Trader Joe’s Indian food is a staple. We don’t all have incredible Indian restaurants nearby, and we certainly don’t all have the skills needed to make our own Indian food at home (nor the correctly stocked spice racks). Luckily, there’s Trader Joe’s frozen Indian food and Indian bread and Indian sauce and curry! But is it all good?
I tasted 23 different items of Trader Joe’s Indian fare. I cleared out the frozen section and scoured the condiments, breads, and even snacks to find them all. Over the course of two days, the Sporked team (a team of Indian food-loving eaters) tasted and assessed each and every item, ranking them from so-so to spectacular. Keep this list handy the next time you wade into the ever-growing sea of Trader Joe’s Indian food.
- Yellow Tadka Dal
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Out of all the Trader Joe’s Indian food we tried, their pouches of sides were the most disappointing. And, as a dal lover, I was particularly let down by this one. It tasted like spice and grass and nothing else. It didn’t have seasoning or really any actual flavor—just spice.
Related: Best Trader Joe’s Dips
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Tikka Vegetables
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These microwavable spiced vegetables taste like a Christmas store—like potpourri. Once again, Trader Joe’s has missed the mark on seasoning.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Tikka Masala Curry Sauce
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As you’ll soon read, we loved many Trader Joe’s curry dishes. But the curry sauce? It’s just not great. It should be rich and savory, but instead it’s bitter and little bit sour. Just bottle the stuff you use in your frozen meals, TJ’s!
Credit: Merc
- Kitchari
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I guess if you’re sick this could be comforting. But this take on the rice and dal dish is, once again, severely lacking in any flavor.
Related: Best Trader Joe’s Groceries
Credit: Merc
- Vegetable Biryani
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Usually, the rice is one of the best parts of a Trader Joe’s Indian meal, but this rice dish was dry and crumbly. That said, the dumplings are a fun addition and very good—nicely seasoned, tender, savory. “I would buy a bag of those if they just sold those,” said senior staff writer Jordan Myrick. Are you listening, Trader Joe’s?
Credit: Merc
- Garlic Indian Style Flatbread
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There’s. No. Garlic! I could not tell the difference between this one and the plain one. It’ll do in a pinch, but there’s better Trader Joe’s Indian bread out there.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Organic Garlic Naan Crackers
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Once again, there’s not enough garlic flavor! These are good crackers. They’re crispy and flaky and very nice on a charcuterie board. But when a package advertises “garlic,” I want to taste that stinky bulb.
Related: Every Trader Joe’s Bread, Ranked
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Indian Style Flatbread
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If you can’t find the frozen naan (more on that later), this Trader Joe’s Indian bread will do the trick. It’s fine. It’s decent bread. It’s not really naan-ish but it’ll scoop up rice and curry.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Madras Lentils
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This was the best of the bagged, microwaveable Indian sides. It’s a touch sweet, making it taste sort of like baked beans but with the texture of chili. It’s a little bit one note, but it’d be a fine side or good on a baked potato.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Paneer Tikka Masala
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The paneer is good, the sauce is tangy and spicy. But the rice mixed with spinach is a letdown. It almost tastes like alfalfa because the spinach is pureed so finely. All in all, it tastes disjointed, like it shouldn’t go together.
Related: How to Save Money at Trader Joe’s
Credit: Merc
- Organic Naan Crackers
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These actually taste like they’re spread with a thin layer of ghee, just like naan—how cool is that? They taste like if a water cracker and a Ritz had a baby. A crunchy, buttery baby. And they’re shaped to look like naan. So cute! But because they don’t really satisfy any classic Indian food cravings, they fall in the middle of the pack. Still, you should get them for your next cheese board.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Mini Vegetable Samosas
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These came in at number three in our best Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers ranking thanks to their surprisingly potent spice level, crispy outside, and hearty vegetarian filling of potato and peas. They are lacking in salt, but they’re still satisfying and they will fill out a meal of Trader Joe’s Indian fare nicely.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Vegan Tikka Masala
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Jordan loves this vegan meal—but they also admit it’s not the best example of Trader Joe’s frozen Indian food. It tastes a LOT like the textured wheat protein used as the mock meat, so if you like that, you’ll probably like this dish, too. But the texture is nice and tender—not too springy. And the flavor is sweet and buttery. It needs hot sauce and a side of yogurt for some tang, but if you’re eating vegetarian, you’ll be satisfied.
Related: Every Trader Joe’s Coffee, Ranked
Credit: Merc
- Spicy Chakri Mix
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There are so many fun shapes in this snack mix: long jaggedy crunchies that are ultra savory, little crispy shreds, tiny balls, and peanuts. It’s spicy but not crazy spicy—there’s just enough to give your tongue something to think about. It made number four on our best snack mix ranking, but it’s also found a spot on my regular Trader Joe’s shopping list.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Frozen Tandoori Naan
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If you’re looking for the best Trader Joe’s Indian bread, head to the frozen section. After a quick bake in the toaster oven, the frozen naan is soft on the inside, crispy on the outside, and perfect for sopping up sauce. There’s no coating of ghee, but that’s okay. The charred bubbles make up for it.
