We Tried And Ranked A Ton Of Trader Joe's Heat-And-Eat Meals, From Frozen Chicken Tikka Masala To French Onion Mac And Cheese
Hi! I'm Hannah, and you might know this by now, but I'm a huge Trader Joe's fan.
In particular, I love Trader Joe's frozen food aisle. It's filled with products — both longstanding favorites and creative new twists — that I love keeping around for easy, no-frills meals. And best of all, you can make these heat-and-eat meals any time, anywhere with nothing more than a basic microwave.
The only problem? There are so many frozen options that it can be tough to figure out what is actually worth buying versus skipping on any given grocery trip.
So with the help of a panel of several hungry lunchers, I decided to host a taste test featuring 10 of the most popular Trader Joe's microwavable meals.
I steered away from other frozen foods like pizza and chicken nuggets because I wanted the meals to be totally microwave friendly. Think: meals you could heat up in your dorm room, at home, at the office, or even in an Airbnb kitchen. I also tried to select meals to satisfy different dietary restrictions such as vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free.
Before we get to the meals, let's meet the judges. I asked four of my colleagues to help me with the tasting: Ross, Abigail, Hannah M., and Tessa.
They ranged from every-now-and-then TJ's shoppers to fellow diehards.
And of course, there's me behind the scenes, taking bites of all the microwave meals between snapping photos and serving plates.
So without further ado, here's more information on each of the 10 meals we tried, plus our detailed tasting notes, ratings, and overall favorites — and least favorites. There were some definite surprises along the way.
Also, if we missed your favorite microwavable meal, leave it in the comments!
THE MEALS:
1. Trader Joe's Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings ($2.99)
These pork and ginger soup dumplings come with six per pack, and you can heat them up either in the microwave (which takes about three minutes total) or on the stove top with a steamer basket (slightly more intensive). TJ's also makes steamed chicken soup dumplings, which are the same basic idea with a different filling.
2. Trader Joe's Vegan Pad Thai ($3.49)
This single-serve portion of pad Thai heats up in the microwave in about five minutes. The protein in this vegetarian main is tofu, but it also happens to be vegan friendly.
3. Trader Joe's BBQ Teriyaki Chicken ($5.49)
This BBQ chicken teriyaki comes in a big freezer bag, which says it includes 3.5 servings. When you open the bag to microwave it, you'll see that the sauce comes in separate little packets that you pour onto the chicken once thawed, allowing you total control over how much sauce you want to use. While you could heat it up in the oven or even in the air fryer, the microwave is the easiest and quickest option (about six minutes is all you need).
4. Trader Joe's Chicken Tikka Masala ($3.99)
Trader Joe's sells this frozen chicken tikka masala over basmati rice and another larger, perishable version in the prepared food aisle. The rice and the chicken tikka masala are presented in two separate compartments with a divider so you can mix them together (preferable, of course) or eat them separately. It's worth noting that TJ's also sells a shrimp tikka masala and a vegan version. Just heat it in the microwave for three minutes, stir the chicken to move the sauce around, then heat for another two minutes, and enjoy.
5. Trader Joe's Mushroom Ravioli With Mushroom Truffle Sauce ($3.99)
This mushroom-filled ravioli in mushroom truffle sauce comes in a big bag that contains three servings. You'll find that when you empty the contents of the bag into a microwavable bowl that the sauce is frozen into solid chunks. All you have to do is heat it up covered for four minutes, remove it from the microwave to stir the contents, and then continue heating for another three minutes while stirring frequently.
6. Trader Joe's French Onion Macaroni & Cheese ($4.99)
Trader Joe's has no shortage of frozen mac 'n' cheese options from the beloved OG hatch chile to pizza mac and a plain old classic macaroni. But ever since this French onion soup mash-up hit shelves, people have been loving it. In fact, a cashier recently told me they have never seen a customer walk out with just one. Each tray supposedly contains 2.5 servings. You can make it in the oven, or you can heat it in the microwave for eight minutes.
7. Trader Joe's Mandarin Style Orange Chicken Bowl ($3.99)
If you've ever shopped at Trader Joe's (or maybe even if you haven't), you're probably aware of their famous Mandarin orange chicken. Customers vote it their favorite TJ's product time and time again. Well, this single serve Mandarin-style chicken bowl is a new iteration of the classic. It's supposedly the same breaded chicken pieces everyone loves served over fried rice and vegetables in the beloved orange ginger sauce. Like the OG, the sauce packet comes on the side, so you mix it in yourself. Just heat the bowl up for about five minutes before stirring in your desired amount of sauce.
