Lid of Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip — Trader Joe’s Everything but the bagel yogurt dip

Trader Joe’s has never met a hit it didn’t want to put in absolutely everything.

Exhibit A: the actual name of this product is Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip with Sesame Seeds, Sea Salt, Poppy Seeds, Garlic and Onions. Whew! I needed a nap after reading the label. Somebody in the naming department got paid by the word that week.

Clearly Trader Joe’s is riding the wave of their Everything but the Bagel seasoning, the little jar that showed up a few years back and took over everyone’s avocado toast. They did the exact same thing with Cookie Butter and Joe’s O’s. Find a winner, then see how many other things you can stuff it into. Don’t be surprised if you see EBTB ice cream or EBTB cookies next. Probably not, but you get my drift!

Quick dietary rundown before we go further, because I know a lot of you check this first:

Kosher? Yes! It’s got the kosher symbol right there on the tub, so you’re covered.

Vegan? Nope. This is a dairy dip through and through, so plant based folks can skip right down to the recipe and swap in a plant based Greek style yogurt (more on that below).

Gluten free? There’s nothing in here that looks like it should have gluten, it’s basically yogurt and seasoning. That said, look for a gluten free claim on the tub before you serve it to someone who is celiac. [STEVE: confirm whether the tub carries a gluten free label]

Vegetarian? Yep, you’re good.

Open container of Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip

So why did this end up in my cart?

We love dips here at the global headquarters of Club Trader Joe’s. The Mrs. in the house loves to put out a dip before dinner, especially when we have guests over. It buys you time. Dinner running fifteen minutes late? Dip. Somebody showed up early while you’re still in sweatpants? Dip. Your brother in law is telling the fishing story again? Dip, and a lot of it.

And honestly any dip with a tangy yogurt base is a crowd pleaser. People feel a little less guilty double dipping into yogurt than they do into a block of cream cheese mixed with more cream cheese. So this one was kind of an automatic grab.

How does it taste?

Pretty darn good, I’m not going to lie to you. You get that bright, tangy Greek yogurt flavor up front, and then the EBTB blend layers right on top of it. Garlic, onion, a little crunch from the sesame and poppy seeds, and that hit of salt that keeps you going back for one more chip. Then one more. Then you look down and the bowl is half gone and you haven’t even sat down for dinner.

Here’s the thing though. There are basically two things going on in this dip: Greek yogurt and EBTB seasoning. That’s it! Which made me sit there with a pita chip in my hand wondering why on earth I don’t just make this myself.

My one real gripe is the texture. I found it a little runny. Not the super thick, stand a spoon up in it Greek yogurt I’m used to. I flipped the tub over and the package lists “light cream and nonfat milk powder,” so my guess is it’s not a whole milk yogurt base. It’s not watery or anything, but if you’re expecting that rich, dense Greek yogurt feel, you’ll notice it’s missing.

If I was going to spruce it up, I’d toss in some chopped chives and a pinch of Aleppo pepper for a tiny kick. Black pepper works too if that’s what you have. It doesn’t need a lot of help, just a little nudge.

Portion reality check

This is a “before dinner with a few people” dip, not a “Super Bowl party with the whole cul de sac” dip. If you’ve got more than four or five people grazing, grab two tubs or plan on making the homemade version below in a bigger batch. Teenagers count as two people each. Possibly three.

Is it worth the money?

You’ll pay $3.79 for an 8 ounce tub, which is about a cup of dip. Not bad for a grab and go appetizer, but not exactly cheap either.

Here’s my honest take. Most of you already have a jar of EBTB seasoning rolling around in your spice cabinet, probably next to the other jar of EBTB seasoning you forgot you bought. Grab a tub of whole milk Greek yogurt and you can make double the amount of dip, thicker and better, for not much more than this little tub costs.

But I know. You’re busy! You’ve got a kid who needs a ride to practice in twenty minutes, a work call you’re pretending to be on, and guests showing up at six. Sometimes the value isn’t in the ingredients, it’s in not having to think. For that, this tub absolutely earns its spot in the fridge. Pop the lid, plop it in a bowl, surround it with Trader Joe’s pita chips and you are golden.

Pita chip with a scoop of Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip

Make it yourself (this is the one I’d actually serve)

Honestly this stuff is so easy to make I almost feel silly writing it down. But here you go. It’s thicker, tangier, and you control the salt and spice.

Homemade Everything but the Bagel Yogurt Dip

What you need:

2 cups whole milk Greek yogurt (Trader Joe’s has a good one)
1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh if you’ve got it
2 tablespoons chopped chives, plus more for the top
A few dashes of hot pepper sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons EBTB seasoning, plus a sprinkle for the top (yes, a whole bunch, that’s the point)
Optional: a pinch of Aleppo pepper or a few cranks of black pepper

What you do:

Stir the yogurt, lemon juice, chives, hot sauce and EBTB together in a bowl. Taste it. Add more EBTB if you’re feeling brave.
Cover it up and let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours so the garlic and onion can soften and the flavors blend together. Overnight is even better, which makes this a great make ahead option. I keep mine in a glass container with a snap lid so it goes straight from the fridge to the table.
Right before serving, top it with more chopped chives or green onions and an extra sprinkle of EBTB. That last sprinkle matters, it brings back the crunch that the seeds lose while sitting in the yogurt.

Voila! Done.

Vegan friends, swap in a thick plant based Greek style yogurt and check the hot sauce label. The rest of it already works.

Serve it with Trader Joe’s pita chips, cucumber slices, snap peas, bagel chips if you want to go full theme, or honestly just a spoon when nobody is looking.

The verdict

Best for: Busy hosts who need a dip on the table in thirty seconds flat, yogurt dip lovers, and anybody who already puts EBTB on everything anyway.

Skip if: You’re vegan, you like your Greek yogurt thick enough to spackle a wall, or you already have a tub of Greek yogurt and a jar of EBTB at home (you know who you are).

Trader Joe’s Everything but the Bagel Greek Style Yogurt Dip: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 7/10

Tasty, convenient, a little runny, and kind of hard to justify at $3.79 when the homemade version is this easy.

Homemade EBTB Yogurt Dip: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 10/10

Thicker, tangier, cheaper per scoop, and you can make it the night before. This is the one that goes on our table when company comes.

Have you tried this dip yet? Did you think it was too runny or am I just spoiled by the thick stuff? Let me know in the comments!