If you’re lucky enough to live near a Trader Joe’s, then you know that its becoming a destination for vegan foods. Of course, Trader Joe’s carries lots of all the fruits and veggies we love, but I will not apologize for the real reason I usually shop there— vegan prepared foods! Of course, my goal of eating and cooking everything as un-prepared and un-processed and as WFPB as possible, but we all need a little vegan help from our friends sometimes! Don’t judge me—at least not until you see some of the yummy items I scouted at my local Trader Joe’s for our beautiful plant-based readers.
But first, another important bit of news is that Amazon carries Trader Joe’s products! So if you’re too far from a store or can’t get there, here’s a link that will bring you closer to some very useful vegan items!
Amazon Vegan Trader Joe’s Items–Order Online!
The highlights from this week’s fun visit to my local Trader Joe’s:
Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale, Cashew and Basil Pesto
- Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale, Cashew and Basil Pesto Revolutionizing vegan pesto everywhere, this product is a lifesaver for those of us pesto-lovers who don’t always want to make vegan pesto from scratch in the food processor. The cheese in pesto sauce is what usually makes it un-vegan and this one uses cashews to create that essential cheesy texture and flavor. Anyone with a nut allergy needs to stay clear of this one. As we’ve learned, unconventional ingredients have been cropping up in pesto recipes, for example green peas and avocado, so alittle punch of kale is a nice addition!
Trader Ming’s Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower
2. Trader Ming’s Kung Pao Tempura Cauliflower Products using cauliflower have exploded on the market and Trader Joe’s tempts with this convenient frozen bag of cauliflower florets, tempura-batter dipped, which is baked in the oven. The kung pao sauce packet is separate and, once warmed and tossed in with the cauliflower, creates a zippy big bang in every bite.
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Fried Rice
3. Trader Joe’s Vegetable Fried Rice This is a staple in my freezer for those nights when I don’t have the time to make rice from scratch. Plus it has a nice assortment of veggies in it: carrots, edamame, corn, peas, leeks and red pepper. The rice has a very slight soy sauce and sesame oil coating and cooks up really fast! It’s a great complement to the Kung Pao Cauliflower!
Miyoko’s Creamery European Style Cultured VeganButter
4. Miyoko’s Creamery European Style Cultured VeganButter Miyoko’s Creamery products have been achieving a sort of cult status in popularity, so I was delighted to see her vegan butter in Trader Joe’s! Since almost everything you’ll find in a Trader Joe’s is emblazoned with the Trader Joe’s brand, I thought it was quite unusual to find another brandname product there and I grabbed this immediately. The flavor, texture and behavior while cooking astounded my senses by how identical it was to European dairy butter. Made mostly of organic coconut oil and organic cashews, it remains a mystery as to how Miyoko does it, but she does it!
Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend
5. Trader Joe’s Everything But the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend My favorite bagels are completely covered and smothered with seeds of all varieties. I even brazenly ask for a little cup of the mixture of seeds laying at the bottom of the rack where the “everything” bagels sit waiting to be purchased for sprinkling on the inside of my bagel. Everytime I asked for that, why didn’t I think of bottling this amazing confluence of flavors myself? When I saw that Trader Joe’s read my mind and decided to offer this simple yet brilliant jar of magic, I was thrilled because this is such a versatile blend to have in your pantry! Forgetting about bagels for a second, “Everything but the Bagel” is great on all potato dishes, squash and many other vegetables, avocado toast, hummus…and so much more!
Tofurky Original Italian Vegan Sausage
6. Tofurky Original Italian Vegan Sausage Another non-Trader Joe’s brand item, this Tofurky sausage truly tastes like the real thing, redolent with all the spices and aroma of an Italian dish. Whether cooked on the bbq, in tomato sauce or sauteed on it own, the bold flavor does perk up pasta, rice dishes and sandwiches.
Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Pizza Crust
7.Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Pizza Crust Gluten-free and vegan, this blank canvas is ready to painted on with anything and everything you’d like! The consistency of this cauliflower crust is delicious and interesting—it’s not quite as bread-y or as firm as a traditional crust made from regular flour or gluten free flour. I cooked it a bit longer than the instructions called for and came out with a crunchy and very tasty crust. Then I topped it with sauce, vegan mozz, lots of spices and basil leaves. Totally yummy and you can control what’s on your pizza!
Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burgers
8. Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burgers Chunky and loaded with veggies that you can see (carrots, peas, broccoli and spinach), these burger resemble a home cooked patty that your grandmother might have made with leftovers—that’s a great thing! This is another product that does not bear the brand Trader Joe but is carried at my store. Love ’em!