8. Trader Joe's Outside-In Stuffed Gnocchi ($3.29)
Next up is the outside-in stuffed gnocchi. Its potato gnocchi filled with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce, aka everything you need for the perfect bite. While most TJ's microwave meals are self-sufficient and don't call for any additional ingredients, this bag suggests that you might want to toss the gnocchi in your favorite pasta sauce. While you could heat up the gnocchi in a pan with oil (and it probably gets crispier this way), you can also microwave it: zap it for four minutes, add your favorite sauce (or don't), and continue heating for two more minutes until totally warm throughout.
9. Trader Joe's Chicken Burrito Bowl ($3.49)
This single-serve chicken burrito bowl must be a popular item, because the frozen aisle is constantly running low on it every time I visit my local TJ's. It contains rice and quinoa at the base, and it's loaded with pieces of chicken, black beans, corn, peppers, and cheddar cheese. Just pop the bowl into the microwave, heat for five minutes, and voilà.
10. Trader Joe's Meat Lasagna ($6.99)
This meat lasagna is the only item I tested that isn't found in the frozen aisle. Rather, you can find it in the prepared food aisle. As such, it can be stored in the fridge instead of the freezer. According to the package directions, the tray of lasagna contains 2.5 servings. You can prepare it in the oven or in the microwave by heating it for about five minutes (though you might want to add an extra minute or two to make the cheese nice and bubbly).
OUR TASTING NOTES AND RATINGS:
(**Ranked from worst to best!)
TENTH PLACE: Mushroom Ravioli With Mushroom Truffle Sauce
If there's one real loser of this taste test, it's the mushroom ravioli. And sadly, it was a situation where the smell was totally misleading. Most of the tasters were excited to try the ravioli based on the enticing truffle smell. "I had high hopes for this because I love truffle and it smelled nice," said Hannah M. "But when it came to flavor, this was more or less tasteless."
Bland seemed to be the key word for this ravioli. "Bland, bland, bland. It smells like truffle, but it tastes like unseasoned mush," one taster said.
Abigail compared the ravioli to airplane food, which is extremely accurate IMO. It really does taste like the pasta you'd get on a long overseas flight, and you'd probably have two bites because you're starving and then realize you're better off sticking to wine and snacks.
Between the mushroom sauce and the slimy ravioli, this was a major no for some.
"The sauce tasted like cheap, watery gravy," Abigail added, "and the mushrooms and cheese filling wasn't particularly good either." Ross explained that the ravioli itself was mushy and the filling had no flavor. The worst part of all, though, were the tiny mushroom bits. "They tasted like foam, and they nearly made me gag. This gets a strong no from me," he added 👎.
Average rating: 2/10
The conclusion? It might seem difficult to mess up a microwavable pasta dish to such an extreme level, but Trader Joe's apparently really missed the mark here. And if you're one to be easily lured in by the promise of truffle flavor, you might want to think again before buying this meal.
NINTH PLACE: Mandarin Orange Chicken Bowl
Every year, Trader Joe's releases its list of customer's choice awards — and nearly every year the Mandarin orange chicken comes in first.
Just about all of the tasters had, at one point or another, tried the GOAT: Trader Joe's Mandarin orange chicken. So we were all seriously disappointed that this version — a single serve portion served over a pre-made rice and vegetables — so obviously missed the mark.
Most of the tasters complained that the Mandarin-style orange chicken bowl was too sweet. It's worth noting that the bowl comes with the sauce on the side so that you can add as much or as little as you like. BUT IMO, the sauce itself is very syrupy and could use more salty, umami flavors like sesame oil or soy sauce.
The biggest issue was with the bowl's consistency. "The chicken doesn't hold the flavor of the sauce well, and it's a bit sad and soggy," one person said.
Ross said that the flavors are good, but the microwave preparation almost ruins them. "I feel like there's a way to make this taste really good, and the microwave just isn't it. The chicken itself is begging to be baked or air-fried rather than microwaved, which makes it soggy. Altogether, it just feels like you're eating a bowl of mush," he said.
And as for the chicken itself, we all agreed that it tastes totally different from TJ's original Mandarin orange chicken that comes in a big bag. Maybe it has to do with the coating, but something is off here.
