty nicely with the noodles, which cooked in 4 minutes. After straining the noodles, I plopped them in a bowl and poured the beef-ed up soup over top. I sprinkled shredded Gruyère on top and gave it a quick stir before topping with two small handfuls of fried shallots. 

The combination of the beefy, onion-y broth and chewy noodles is comfort in a bowl. When I do it all again, I’d decrease the amount of beef broth or maybe even skip it. I like the beefy flavor, but I also felt it diluted the richness of the onion soup. 

The Gruyère adds a creaminess and nutty flavor that is downright indulgent. (Just make sure to stir the cheese so it doesn’t clump into one big blob.) As for the shallots, I recommend sprinkling them on in stages. They lose a bit of their texture as they float in the liquid, and as the lone bit of crisp in the bowl I found myself sprinkling on more.

What’s your favorite Trader Joe’s dinner shortcut right now? Tell us in the comments below.