The best quick vegetarian meals at Trader Joe’s are the ones that start with one of the store’s classic dishes—like Cauliflower Gnocchi or Palak Paneer—and then you doctor up the product to make it better. More filling. More textural. More everything. (The best slow vegetarian meals would be just you, fresh ingredients, free time, and a good recipe.)
These are my tried-and-true, semi-homemade combinations—11 dinners that skip meat and fish, but wow, there is a lot of cheese. The good news is, if you’re vegan, Trader Joe’s has more dairy alternatives than ever. And for even more dinner ideas, check out: 10 Truly Easy Meals From Trader Joe’s.
Tarte aux Champignons + Avocado Ranch Salad
This French-accented flatbread is a delicate mushroom pizza in my eyes, and it only serves one unless you have a side or some other distraction—that’s where the Avocado Ranch Salad comes in. According to Trader Joe’s, this pizza has been stocked since 2006, which is, coincidentally, when I began shopping there, so it has a special place in my freezer (and heart, same thing). I think it’s held on because it uses just enough dairy (gooey Emmenthal, parm, and crème fraîche), has mushroom bits in nearly every bite, and a buttery crust holds up to it all.
Swaps for the salad kit: Any other salad (Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit!) will do.
Tofu + Gochujang Sauce + Shredded Cabbage + Fried Rice
Trader Joe’s Organic Firm Tofu is $1.49 and it lasts weeks in the fridge, so I always stock up for quick dinners. In the winter I smash and dry it, cut into squares, coat in cornstarch, and pan-fry ’til crispy. Often the next and final step is: chili crisp. But I like the balance of chile, sesame oil, and some mirin sweetness in this Gochujang Sauce. Give the crispy tofu a light toss in a few tablespoons of that, then serve with a combination of shredded cabbage and fried rice (sautéed in the same pan after you take the tofu out). In the summer, I marinate tofu in the gochujang sauce for a few hours and grill it.
Swaps for the fried rice and cabbage: Sliced Korean Rice Cake + Stir Fried Garlicky Cabbage (both in the frozen aisle).
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