"I would honestly opt for the bag of Mandarin orange chicken from Trader Joe's any time...even if it is more work to prepare," Tessa declared. I completely agree. My advice: Buy a bag of the frozen Mandarin orange chicken and some frozen rice (or even better, fried rice), and assemble the bowl yourself.
Average rating: 4.4/10
It could be that we let our expectations get the best of us, and without the other TJ's Mandarin orange chicken to compare it to, this would have been more satisfying. But it's hard to replicate a favorite. 😔 Despite all that, it's worth mentioning that this felt like one of the more substantial, filling options out of all the microwavable meals we tried.
EIGHTH PLACE: Vegetable Pad Thai (Vegan)
Most of the tasters felt relatively neutral about this vegetable pad Thai. No one hated it, but no one loved it enough to really sing it praises. The one criticism that everyone shared is that the pad Thai is overly sweet. Whereas perfect pad Thai is a perfect combination of sweet, salty, and savory, this one was less balanced. "It was sweeter than I expected, and you really only get a little spice and savoriness in the aftertaste," Tessa reported.
Most of the tasters felt that the smell of this dish was better than the actual taste. Upon taking the first bite, they felt a bit deceived.
"The smell of this pad Thai is giving me life," Ross exclaimed. "The flavor, however, wasn't as awesome. It was a bit sweet without that salty bite to back it up, and the whole thing underwhelmed me," he added. Another critique was the ratio of tofu to noodles: There was very little tofu in this pad Thai. Most agreed that the texture of the tofu was really good, so they wanted more.
Another complaint was about the veggies. Personally, I would have loved some more vegetables in here to give it more texture and oomph; some peppers and carrots would have been much appreciated.
But all you really get are some chives and bean sprouts, which were an unappealing texture to some of the group. "The bean sprouts were so sad," Ross explained. "They were sort of crunchy but also not. And the green things (I *think* they were green onions?) were rubbery and tasted like something else."
Average rating: 4.6/10
The final verdict: This is perfectly acceptable for a quick lunch if you don't have much in your fridge or if you need to pack something for work, but it doesn't hold a candle to restaurant pad Thai. "It's a good price point, and it's a decent options for vegetarians and vegans," Hannah M. said. "But I'm a big fan of pad Thai normally, so I can be really picky."
"It's not a bad lunch option, but it just makes me crave a better restaurant pad Thai," Tessa explained.
SEVENTH PLACE: Chicken Burrito Bowl
This heat-and-eat burrito bowl was meh 😐, according to most of the tasters — not great, not terrible, fine if it's all you have in your freezer, but nothing to write home about. There was a consensus that the burrito bowl tasted pretty fresh and healthy, compared to most frozen meals. There were plenty of veggies, and you could actually taste them.
The most common criticism is that this meal just lacked flavor. "It's so bland," Tessa said. "The best part is the corn because it's the only part that tastes like anything."
Another said this meal would have gotten a much higher rating if only it had more salt and seasoning. A bit of salt, pepper, and hot sauce would do this frozen lunch wonders.
Hannah M., however, was a big fan: "I have this literally twice a week as long as I can make it to Trader Joe's. I don't love really spicy Mexican food, so this fits the bill. I love the texture and the quinoa and the ratio of peppers and corn and beans. I will admit the chicken could be better (it's sort of slippery), but it's an amazing deal for the price and a great lunch," she said. Hannah did mention that this probably wouldn't be a substantial enough meal to have for dinner, but you could always add some extras like guacamole or extra protein.
Average rating: 5/10
Personally, I think you could jazz this up into a decent meal, but it definitely needs some salt and some condiments (like my favorite TJ's jalapeño sauce). Most people appreciated the combination of rice and quinoa, which added good texture, and how the veggies are actually noticeable. Everyone agreed that the chicken was a bit strange and rubbery, which tends to be a trend when it comes to frozen food.
SIXTH PLACE: Meat Lasagna
This microwavable meat lasagna (found in the refrigerated and not the frozen aisle) was another of the most ~highly debated~ meals we tasted. It got 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 ratings from the five of us. Personally, I thought this was a good store-bought lasagna. There was lots of cheese that got nice and bubbly in the microwave, plenty of tomato sauce (I'm a big sauce person), and the meal is really substantive.
Those who didn't love the lasagna attributed it mostly to the seasoning. "There was a weird, almost licorice-y taste to the meat that I didn't like, and the sauce was too sweet. I also didn't like the herbs," Hannah M. commented.
