“Trader Joe’s authentic Lavash Flatbread is a delicious and versatile alternative to sliced bread for sandwiches. Use for wrap sandwiches, burritos, soft tacos or flatbread pizza”
What’s Lavash? Its a traditional Armenian / Middle Eastern flatbread. In 2014, lavash was added to UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, highlighting its cultural significance
I’ve been wanting to try TJ’s Lavash for awhile and finally got around to it. In short, I really liked Trader Joe’s LAVASH. This bread is a great Trader Joe’s product. I give this a big thumbs up.
As you can see in the picture, it’s a thin flatbread. It comes in a large square and is soft and flexible, especially after warming. Its good for many things, like making sandwich wraps or roll-ups, thin sandwiches, tacos, burrito type dishes or just using it to scoop up hummus or any kind of dip or pieces of food for that matter. Grilled meat or chicken? Great as a base for little cheese bites. Wrap some grilled halloumi cheese up in this. You could use it to make a Club Sandwich as they suggest on the package. This bread can even used as the base for making a thin pizza. (someone left a Comment here that they make pizza in the Air Fryer with this lavash) Again, this stuff is really versatile.
The Lavash becomes better warmed up a little bit. It will get more flexible and softer, so easier to roll. To warm it, I usually just put it right on the burner for about 10 seconds moving it around and flipping it. Or sometimes I warm in a pan or griddle, covered.
Once warm eat right away or keep the lavash warm as you would tortillas when you serve.
The sheets are large but are scored in the middle so they can be torn in half easily. To store it more than a day or two I keep the Lavash in the freezer, tightly sealed. It’s so thin it can defrost in just a few minutes and I am usually tossing it on a burner or into a pan to warm it.
It you baked it it would get crispy enough that it could be like a pita chip.
I like the Egg Burrito suggestion they have on the package: warm the lavash, add scrambled eggs and grated cheese and roll up like a burrito.
Its made with Whole Wheat so healthy. It’s low fat as it is so thin and low cal. A 1/2 flatbread has only 90 calories, yet has 5 gr of Protein and is a good source of fiber. It is also LOW CARB as its so thin.
Lavash is quite versatile, and as you explore using it, you will find many ways to use this interesting tasty flatbread. Again,perfect for scooping up hummus and middle eastern mezze or other dishes. Use it like Naan with Indian foods.
TIP: The lavash paired perfectly with Trader Joe’s Middle Eastern BEEF KEBABS. I cooked the kebabs, and put them in warm lavash with a garlic yogurt sauce with arugula; Or use the Tzaziki. Yum!! Basically a 2 ingredient meal….
“To herald the coming of summer, we’re offering Wildberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, featuring the vibrance of wild berries and bits of cheesecake. That’s right: in addition to a dreamy, sweet-cream ice cream base, you’ll find a generous mixed berry swirl (made with blueberries, elderberry juice concentrate, and a blend of raspberry, strawberry & blackberry purees) and tender bits of classic cheesecake.” – Trader Joe’s
Apparently Trader Joe’s had this two years ago, then it vanished. It’s finally made a come back. Someone on Reddit called this a “hidden gem”.
This lists first three ingredient as “cream, milk, cane sugar…” Yes this is actually Ice Cream. Not “ice cream style frozen dessert” . Just compare this to the fake-y tasting “Gelato Style Frozen Dessert” I reviewed. That stuff had coconut oil as the third ingredient. Here the ingredient list here reads like what you expect when you buy ice cream. If you like cheesecake, and see it, I would give it a try. I really liked it.
INGREDIENTS include : Cream, milk, cane sugar, cheesecake pieces…mixed berry swirl with blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, elderberry…
I was on the check out line, next to the ice cream case, and a worker was putting these in the case. There wasn’t even a sign for this ice cream yet but I was intrigued at the name of it. I asked him if he tried it and he said, yes he did and loved it.
