5 Trader Joe’s Items That Deserve Every Bit of the Hype

There’s plenty to love at Trader Joe’s — after all, this anything-but-typical grocery store is filled to the brim with one-of-a-kind gems you can’t pick up anywhere else. It’s where I head to stock up on high-quality frozen meals like the classic Mandarin Orange Chicken and Mac & Cheese or pick up budget-friendly but decadent treats like Mini Sheet Cakes and oversized, thick-chunk cookies.

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But some Trader Joe’s releases achieve cult status and become icons in their own right (and unfortunately disappear from store shelves far too quickly every time they’re restocked). Below, I’ve rounded up five of those items that absolutely deserve their hype — so plan to get your hands on them the next time you’re shopping.

Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings

If you have yet to try the Steamed Chicken Soup Dumplings from Trader Joe’s, let me tell you just how much you’re missing out. They’re an effortless meal, sure. But more importantly, they’re downright incredible, and I always have a hard time picking up fewer than four boxes when I’m in store.

Customers on Reddit agree, summing these dumplings up as “fire” and making bold claims like, “I’ll die on this hill, but the TJ Chicken Soup Dumplings are something I buy 10 of at a time.” They’re amazingly flavored on their own, but if you finish them off with a touch of soy sauce and rice vinegar, they’ll become even more irresistible.

Don’t love chicken? TJ’s also offers vegetable and pork and ginger versions you can pick up and try. While the veggie option tends to be the least exciting of the bunch, these soup dumplings are never a bad choice.

Chicken Tikka Masala

I’m not even a big tikka masala fan, but Trader Joe’s frozen Chicken Tikka Masala is well-deserving of all of the hype customers send its way. This is an icon in the TJ’s freezer section for good reason. Just take it from one customer, who described it as “Nice and juicy [chicken chunks]. Fresh, not mushy Basmati rice. Flavorful cream sauce that’s not really oily.”

And that’s just a basic description of this easy-to-heat and wonderfully-flavored meal. Others call it “really tasty” and make statements like “My Trader Joe’s might have the worst parking lot in the United States, but this is worth it!”

Ultimately, if you’re looking for an excellent frozen entree and love yourself some quality Indian food, TJ’s version slaps. Pair it with some of TJ’s own Garlic Naan, and you’ve got yourself an ever better combo meal.

Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice

I mentioned that Trader Joe’s is home to quality Indian food above, and that’s why the frozen Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice is also on this list. This is a dish shoppers absolutely love, and it deserves its high marks and internet hype. With a generous portion of well-seasoned and nicely-sauced chicken plus Basmati rice that turns out perfectly every time, it’s worthy of taking up space in your freezer.

According to customers who love this Butter Chicken, it’s “simply delicious” and “gets a solid A+ rating” thanks to its “generous portion… Excellent proportion of rice to meat to sauce.” Other shoppers who love picking up say they’re “obsessed” with it, especially when it’s paired with TJ’s Garlic Naan (yep, just like the Tikka Masala).

Worried about how rich this Butter Chicken might be? Just take it from a TJ’s fan who says, “The Butter Chicken is around 400 calories for the whole thing but tastes like a million.” That accurately sums up why it’s such a satisfying meal all around.

Organic Riced Cauliflower

Think frozen riced cauliflower sounds like an absolutely terrible item? Well, if you’re picking it up at Trader Joe’s, it’s actually not. Cauliflower’s moment passed years ago (remember all those inescapable homemade cauliflower crust pizzas?), but the frozen Organic Riced Cauliflower hasn’t disappeared just yet. And that’s because it’s a simple item that’s both versatile and deserving of its hype.

Served solo, TJ’s frozen riced cauliflower is nothing special; it tastes perfectly like cauliflower. But it’s a side dish that can quickly be turned into a main, and it’s also incredibly filling and plenty tasty once mixed with sauce, spices, or even other TJ’s frozen foods. Shoppers love it — one called it “my beloved” and another says it’s “one of my favorite lunches.”

Why is it such a staple? Well, as customers suggest, you can pair it with anything. Made it a base for other frozen TJ’s picks like the Chicken Cilantro Dumpings or Beefless Bulgogi. Pair it with a fried egg and your go-to meat. Or turn it into a casserole, using the cauliflower in place of actual rice (which is one of my favorite methods).

Soy Chorizo

Here’s another highly-hyped Trader Joe’s product that’s plenty worthy: TJ’s offers a Soy Chorizo, or a meatless spin on spicy chorizo sausage that’s surprisingly delicious. You might not even miss meat once you give this “soyrizo” a try.

Found in Trader Joe’s product aisle, the Soy Chorizo is, according to shoppers, plenty spicy and great at infusing any dish with a hit of extra flavor. It is, per one customer, “so good [but] does have a lot of sodium” which I say only lends some authenticity to the faux sausage feel here.

You can put “soyrizo” to work in everything from tacos and stuffed peppers to carbonara sauces and breakfast hash. Alternatively, you can add it to breakfast scrambles and mix it into eggs or use it in place of traditional sausage in dishes like baked zito. Eggs and tortillas are one of the easiest breakfast pairings, and it’s likely one that’ll have you believing the “soyrizo” hype ASAP.