Move over jalapeño, Calabrian chilies have taken over with Trader Joe’s hottest product: Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce.
Since its appearance on store shelves, this tangy and spicy rustic relish that goes well with anything and comes in a jar has been making heatwaves. Unlike other store-bought salsas that make your mouth pucker from the vinegar, this sauce underwent a fermentation process that leaves behind a spicy umami flavor.
Another plus, the ingredients are simple and straightforward: shards of Calabrian chili skin and seeds, basil, sunflower, and olive oil.
For an idea of heat, on the Scoville scale, which rates the spiciness of chili peppers according to capsaicin content, Calabrian chilies can be 10 times hotter than jalapeños.
Yup, it’s like a bomb went off on your taste buds!