Tasty Frozen Foods from Trader Joe's You Can't Pass On
For Whom/What:
lazy cook who wants quick and satisfying meals
Requirements:
only available at Trader Joe's
easy to make
staples
no vegan
Extra Details:
What are some of your go-to frozen foods from Trader Joe's? I'm planning a big haul as the nearest TJ is a 2-hour drive, so any suggestions are welcome. No vegan-friendly options, please.
I get the Vegetable Pad Thai often, and there's a trick to preparing it the right way. If you eat it "as is", it is bland and underwhelming. The sauce is good, but the serving size and extra ingredients that make a good Pad Thai are lacking. Add extra green onions, tofu, chicken ... and yum. Top it off with crushed red pepper. I'll give it an 8/10.
You can make it non-vegan by adding the protein of your choice. I always add chicken.
Now the calamari and karaage are not uniquely Trader Joe's, but they are much better than other brands, in my opinion. I air fry them, and they have the perfect amount of batter - crispy and crunchy.
And you can't go wrong with the mushroom and black truffle flatbread. It tastes good itself, but it tastes infinitely better if you add extra mozzarella, freshly grated.
This is a hidden gem from Trader Joe's. It's garlicky, soy sauce-based sauce has an Asian twist, giving the dish more umami flavor. The only downside is that it doesn't contain any protein, so I suggest adding your own. It pairs well with pork (bacon or pork belly slices taste heavenly) or chicken. Not so much with beef, for some reason. It'll also go well with various seafood, like shrimp or littleneck clams.
Trader Joe's does great rice-based frozen food menus, and I've been buying a lot of Kimbap and Jumeokbap lately.
This is from CupofTJ's Youtube channel, and she was taste-testing some of Trader Joe's frozen foods. She raved about Jumeokbap, and I totally agree how the rice has the perfect blend of seasoning. They're individually packaged, and they easily make a quick meal or a side dish.
CupofTJ gave a mediocre rating on the Kimbap, and I can see why. The Kimbap itself has too much rice and could use more meaty fillings. I, too, didn't get the hype at first. But it actually pairs well if you have any other main meat dish like bulgogi. And as frozen kimbaps go, it's well above average.
Tasty Frozen Foods from Trader Joe's You Can't Pass On
lazy cook who wants quick and satisfying meals
only available at Trader Joe's
easy to make
staples
no vegan
What are some of your go-to frozen foods from Trader Joe's? I'm planning a big haul as the nearest TJ is a 2-hour drive, so any suggestions are welcome. No vegan-friendly options, please.
I get the Vegetable Pad Thai often, and there's a trick to preparing it the right way. If you eat it "as is", it is bland and underwhelming. The sauce is good, but the serving size and extra ingredients that make a good Pad Thai are lacking. Add extra green onions, tofu, chicken ... and yum. Top it off with crushed red pepper. I'll give it an 8/10.
You can make it non-vegan by adding the protein of your choice. I always add chicken.
These are my current TJ obsessions.
Now the calamari and karaage are not uniquely Trader Joe's, but they are much better than other brands, in my opinion. I air fry them, and they have the perfect amount of batter - crispy and crunchy.
And you can't go wrong with the mushroom and black truffle flatbread. It tastes good itself, but it tastes infinitely better if you add extra mozzarella, freshly grated.
This is a hidden gem from Trader Joe's. It's garlicky, soy sauce-based sauce has an Asian twist, giving the dish more umami flavor. The only downside is that it doesn't contain any protein, so I suggest adding your own. It pairs well with pork (bacon or pork belly slices taste heavenly) or chicken. Not so much with beef, for some reason. It'll also go well with various seafood, like shrimp or littleneck clams.
Trader Joe's does great rice-based frozen food menus, and I've been buying a lot of Kimbap and Jumeokbap lately.
This is from CupofTJ's Youtube channel, and she was taste-testing some of Trader Joe's frozen foods. She raved about Jumeokbap, and I totally agree how the rice has the perfect blend of seasoning. They're individually packaged, and they easily make a quick meal or a side dish.
CupofTJ gave a mediocre rating on the Kimbap, and I can see why. The Kimbap itself has too much rice and could use more meaty fillings. I, too, didn't get the hype at first. But it actually pairs well if you have any other main meat dish like bulgogi. And as frozen kimbaps go, it's well above average.