Another taster agreed that the herb flavors taste like very pungent dried herbs and the sauce should be more savory. But those who enjoyed the lasagna had lots of praise for it: "For a microwave lasagna, this was definitely tasty. Most importantly, all of the layers blended together into a seamless meal," Ross said. Abigail said that a slice or two of this lasagna paired with a simple salad would be a totally satisfying dinner.
Average rating: 5.2/10
I think it's important to mention that since this lasagna isn't frozen, it's super easy to transport it to work or to school to heat up in the microwave without worrying about storage. Finally, some people had concerns about the $7 price tag, but IMO, the portion size was really generous. I think one could make two or three lunches out of one lasagna, or serve it to two hungry people for dinner.
FIFTH PLACE: Outside-In Stuffed Gnocchi
For the most part, the taste testers agreed that the outside-in stuffed gnocchi were creative, fun to eat, and tasty. "The gnocchi is nice and soft, and the filling is good, too. The flavors are basic flavors, but it's in an interesting form of pasta if you're tired of making spaghetti and sauce every night," Tessa explained.
Two people likened the stuffed gnocchi taste to pizza rolls, and Ross said, "The whole experience is sort of like eating really soft, tiny pizza rolls, which was confusing to me...but tasty."
All that being said, the group wasn't sure when you'd actually eat this dish. "These tasted really good. I mean, they're little soft balls of dough filled with cheesy marinara sauce — who wouldn't like that?" Abigail noted, "But I'm not convinced it can constitute a meal. They feel more like an appetizer. Personally, I'd rather eat a few and be done because they're too rich." The rest agreed that this felt more like a snack, side dish, or appetizer than a stand-alone meal.
Average rating: 6.2/10
Whereas most Trader Joe's frozen food contains everything you need for a complete meal, this one requires some additional sauce. "If I was going to give this gnocchi a second chance, I would definitely add marinara sauce as a topping because there wasn't enough filling in most of the balls to eat on its own," Abigail added.
I actually do think you could turn this into a meal by adding some vegetables (spinach, mushrooms — you name it) and tossing the gnocchi in olive oil and Parmesan, pesto, or tomato sauce.
FOURTH PLACE: French Onion Macaroni & Cheese
Interestingly, the panel of taste testers was strongly divided over this microwavable mac 'n' cheese. One taster gave it a 3 rating, while another gave it a 10/10, and the other three fell more in the upper-middle range. There was an overarching consensus that this was a very rich meal.
"Overall, this was incredibly rich, so I don't think I could eat it as a quick lunch," Tessa said. Another taster acknowledged that this was creamier than most other frozen mac 'n' cheese options.
The most divisive issue was clearly the French onion flavor. While some loved this mash-up of two comfort foods, others found it confusing.
"I expected the French onion taste to barely be there, but it was actually pretty strong, which I loved. It's SO good," Hannah M. exclaimed. But Ross complained that the French onion taste actually masked the cheesiness of the meal and made it fall flat. "The croutons were weird and mushy, and the onions were crunchy and unpleasant," Ross said.
One prevalent critique was about the croutons. I see what Trader Joe's was trying to do here — giving the macaroni 'n' cheese that soggy bread component like French onion soup — but IMO, it didn't really work.
Everyone agreed that the croutons became much too soggy and the whole meal would have benefited without them. People also had qualms with the texture of the onions. "The onions were an odd texture, but I still wish there was more of a caramelized onion flavor," Tessa said. And finally, there's the issue of presentation: "This mac 'n' cheese looked lumpy and goopy as opposed to rich and creamy, but upon taking a bite I liked the texture," added Hannah M.
Average rating: 7/10
Given the varied opinions of our group, I have a few takeaways. If you're a mac 'n' cheese purist, you're probably going to find that this French onion soup version is a bit too far out there for you. You might not enjoy the unusual flavors and texture.
But if you're down to experiment with different flavor combinations, this might just be your new favorite frozen mac. Given how rich this is, you could also probably stretch it into two meals and serve it up with a salad or veggie side.
THIRD PLACE: BBQ Teriyaki Chicken
If there's one lesson we learned from the teriyaki chicken, it's that you can't judge a book by its cover (or you can't judge frozen food by it's appearance). Visually, this was not one of the more appealing meals. 🤢
One taster even went so far as to say it looks absolutely horrible. But most of the group absolutely loved the taste.
"It looks sooo unappetizing, which could easily turn some people off, but I give the taste and texture a 10/10," Ross explained. "It was the perfect mix of sweet, salty, and it's a really easy thing to keep in the freezer for an easy weeknight meal with some steamed broccoli and rice," he added.
