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    Home ▸ Vegan Kid Friendly Recipes

    Easy Trader Joe's Meals

    Last modified: March 23, 2023. Originally posted: June 6, 2022 By Sophia DeSantis

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    A blue tiled surface with a white bowl on it filled with red sauce and gnocchi mixed with spinach and cheese and next to pizza bagels

    Having easy Trader Joe's meals to turn to on those busy nights is a lifesaver! Especially those that are quick, healthy and loved by the whole family.

    There are so many ways to mix and match Trader Joe's ingredients to make recipes you'll love. The key is having an open mind and getting creative. These are some of our favorites!

    A white bowl with gnocchi, red sauce, spinach and parmesan on a blue surface with pizza bagels around it
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    Trader Joe's is great for people that need quick and easy meals on a budget. I'm here to show you that it's possible to have that and eat nutritious food!

    There are tons of easy everyday meals you can make with all of the vegan food at Trader Joe's! In addition to all of the ready made food, there are a few staples you can pick up to have on hand to make healthy Trader Joe's dinners on busy weeknights. Read below for some easy recipes to try this week!

    15 Minute Trader Joe's Recipe

    One of the best Trader Joe's foods is their frozen gnocchi, it's too good! We love making this quick and easy dinner on a regular basis. It's easy to switch up the flavors with different sauces and mix ins, but this is our favorite!

    Ingredients for Gnocchi with Bruschetta Sauce

    These are the simple items you need in order to make this Trader Joe's recipe:

    • Frozen gnocchi - Choose either the cauliflower gnocchi or kale gnocchi, or use a mixture of both!
    • Bruschetta sauce - You can find this in the refrigerated section.
    • Spinach - Fresh baby spinach in a bag from the produce department is easiest since it has already been washed.
    • Vegan Parmesan - This is optional but highly recommended!
    Packages of gnocchi, spinach, parmesan and bruschetta on a white counter with a blue background

    Step by Step Instructions

    1. Sauté the frozen gnocchi.
    2. Mix in the bruschetta sauce.
    3. Add in greens of choice.
    4. Serve with vegan parmesan!
    Top view of a wooden spoon mixing green and white gnocchi in a pan
    A wooden spoon mixing gnocchi and a red sauce in a pan
    Fresh spinach on top of a mixture of gnocchi and red sauce in a pan being mixed by a wooden spoon
    A fork in a white bowl with green and white gnocchi mixed with red sauce and spinach and topped with Parmesan

    More Trader Joe's Meal Ideas

    Cooking with Trader Joe's food is great because you can use the ingredients in so many different customizable ways! Here are a few more easy meals to make for the week:

    Pizza Bagels

    For this fast dinner idea you will need bagels, pizza sauce, cheese, spinach, and any other toppings you like! We prefer using the Trader Joe's pizza sauce since it's ready to go, and the dairy free mozzarella style shreds.

    To assemble the pizza bagels:

    1. Spread some sauce over the bagel halves.
    2. Add the toppings, such as spinach, mushrooms, olives, etc.
    3. Top with the vegan cheese.
    4. Toast in a toaster oven, bake in the oven, or heat in an air fryer until everything is warm!
    Mozzarella, spinach, bagels and pizza sauce sitting on a white surface with a blue tiled background
    Cut bagels on a blue surface with pizza sauce on them
    A blue surface with open faced bagels topped with pizza sauce and spinach
    Bagels with pizza sauce, spinach and cheese sitting on a blue tiled surface
    Bagels with pizza sauce, spinach and cheese that have been baked sitting on a blue tiled surface

    Falafel

    You can use the frozen falafel at Trader Joe's a couple different ways for a quick and healthy meal.

    Salad:

    1. Load fresh greens into a bowl.
    2. Coat with your favorite salad dressing.
    3. Top with the falafel, rice and any other tasty toppings like cucumbers and tomatoes.

