I Tried Trader Joe’s New Crispy Seaweed Bugak Snack, Here’s My Honest Review as a Seaweed Lover

Say what you want about Trader Joe’s, they take big swings—especially when it comes to snacks. The guys in TJ’s R&D are always hard at work inventing new flavor dusts for potato chips or distilling international dishes into snackable bites. The new Trader Joe’s snack we’re talking about today falls into the latter category. Get ready to hear all about Trader Joe’s Korean Bugak Sticky Rice and Seaweed Crisps. (Not the snappiest name, I’ll admit.)

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Before we get into the snacks, let’s talk about the inspiration. Bugak is served in Korea as a banchan (one of multiple little bites typically served before a meal). It’s traditionally made with dried seaweed or vegetables, coated in glutinous rice, and then fried. Trader Joe’s snackified version is made in the Republic of Korea by a supplier who, per TJ’s, “dries discs of combined seaweed and sticky rice for a whopping fifteen hours to ensure a light and well-puffed consistency once cooked.” The discs are fried then seasoned with sesame seeds, sugar, sea salt, onion powder, and kelp powder.

Sounds intriguing, but is it any good? Read on for my full review.

New Trader Joe’s Snack!

Trader Joe’s Korean Bugak Sticky Rice and Seaweed Crisps

Trader Joe’s

Pros: These thin seaweed crisps are crispy. They’re coated in a delicate batter and stay crunchy. The flavoring is complex—sometimes sweet, sometimes savory. They’re light enough that you can munch through a whole bag, easy (I did), but sturdy enough that you could use them as a base for an hors d’oeuvre. Trader Joe’s recommends scooping some spicy tuna or salmon onto them and I think that would absolutely rock. I also think you could totally serve a bowlful of these as part of a larger Korean-inspired meal, like a ‘lil crunchy banchan.

Cons: I wish these were a bit more saturated with flavoring. While I had zero problem polishing off a bag on a road trip (they’re a great road trip snack, btw), the crisps were a bit on the subtle side for my American palate. I think if they amped up the kelp powder and maybe it added some MSG, they’d have a real star snack on their hands. Also, I saw neither hide nor hair of the sesame seeds that are purportedly in the mix. Where they at?

Verdict: Will these end up in the Trader Joe’s snack hall of fame? No. But they’re a solid addition to the line-up with some fun usage possibilities. If you’re a regular Trader Joe’s shopper looking for something new to snack on, give these a try.

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

7/10

Sporks

About the Author

Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients. Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it. What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now). Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test! Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.