Credit: Merc
- Fiery Chicken Curry
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Labeled a “Goan-inspired recipe,” this curry is tangy, fruity, and a little funky. It’s definitely spicy but I wouldn’t call it “fiery.” I think you can handle it. It’s very different from what you typically get from a frozen Indian entree. And the rice is great—super flavorful thanks to the addition of turmeric. You definitely should give this a try.
Related: Best Trader Joe’s Cheeses
Credit: Merc
- Chicken Tikka Samosas
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The runners-up in our best Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers ranking, these chicken-packed parcels are totally unique to TJ’s. “I would eat 400 of these at a party,” said managing editor Gwynedd Stuart. They’re savory and deliciously spicy—it really creeps up on you. My only critique is that they are a bit mushy inside, so make sure to get them super crispy on the outside. Air fry up a few batches of these for your next party.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Frozen Garlic Naan
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Finally, the garlicky flavor I’ve been looking for and it is so good—well worth the wait. The minced garlic bits taste fresh and potent, and there are herbs, too, for even more zesty flavor. It has everything I loved about the plain frozen naan but with the added benefit of being totally loaded with garlic. This is the best Trader Joe’s Indian bread for sure.
Credit: Merc
- Lamb Vindaloo
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I don’t think any of us thought frozen lamb curry would be a hit but it really blew our socks off. The meat is shockingly good. It’s tender with lots of slightly gamey lamb flavor. It doesn’t taste like it was frozen—it tastes like it’s been braising away on the stove. The curry has good heat (it is spicy, for sure) and lots of savory flavor. And the basmati rice is wonderful, with little pops of what I think are mustard seeds. My only complaint is that I wish there was more meat!
Related: All the Trader Joe’s Beer, Ranked
Credit: Merc
- Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice
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We put Trader Joe’s butter chicken up against a restaurant’s butter chicken and it more than held its own. The chicken is very good—perfectly cooked with a fresh, meaty flavor. And the sauce is super creamy without being overly indulgent, tempered by the tang of tomato. But the rice is really the star. It’s fluffy but each individual grain is still firm enough. I have never cooked rice so well in my life. But why should I try when I can just microwave this?
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Palak Paneer
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Saag paneer is my go-to when we order Indian takeout at home, so I was excited to try Trader Joe’s palak paneer. (If you were wondering, saag paneer can be made with any leafy green while palak paneer is always made with spinach.) And I am delighted to say that it is so good. It has a hint of heat (just enough to keep you coming back), the paneer is squeaky but still creamy, and the spinach is deeply flavorful and complex. If only it came with rice!
Credit: Merc
- Chicken Tikka Masala
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This is the best Trader Joe’s Indian food to zap in the microwave and enjoy in front of some shlocky TV show. Or, you know, you could also eat it with your family. But to me, it screams solo dining indulgence. The sauce is thick and savory with a hint of spice. The chicken tastes like real, actual chicken. And the rice is, once again, *chef’s kiss.*
Related: Best Trader Joe’s Seasonings
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Channa Masala
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This frozen Trader Joe’s Indian food dish doesn’t come with rice, but you don’t even need it. It’s that satisfying. The chickpeas are whole and firm, but give way to creamy innards. The sauce is spiced and aromatic and so perfectly balanced between salty, acidic, and sweet. It really tastes like something you would get from a restaurant. And there’s just a hint of spice on the end—nothing too intense—so almost anyone can enjoy it. If you’ve been passing this by because you thought, “How good can chickpeas really be?” This is your sign to pick up a box. Because it turns out chickpeas can be really, really good.
Credit: Merc
Yellow Tadka Dal
Tikka Vegetables
Tikka Masala Curry Sauce
Kitchari
Vegetable Biryani
Garlic Flatbread
Garlic Naan Crackers
Indian Style Flatbread
Madras Lentils
Paneer Tikka Masala
Organic Naan Crackers
Mini Vegetable Samosas
Vegan Tikka Masala
Spicy Chakri Mix
Frozen Tandoori Naan
Fiery Chicken Curry
Chicken Tikka Samosas
Frozen Garlic Naan
Lamb Vindaloo
Butter Chicken
Palak Paneer
Chicken Tikka Masala
Channa Masala
I hope you add Baingan Bharta to this list sometime! I was skeptical of an eggplant entree, but it’s really full of flavor and just a little spice. Another TJ’s Indian food win in my book.
I haven’t been able to find any of the frozen Indian food products for months. Your tally is correct though. The garlic naan and channa masala WERE excellent.
Trader Joe’s Indian food has been a terrible disappointment, worse now than it used to be because almost every Indian food item has canola oil which not only tastes bad but is very unhealthy for the intestines.