20 Best Trader Joe’s Recipes

The best thing about these Trader Joe’s recipes is that almost all of them consist of ready-made products.

That could be their fantastic sweet potato gnocchi or their delicious cauliflower tabbouleh! 

Of course, I have some great homemade recipes here too. Have you tried Trader Joe’s pancake bread? I can’t recommend it enough!

I’ve been shopping at TJ’s for so long, and it never ceases to amaze me how many unique products they come out with.

It’s a wonderful place to look when you need something hearty and vegan. 

It’s also great for fresh and colorful food, not to mention their fabulous cookie butter!

Even if you’ve never set foot in the store, I know you’ll find a few new faves on this list of 20 Trader Joe’s recipes!

1. Trader Joe’s Potsticker Stir-Fry

Yes, you read that right. Potsticker stir fry!

Made with just three ingredients, this is the definition of an easy weeknight dinner.

You’ll need a container of Trader Joe’s Asian-style vegetable stir-fry, some gyoza potstickers, and soyaki for the sauce.

Feel free to add more to that. But it’s spot on as it is!

2. Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi With Onions, Peas, and Turkey Bacon

I’m a massive fan of gnocchi, but there’s no denying it can be a little heavy.

That’s why my mouth dropped when I first tried Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi!

You’ll get the same lovely, dense texture, but instead of starchy potatoes, it’s all veggies! Is there anything cauliflower can’t do?

Feel free to leave out the bacon if you want this veggie-friendly, but then I suggest adding something like roasted red peppers to replace the saltiness you’ll lose. 

3. 3-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Dinner: Tomato Soup with Stuffed Gnocchi and Spinach

What makes this so fantastic? Well, not only is it insanely delicious, but all you’ll need are three simple, ready-to-eat ingredients!

Trader Joe’s tomato soup is creamy and perfectly balanced between acidic and mellow.

You’ll add their tomato and mozzarella stuffed gnocchi, along with a generous helping of spinach to the pot, and 10 minutes later, you’ll have a hearty tomato soup.

4. Easy Wonton Soup

I love a good broth, full of deep flavors, noodles, and plenty of leafy greens.

In this recipe, instead of noodles, you’ll add chicken cilantro wontons for an even more filling meal. 

Again, this soup can be ready in a matter of minutes, and it’s pretty easy to modify to your own liking. 

If you’re not a mushroom lover, try some water chestnuts or bean sprouts for a touch of crunch.

5. Tortellini Soup With Only 3 Ingredients

Trader Joe’s make a sensational vodka sauce, and it’s so good; I don’t mind that it’s not homemade. 

Essentially, you’ll water the sauce down until it’s at your desired soup consistency. Y

ou’ll then cook the tortellini right in the pot with the spinach until everything is tender and piping hot!

6. Japanese Fried Rice with Edamame, Tofu, and Hijiki Seaweed 枝豆とひじきのチャーハン

I’ll happily eat fried rice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. It’s filling, versatile, and this version is gluten-free and vegan!

You can buy this ready-made in Trader Joe’s, but it is a bit sweeter than this homemade recipe.

That’s because it contains mirin, sugar, soy sauce, sake, and sesame oil. 

I recommend following this recipe and then adjusting to taste once you have the sauce made.

7. Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Trader Joe’s balsamic glaze is tangy, colorful, and saves so much time in the kitchen. Plus, it will make your roasted Brussel sprouts sing!

Roasting your sprouts will give them great crunch and deepen their flavor, and the glaze will make them impossible to resist. 

A nice addition to this would be to add some breadcrumbs to the veggies for even more texture.

I like to toss my sprouts in oil and then seasoned breadcrumbs before scattering them over my tray. Some onions wouldn’t be out of place either!

8. Cacio e Pepe Ravioli

Given that cacio and pepe mean “cheese” and “pepper,” respectively, how could you not get excited about this ravioli?

You’ll need Pecorino Romano for the most authentic flavor, but the Trader Joe’s cacio e pepe ravioli package does all the hard work here. 

I love the inclusion of some salty prosciutto and crisp sweetcorn for beautiful pops of color. 

9. Trader Joe’s Vegetable Fried Rice (with Asian Ginger Sauce)

Trader Joe’s fried rice is something I always have on hand, and it makes a sensational quick meal with some leftover meat and a fried egg on top!

This vegetarian-friendly dish adds cabbage and corn for extra substance, along with a tasty ginger sauce.

It’s made using soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger paste, onion powder, and garlic. 

If you want to make your own fried rice, just make up a batch of rice and keep it in the fridge.

