I love that nearly every recipe in this roundup leans on Trader Joe's brilliant ready made products. Their sweet potato gnocchi, that incredible cauliflower tabbouleh… it's all about turning shortcuts into something spectacular. Here are 20 of my absolute favorite ways to get dinner on the table fast.
1. Mind-Blowing, Three-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Lentil Salad
Three ready made ingredients, one mind blowing lentil salad. Grab a tub of Trader Joe's bruschetta sauce, a tub of crumbled feta, and a box of their cooked lentils.
Even if lentils aren't your thing, I'm pretty sure this recipe will turn you into a believer. But if you're really not feeling it, swap in quinoa, couscous, or orzo.
2. Spicy Maple Candied Pecans
Spicy maple candied pecans are a huge deal in my house. I could eat them by the handful.
They're the perfect little snack, way more interesting than chips, and that spicy sweet combo is irresistible. But I don't always have the patience to caramelize sugar, so this recipe is my go to.
3. Easy Wonton Soup
I am all about a rich, deeply flavorful broth loaded with leafy greens. This time, I'm skipping the noodles and reaching for chicken cilantro wontons to make it extra satisfying. It comes together in just minutes, and you can easily tweak it to suit whatever you're craving.
4. Trader Joe’s Mac & Cheese Copycat Recipe
I was
5. Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Trader Joe's balsamic glaze is tangy, gorgeous, and a huge time saver. It absolutely makes roasted Brussels sprouts sing.
Roasting gives them that irresistible crunch and deep, toasty flavor, and the glaze takes them over the top. You can even toss on some breadcrumbs for an extra layer of texture.
6. Trader Joe’s Pancake Bread Copycat Recipe
If you haven't met pancake bread yet, imagine a quick bread that tastes exactly like pancakes. It's sweet, light, incredibly moist, and packed with that cozy maple syrup flavor.
Because of the thick crumb on top, you'll want to bake it low and slow. The result is slightly dense, but so tender and full of flavor.
7. Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chip Cookie
Trader Joe's semi sweet chocolate chips are absolute perfection in cookies. They hit that sweet bitter balance and melt into puddles of goodness. This recipe is a guaranteed path to those dreamy firm edges and a soft, chewy center.
8. Japanese Fried Rice with Edamame, Tofu, and Hijiki Seaweed 枝豆とひじきのチャーハン
I'll eat fried rice for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without a second thought. This version is filling, versatile, and totally gluten free and vegan.
Trader Joe's does sell a ready made one, but it's a touch sweeter than this homemade take. The secret? A little mirin, sugar, soy sauce, sake, and sesame oil working their magic.
9. 3-Ingredient Trader Joe’s Dinner: Tomato Soup with Stuffed Gnocchi and Spinach
I'm telling you, this is insanely delicious and so ridiculously simple. All you need are three ready to go ingredients.
Trader Joe's tomato soup is creamy, hitting that sweet spot between tangy and mellow. Toss in a package of their tomato and mozzarella stuffed gnocchi and a big handful of spinach, let it simmer for 10 minutes, and you've got a cozy, hearty bowl of soup.
10. Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash Zig Zags
These look exactly like crinkle cut fries, but surprise, they're butternut squash coated in cinnamon. Trader Joe's sells them ready to bake, and they are a brilliant way to get kids excited about vegetables.
11. Tortellini Soup With Only 3 Ingredients
Trader Joe's vodka sauce is so sensational, I never feel the need to make it from scratch. All you do is thin it out with a bit of water until it reaches that perfect soup consistency.
Then cook your tortellini right there in the pot along with a handful of spinach until everything is tender and piping hot. Simple and so good.
12. Trader Joe’s Cauliflower Gnocchi With Onions, Peas, and Turkey Bacon
I'm a huge gnocchi lover, but let's be real, traditional gnocchi can sit a bit heavy. So when I discovered Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi, it changed everything.
You still get that wonderfully dense, satisfying bite, but it's all veggie magic instead of starchy potatoes. Cauliflower seriously can do anything.
13. Sheet Pan Sweet Potato Gnocchi Dinner
I adore the cauliflower gnocchi, but this sweet potato gnocchi is truly next level. It looks absolutely stunning and brings so much flavor with zero extra effort. Everything roasts together on a single sheet pan in the oven, which means minimal cleanup and maximum deliciousness.
14. Trader Joe’s Potsticker Stir-Fry
I can't believe I never thought of this: potsticker stir fry! Three ingredients and you've got the easiest weeknight dinner of your life.
Grab a container of Trader Joe's Asian style vegetable stir fry, a bag of their gyoza potstickers, and that glorious soyaki sauce. That's it. Dinner is done.
15. Cacio e Pepe Ravioli
"Cacio e pepe" literally means cheese and pepper, so how could I not be excited about this ravioli? Grab some Pecorino Romano for that authentic bite, but the real hero is the Trader Joe's cacio e pepe ravioli that does all the heavy lifting. I love adding salty prosciutto and crisp sweetcorn, those little pops of color make every forkful sing.
16. Cauliflower Tabbouleh
Traditional tabbouleh is all about bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, onion, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice. It's naturally gluten free, vegan, and so good for you. This version swaps the bulgur for cauliflower, which is even easier to find and whip up.
17. Better than Trader Joe’s Buttermilk Pancakes
Trader Joe's pancakes are massive, fluffy, rise like a dream, and taste phenomenal. So to beat that, you'd think you'd need some fancy tricks, right?
Not at all. This recipe is ridiculously straightforward.
The only rule? Don't over mix. Lumps are your best friend here, I promise.
18. Sheet Pan Pizza with Trader Joe’s Pizza Dough
We love to make pizza at home, but you have to be prepared if you want the dough from scratch. Needless to say, I’m not usually that far ahead in my day!
That’s why I love Trader Joe’s ready-made pizza dough. All you'll need to do is roll it out and cover it in your favorite toppings.
19. Trader Joe's Vegetable Fried Rice (with Asian Ginger Sauce)
Trader Joe's frozen fried rice is a staple in my freezer for a reason. Throw in leftover meat and a fried egg, and you've got a sensational speedy meal. This veggie packed version gets extra bulk from cabbage and corn, all tossed with a yummy ginger sauce that comes together with soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger paste, onion powder, and garlic.
20. Balela Salad
This bean salad is perfect for something hearty and light to go along with your lunch or as a BBQ side dish. The main ingredients are chickpeas, black beans, fresh tomatoes, mint, and parsley, but there's also a lovely tangy dressing to go along with it. I also like to add cherry tomatoes and raw red onion for some peppery crunch!