Trader Joe’s Ture Thai Vegetable Pad Thai
9. Trader Joe’s True Thai Vegetable Pad Thai This meal for one is all about you—you won’t want to share. A total convenience food that you can pop in the microwave for a snack or light meal! It’s vegan and yummy and looks just the way it does on the package. A guilty pleasure that I confess is very yummy.
Trader Joe’s Hummus with Freshly Ground Horseradish
10. Trader Joe’s Hummus with Freshly Ground Horseradish For horseradish lovers only, the delicious hummus provides the kind of kicky bite that send your sinuses into wake up call mode. I love it because it combines two of my favorite foods and any variation on hummus draws me in. Its perfect on chips, carrots, celery—even as a sandwich spread!
Trader Joe’s Grilled Cauliflower
11. Trader Joe’s Grilled Cauliflower Another total convenience side dish that’s basic yet time-saving. Who doesn’t love the grill marks on everything? These florets are frozen but can be thawed and eaten cold. Or you can heat them anyway that suits your schedule. Since Joe’s has already grilled it, bringing out that flavor that we love, easier for us!
Trader Joe’s Rice Cauliflower Stuffing
12. Trader Joe’s Rice Cauliflower Stuffing Frozen stuffing? Alright, I’m game (not turkey-type game!). This mixture contains carrots, dried sweetened cranberries, leeks, onion and celery and can be your holiday side dish or the stuffing for a portobello mushroom or acorn squash! Or stuff into a pita pocket on the run. There also a sauce in the ingredients that blends all the flavors together. It has carrageenan in it, which does not thrill me, but I do like the convenience. Since riced cauliflower is popular and can also be bought frozen and fresh, this item serves as a suggestion of what you can add to it to make into a stuffing!
My Trader Joe’s cart was filled with so many more items than just these so another blog will be coming. But check these out and let us know if you’ve discovered any new vegan products there. The world is tilting towards plant-based and we need to support it as much as we can to keep it going in that direction!
Enjoy! xox
Ellen Francis
- Vegan Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad
- Cooking with Nooch–Nutritional Yeast
- The Whole Golden Roasted Cauliflower
- Game-Changing Cauliflower CousCous
- Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- Spinach Artichoke Dip with White Bean and Cauliflower
- Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
- Easy Vegan Pesto Sauce
- Five Basic and Essential Vegan Sauces
- The 3-Tiered No Bake Watermelon Cake
- Original Easy Amazing Watermelon Cake
- Valentine’s Day Mini Watermelon Cakes
- Pineapple Parfait Express: Vegan Pina Colada Dessert
- Easy Vegan Apple Strudel
- Oma’s Chunky Applesauce
- Refreshing Pineapple Parfait Express
- Vegan Peach Cobbler
- Go Bananas with Yonanas!
- Frozen Vegan Fruit Yogurt Pie
- Vegan Apple Cobbler
- 30 New Vegan UGG Boot Alternatives: Cruelty-Free and Trendy
- Sweet Mini Peppers: How to Marinate, Grill and Roast to Deliciousness
- Super Quinoa Burger: Burgers for Everyone on the Planet
- Cauliflower Steaks Topped with Savory Quinoa and Garnished with Caramelized Onions
- Taste Test of 3 Gardein Entrees plus Recipe for Ellen’s Easy BBQ Sauce
- Tasty Bean Burgers
- Leaning Into Veganism: Malibu Burger on a Coco-Lite PopCake Raft
- Macrobiotic, Raw or Just Plain Ol’ Vegan?
- Interview With Dr. Brian Clement of Hippocrates Health Institute
- Joyce Chen Spiral Slicer And Zucchini Pasta Two Ways
- Amazing Alternatives to White Pasta
The cauliflower crust says may contain milk. Have you seen the sodium content of some of these ?? It’s outrageous but you enjoy. Now there is also s pea protein burger but the sodium is tertible
Hi Robyn! I wouldn’t want to live solely on prepared and packaged foods because I can’t control what goes in them and whole plant based is preferable—making your own always seems like the best alternative. But there are many stressed vegans trying to get a decent and affordable dinner on the table, so these can supplement that. We’re always trying to get people to try plant-based and incorporate it into their lives to steer the direction to vegan. Every little bit helps! Thanks for reading and commenting! We love our contributors!! xox
Hey Robyn,
Thanks for posting all the options Trader Joes offers. I have been trying to change my life one step at a time with going for a walk each day for an hour and minimizing eating red meat to once a week. Lost 20 pounds so far this year.
Some of these products look really nice and tasty. I would certainly try it in some occasions.
Thank you for this wonderful list of foods. However, I also buy vegan (black bean with tofu bits) enchiladas at Trader Joe’s which are very good. They can be found in the frozen food section.
Thanks again!
Can’t wait to try!xoxo