This $3 Trader Joe's Find Makes A Killer St. Patrick's Day Side Dish: 'Easy And Delicious'

Trader Joe's is known to stock some of the best limited-run seasonal items that make for fabulous side dishes, which happens to be convenient if you're celebrating this upcoming St. Patrick's Day. And if you're serving up a hearty Irish stew, steak and ale pies, and quintessentially American St. Patrick's Day green-dyed beer, you'll want to get your hands on a box of TJ's Beer Bread Mix (just $2.99).

To make this recipe, you just need one box mix, your beer of choice, and butter. The process is very simple and can be done by hand. To get the best possible result, make sure you use room-temperature beer. Cold beer can adversely affect the rise of your loaf. Since this is a no-knead recipe, you simply combine your beer with the dry mix, stirring until the carbonation settles down (avoid overmixing). You can customize your loaf by folding in ingredients like jalapeños, cheese, or even honey for added sweetness. For a crunchy crust with some bite, top it with the melted butter before baking. But plan ahead so it's done when your meal is. It takes about an hour (55 minutes) in a 350-degree Fahrenheit oven. 

Trader Joe's has been stocking this item seasonally for many years, and the fanfare has yet to die down. TikTok creator @kelseyoppenheim notes that it was "salty on the outside, sweet and chewy on the inside, and [had] a great beer flavor." She ranked the bread, for which she used amber ale, a 9 out of 10. Instagram creator @traderjulies ranked it equally high. It's no wonder customers on Reddit have expressed their excitement after waiting almost a year for the item to come back. 

For those who've never had beer bread, it might sound peculiar. It's actually one of many common ways to use leftover beer. Indeed, beer is your secret to the easiest quick bread, especially with the Trader Joe's box mix in hand. The carbonation works alongside the baking soda in TJ's mix to aid in lifting the dough, as quick breads do not use the yeast that would provide lift in a traditional loaf.

Beer choice is left to personal preference, but the beer will directly affect the flavor and color of your loaf. Light beers like pilsners or pale lagers offer a neutral, crisp flavor. Amber beers create a malty, somewhat sweet taste. Dark beers (stouts and porters) impart rich flavor and deep color. But especially flavorful brews, such as IPAs, might not be the best choice. One Reddit user noted that when they tried an IPA, "I made it with Bell's Two Hearted... The sweetness of the mix with the bitterness of the beer really didn't work." That tracks, given the powerful notes of citrus, pine, and hops common to an IPA (India pale ale).

Since beer bread is a shelf-stable limited-run seasonal item, it doesn't hurt to stock up. But as another Redditor points out, "I love beer bread but you can make it with 3 ingredients, so not necessarily needed." That's right. TJ's box mix is made with beer and pantry essentials you probably have at home (self-rising flour and sugar), so if you can't grab it in stores, it's very easy to make yourself.