    Sandwich:

    1. Warm a piece of pita bread or naan.
    2. Load it with the falafel, greens, rice, red onions, and any other toppings.
    3. Drizzle with vegan tzatziki and dig in!
    Black bowl filled with baked falafel and tahini dip
    Two falafel pita sandwiches on a plate next to ranch dip

    Veggie Fried Rice

    I love making vegan fried rice to use up excess produce, and having a few staples in the freezer makes it even easier to put together!

    You can use either the frozen brown rice or cauliflower rice. Frozen peas and frozen mixed veggies are convenient, but you can also mix in any fresh veggies you have as well.

    1. Sauté the veggies.
    2. Push the veggies to the side and scramble the vegan egg or egg if you are using it.
    3. Mix in the rice, soy sauce or tamari, and apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar.
    4. Cook until everything is warm and enjoy!
    Rice and veggies being cooked in a pan and mixed with a wooden spoon
    Dark plate with veggie fried rice and a fork in it on a striped towel

    Vegan Taco Meat

    You can use this taco meat for tacos, taco bowls, or taco salads! All you need for the vegan meat is an onion, frozen cauliflower rice, precooked lentils, (which you can find in the refrigerated section at Trader Joe's), and taco seasoning.

    In order to make the taco meat:

    1. Sauté the onion in a pan with oil (or broth if you are oil free) for 3-5 minutes.
    2. Add the lentils and cauliflower rice and cook until they start to brown
    3. Mix in the taco seasoning and cook until heated through.

    Once that's done you can make tacos with your favorite toppings. Or, skip the shell and make a bowl with rice and beans as the base.

    Top view of fully loaded crispy vegan tacos on a wooden table
    A cream colored bowl with a taco bowl inside on a wooden surface surrounded by other ingredients

    More Easy Dinner Ideas

    Look to these meal plans next time you're getting inspiration for your meal prepping menu!

    • Easy Vegan Meal Prep Ideas
    • Vegan Meal Plan for Beginners
    • Weekly Vegan Meal Plan with Shopping List
    • Easy Vegan Lunchbox Recipes
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    Green and white gnocchi and red sauce mixed with spinach and Parmesan in a white bowl

    Easy Trader Joe's Meals

    Sophia DeSantis
    Having easy Trader Joe's meals to turn to on those busy nights is a lifesaver! Especially those that are quick, healthy and loved by the whole family.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Cook Time 15 mins
    Total Time 15 mins
    Course 30 Minutes or Less, Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 5
    Calories 210 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 2 bags Trader Joe's frozen gnocchi , we like the kale ones best
    • drizzle of oil or broth to saute
    • 1 tub Trader Joe's bruschetta , we use the refrigerated one
    • 1 package Trader Joe's fresh spinach
    • Trader Joe's vegan Parmesan , optional

    Instructions
     

    • Saute the frozen gnocchi with a little oil, or broth if oil free, in a pan over medium heat until they begin to brown. About 5-7 minutes.
    • Add the bruschetta sauce and mix. Allow it to simmer for about 3-5 minutes.
    • Add in greens of choice. Mix until wilted.
    • Serve with vegan parmesan!

    Notes

    • The kale gnocchi is more al dente and have a better flavor than the cauliflower gnocchi in our opinion.
    • Servings are based on the recommended amount on the gnocchi bags. 

    Recipe by Veggies Don’t Bite, visit our site for more great plant-based recipes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 210kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 4gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 653mgPotassium: 134mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 2250IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg

    Nutrition and metric information should be considered an estimate.

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    1. Allison

      June 24, 2022 at 4:56 pm

      Not only was the bruschetta gnocchi delicious, it was an easy and fast dinner! Trying the other recipes next!

      Reply
      • Sophia DeSantis

        June 24, 2022 at 5:04 pm

        Yay!!! So happy you liked it! Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Sarah

      June 10, 2022 at 2:05 pm

      The gnocchi recipe was so perfect! Can't wait to try the others!

      Reply

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