This Trader Joe’s Risotto Is BRAND New and We Tried It

I’m a big fan of the Trader Joe’s frozen section. While I do love to cook, I’m also a lazy person. So being able to buy something in a bag and heat it all up in one pot—no muss, no fuss—is a godsend. That being said, maybe not everything out of a bag is a good idea. Trader Joe’s orange chicken? Of course. Trader Joe’s risotto? Now that might be pushing it. But making risotto is a laborious task, so maybe the convenience can make Trader Joe’s Risotto Semplice worth a buy.

Trader Joe’s Risotto Semplice—which joins TJ’s Mushroom Risotto in the freezer section—is brand new. When we bought it earlier this week, it had JUST been put out. It’s not even on their website yet so we can’t regale you with the extended flowery description, but the bag describes it as “creamy Italian risotto made with Carnaroli rice.” If you were wondering, “semplice” just means “simple.” So is this new Trader Joe’s risotto simple…and good? We tried it to find out.

New Product!

Trader Joe’s Risotto Semplice

Pros: Listen. Trader Joe’s risotto isn’t going to put your nonna out of a job in the kitchen, but it’s a quick shortcut to pretty good risotto. It’s satisfyingly cheesy in a way that really lingers on your tongue, and the rice cooks up perfectly tender so you feel each grain. Now admittedly, I don’t think many people get a craving for risotto too often. However, as a fan of both cheese and carbs, I get a hankering more often than I’d care to admit. So sure, I could see myself grabbing this again if I’m in Trader Joe’s and I need a side dish for the week.

Cons: There’s a certain something that’s lacking here. My soul is telling me it’s the love that goes into making a pot of risotto from scratch. But to put it in quantifiable terms, I’d say that it’s all just a little off. The flavor is lacking a little depth. It’s a little too gloopy. But it’s a bag of risotto that you can pull straight from the freezer and dig into in seven minutes, so I’ll cut Trader Joe’s a little slack.

Rating:

8/10

Sporks