So I got one to try. My honest review? Soo good; this is a delicious ice cream that tastes exactly like it’s name. It actually has little pieces of cheese cake in the ice cream mixed with swirls of berry. I found this on target. As good as something Ben and Jerry’s would come out with. It’s a delicious summer treat.
We enjoyed this for July 4th and to make it even more special I added fresh blueberries on top which of course made it even better with fresh fruit.
One thing to note though. As it got softer, and melted together, the important texture of the cheese cake pieces vanished, so try to eat this while it is still pretty cold.
The softest variety of tofu is not “soft tofu”. Actually that would be the tofu called “silken”, whose texture is even softer. The texture of Silken is almost like a firm pudding, extra silky and velvety texture, with a very delicate and pure soy flavor. Tofu lovers prize it.
TJ’s says: “…(Silken Tofu) can be enjoyed hot or cold, mixed into sauces, and even blended into smoothies. From the simple (lightly boiled, topped with Crunchy Chili Onion, and enjoyed by the spoonful) to the slightly more involved (mixed with Turmeric and Nutritional Yeast and fried like scrambled eggs), Trader Joe’s Organic Silken Tofu is a versatile, velvety-textured addition to your culinary toolbox.”
Here’s my honest review.
Trader Joe’s new SILKEN TOFU is an excellent addition to all the varieties of tofu they sell. Surprisingly Trader Joe’s Organic Silken Tofu even got approval from our resident tofu expert, my (Japanese/Korean) wife who I asked to taste it. She kind of surprised me giving Trader Joe’s silken tofu a big thumbs up. She told me it was very goof tofu, and trust me she is as tough as it gets when it comes to tofu, or frankly anything else from Trader Joe’s. She even assumed it was “made in Japan” and told me to check the package carefully to see if it said that. It doesn’, so it must be made here in the U.S. by some very good tofu manufacturer for Trader Joe’s.
Tofu texture is really based on how much water is squeezed out while making it. Silken tofu is the absolutely softest variety of tofu, It is pudding-like, very soft and delicate tasting, tasting of the soy beans used. It’s terrific for using in soups and stews or enjoyed just as is. If you ever had Korean “Soon Dubu” that’s the kind of tofu used in many Korean tofu stews (jigae).
We found this delicious eaten simply. You can just take a piece and put it on a plate and drizzle it with a little soy sauce, Ponzu sauce, and/or a drizzle of chili crisp. Great like this to eat chilled especially on a hot summer day.
The silken tofu can be used in some recipes that call for the soft tofu, for example Korean Soondubu Jigae. You can mix it into scrambled eggs for adding even more protein.
The tofu (16 oz net) comes in two pieces in the box. It’s a little hard to get out without breaking it, so do that carefully. I cut the plastic wrapper and tipped it onto a plate, shaking the box a bit to get it out.
I think one of the halves makes a nice portion for one, so think two nice servings per box unless you are using it as an ingredient. Though TJ’s mentions boiling it, you don’t have to. Tofu is already cooked in the manufacturing process. You can just put this silken tofu on a plate and pour some sauce over it and maybe add some chopped scallions and enjoy it. We love it cold for a summer dish.
I’ve never made a smoothie with it but as Trader Joe’s suggests, that is not a bad idea at all. Good way to get a lot of protein. Based on the Nutrition info one 3 oz serving has 4g Protein, with five servings in the package according to the label. Therefore 15 g protein in total.
TJ’s website lists the price as $2.49/16 Oz. Before I knew that I bought it at one TJ’s I go to where they had the prices as $3.49 (wrong). When I saw the website price I asked the Captain at that store to double check the price and they admitted they wrote it up wrong. They corrected the incorrect price, finally. It’s $2.49
TIP: it’s a bit hard to get out of the plastic package so if you want it in a big piece, do it carefully and gently. I run a knife around the edge to try to loosen it and put it upside down on a plate.