One thing that separated this from the rest of the frozen meals is the quality of the chicken itself. Whereas the group agreed that most frozen chicken is an undesirable texture, this teriyaki chicken was in a league of its own.
"This was definitely the best chicken of any of the meals we tried. It was really moist, not rubbery, and there were no sketchy bits. I think I might even start keeping a few bags in my freezer!" Abigail announced. Everyone agreed that the sauce had a great flavor — just the right amount of thickness and sweetness.
Despite the delicious flavor, there is a catch: Everyone agreed that this chicken doesn't really work for a stand-alone meal.
That being said, it would make for a really great weeknight dinner served with rice and a vegetable like some steamed broccoli. "You definitely need something else with it, but you could make a great little meal with this. I'm thinking stir-fry," Hannah M. said.
Average rating: 8/10
So the moral of the story is don't be deterred by the slightly ungodly sight of this frozen chicken. Blindfold yourself while you eat if you have to, because this whole group agreed that this meal is a great buy.
SECOND PLACE: Chicken Tikka Masala
About half of the group said they have at some point (or frequently) bought this frozen meal for dinner. The highlight of the dish for almost everyone was the sauce: It gives lots of flavor to the rice, keeps the chicken nice and moist, and it's plentiful. Tessa pointed out that the sauce, while delicious, is much more mild than most tikka masalas.
My only qualm with this frozen meal (and others agreed) is that while it's a satisfying portion size for lunch, it's a bit skimpy to call it dinner. "If I were having this for dinner, I'd want to pair this with a veggie side of some sort to make it more substantial," Abigail said.
Those who hadn't tried the chicken tikka masala before were very pleasantly surprised. "I REALLY like this one. The chicken was seriously tender, and I was truly so shocked. The spices were also on point, and I was pleasantly surprised that the rice wasn't mushy at all," Ross said.
Everyone agreed that the chicken itself was much higher quality than most other frozen chicken meals.
Average rating: 8.4/10
Overall, everyone agreed that this is a great frozen meal that they would not hesitate to buy again. 🤤 And for under $4, all agreed it was an excellent bargain. Just keep in mind that the portion size might be better for lunch than for dinner, and if you're eating it for dinner you might want to bulk it up with veggies or naan.
FIRST PLACE: Steamed Pork & Ginger Soup Dumplings
The most loved microwave meal we tried was...the steamed pork and ginger soup dumplings! These come in a pack of six, and they need just about two minutes in the microwave to fully heat up.
Full disclosure, these weren't the most ~stable~ soup dumplings in the world, and some of the broth came out while plating them. That being said, I'd give them an A+ for microwavable dumplings. My biggest critique is that these should really come with a dipping sauce. I love how xiaolongbao usually come with a vinegar-y soy sauce that perfectly complements the rich, fatty dumpling, and that addition would have taken these to the next level.
The group unanimously loved the taste of these, but there are some caveats to consider if you're thinking of buying them.
First, there's the portion size. Almost everyone agreed that these alone don't really constitute a full dinner. "On its own, these wouldn't make up a whole meal for me," Hannah M. reported. "But I 100% think these are a great appetizer or side dish with dinner."
Abigail suggested that while these would make a perfectly satisfying lunch, you might want to pair them with some veggies and/or protein for dinner. One person said they would buy these again, but more likely for a snack than for a meal. Personally, I buy these soup dumplings often and serve them as a side dish paired with other Asian-inspired dishes like stir-fry or sesame noodles.
Also, these soup dumplings aren't extremely soupy, but that didn't necessarily bother anyone.
In fact, one taster actually said the minimal broth was a selling point: "Sometimes an overly brothy soup dumpling frustrates me, but these I really enjoyed. The flavor was really nice, and I loved the ginger."
"They're not very soupy, but they are very tasty dumplings. And they're perfectly bite-sized," Abigail explained. "I wouldn't call it a SOUP dumpling, but it's a solid dumpling," Tessa added.
Average rating: 9.6/10
These soup dumplings were an overwhelming favorite. 🥟🥟🥟 Everyone found these to be delicious, high-quality, and a great texture for microwavable dumplings. "I loved the fresh, gingery flavor of the broth and well-seasoned meat filling. Plus, I really enjoyed the chewy dumpling itself. I could definitely eat more of these," Ross raved. The only down side is that they are probably more appropriate as part of a meal rather than the main, stand-alone event.