It needs to be cold and added to the pan once you’ve fried off your veggies.

10. Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Gnocchi Dinner

The cauliflower gnocchi is amazing, but this sweet potato gnocchi is on another level!

Not only is it stunning on the plate, but it adds so much flavor without any extra work from you!

This super simple recipe is made in the oven, roasting everything together on one tray to save you time on dishes. 

This method will leave your gnocchi with a lovely crust, which I just love.

Most of the time, they’re soft and dense, so this makes a nice change.

11. Mind-Blowing, Three-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Lentil Salad

You’ll need three ready-made ingredients to make this super fast and tasty salad: one tub each of Trader Joe’s bruschetta sauce and crumbled feta and one box of cooked lentils.

If you’re not a lentil lover, I dare say this recipe will change your mind. But if you’re adamant, try using quinoa, couscous, or orzo, instead.

12. Better than Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Pancakes

Trader Joe’s pancakes are big, fluffy, rise beautifully, and taste phenomenal. So to be better, you’ll have to work pretty hard, right?

Nope! This recipe is so straightforward. You’ll just need to remember not to over-mix anything.

That’s the key. Lumps are your friend in this case. 

Cook your pancakes on one side, without moving them, until you see bubbles forming.

Flip them over until they come away from the pan easily.

13. Trader Joe’s Pancake Bread Copycat Recipe

If you’ve never tried it, I’m sure you’re wondering what exactly “pancake bread” is.

It’s more or less pancake-flavored quick bread. It’s sweet, light, super moist, and has a lovely maple syrup flavor.

Because of the amount of crumb on top, you’ll need to bake this low and slow. It will be a little dense but super flavorful and tender. 

14. Cauliflower Tabbouleh

Traditional tabbouleh is made with bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, onion, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice.

It’s gluten-free, vegan, and pretty darn healthy to boot!

This version subs out the bulgar for cauliflower, which is a little easier to get and prepare.

It also makes this totally raw and perfect for certain diets.

Though it’s vegan, I like to serve this with grilled chicken and a dollop of hummus!

15. Spicy Maple Candied Pecans

Candied nuts are a big deal in my house.

They’re the perfect little snack and are usually healthier than chips with added flavor or crunch.

But I don’t always have the patience to caramelize the sugar.

This recipe, though, is something I’d happily make daily! Plus, it’s dangerously easy!

They’re sweet, spicy, and sprinkled with sea salt for a perfect finish.

All you’ll need to do is toss your nuts in maple syrup, cayenne, and sea salt before baking. 

16. Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash Zig Zags

These look just like crinkle-cut fries, only they’re made with butternut squash and sprinkled with cinnamon. 

Trader Joe’s sells these babies ready to bake, and they’re a fantastic kid-friendly option to help get them to eat their veggies. 

17. Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chip Cookie

Trader Joe’s semi-sweet chocolate chips are perfect for cookies!

They’re just the right amount of sweet and bitter, and they melt beautifully. 

This recipe is a sure-fire way of achieving the coveted firm edges with a chewy and soft center.

The trick is to bake for 9 minutes exactly and then pop the tray under your extractor fan. 

This helps them cool down and stop the residual heat from the tray cooking the middle any more than you want. 

18. Trader Joe’s Mac & Cheese Copycat Recipe

I was amazed at how good Trader Joe’s frozen mac and cheese was – creamy, dreamy, and crazy-cheesy!

Still, there’s something so special about making your own.

The best part being you can change up the cheeses you use, making it different every time!

This recipe calls for white cheddar, Havarti, Gouda, and Swiss cheese, all of which need to be bought in blocks so you can grate them yourself. 

This combo works wonders and makes a lovely light sauce.

I’ve also made it with smoky cheeses and even a little Brie for something even richer.

19. Sheet Pan Pizza with Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough

We love to make pizza at home, but you have to be prepared if you want the dough from scratch.

Needless to say, I’m not usually that far ahead in my day!

That’s why I love Trader Joe’s ready-made pizza dough. All you’ll need to do is roll it out and cover it in your favorite toppings. 

I’m a BBQ chicken lover – using leftover chicken, red onion, and sun-dried tomatoes. Or you can keep it simple with some marinara and cheese. 

20. Balela Salad

This bean salad is perfect for something hearty and light to go along with your lunch or as a BBQ side dish. 

The main ingredients are chickpeas, black beans, fresh tomatoes, mint, and parsley, but there’s also a lovely tangy dressing to go along with it. 

I also like to add cherry tomatoes and raw red onion for some peppery crunch!