“A light, bright, lemon and almond based pesto with savory Grana Padano cheese and a touch of black pepper.”
“SIMPLY STIR A FEW TABLESPOONS WITH HOT PASTA AND SERVE WITH FRESH GRATED CHEESE”
Ingredients: Sunflower oil, lemon, water, Grana Padano cheese, almonds, sugar, lemon zest, salt, lactic acid, natural flavors, veg and fruit juice (for color) yeast extract, black pepper.
This was a LIMITED product which was released some time back and lots of people clamored about it and said this was a Must Try product. Later it seemed to vanish from the shelves for some time but it’s now back in stock once again (bought June 2025).
TJ’s says: “This enchanting concoction is light, bright, a little cheesy, a little nutty, and positively bursting with Lemon flavor—a dazzling example of culinary wizardry. Inspired by a pasta dish from Italy’s Amalfi coast (where lemon is a key element of local cuisine), our Italian supplier crushes whole lemons and combines them with sunflower seed oil, savory Grana Padano cheese, almonds, a touch of salt, a pinch of black pepper, and extra lemon zest for good, citrusy measure. When we say this limited edition, lip-smacking Sauce adds magic to mealtimes, it’s not hyperbole. Stir it into Organic Mafalda Corta Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella Cheese Pearls and chopped mint. Spread it on a toasted baguette and top with Sliced Prosciutto. Dollop it on grilled All Natural Thin- Sliced Chicken Breasts or shrimp kabobs. With each wave of your wand… er, spoon, you may even be inspired to incant “Presto, Lemon Pesto!”
“Lemon Pesto”? An interesting concept. Invented by the same Italian manufacturer who makes Trader Joe’s ROSATELLA sauce. Inspired by the Amalifi coast where lemon is a big thing.
Is this pesto a bit controversial? Perhaps. Some people call it “horrible”. I suspect they are using too much of it in their dish. The maintrick to using this LEMON PESTO successfully is to get the amount right, which will take a little experimentation. This is nothing like standard basil pesto. This Lemon pesto is kind of concentrated. You don’t want to use too much. Less is more. You will have to learn how much to add. Add a few spoons of it into hot (al dente) pasta, plus some of that magic ingredient, your pasta cooking water, cooking and tossing it all in the pan to get everything to come together.
Use too much and you can ruin the dish. So start with adding a big tablespoon, incorporate that, taste it and see how you like it. If you don’t think the flavor is strong enough add a bit more. Less is more with this lemon pesto, so experiment till you get the ratio of pesto to pasta right for your tastes (offhand I’d say two rounded teaspoons of the pesto to about 1/2 pound of pasta, plus a ladle of pasta water was about right for me) As good as it is, I still think a “lemon pasta” made using this pesto sauce will benefit from adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, maybe even grilling thin slices of lemon like I did, and sauteed fresh garlic.
As it uses sunflower oil, you definitely should add a finishing touch of a drizzle of some good EVOO. Finish with some fresh grated cheese, Parmigiano, Pecorino, Asiago…. whatever you like and perhaps some chopped basil, parsley or arugula to add an herbal flavor.
Here I used the lemon pesto sauce with TJ’s excellent ORGANIC LEMON TORCHIETTI pasta. The pasta and this lemon pesto matched very well together and is a combo worth trying. I tossed in peas too to add a little more protein.
The pesto can also be use as an ingredient say to put dollop of the sauce on top of grilled chicken breasts or grilled salmon or shrimp. Based on someone saying this can be used in Avocado Toast, I tried that and guess what? It worked! A bit of this in my Avocado made some very tasty Avocado Toast. I used a small amount (1/2 tsp) or so of the pesto, plus fresh lemon juice, mashed into the avocado, and a lot of black pepper.
Here’s a link to a recipe on Trader Joe’s site using the pesto and potatoes for a lemony potato salad. So feel free to experiment.
According to Trader Joe’s, this pasta, organic lemon Torchiette (meaning “little torches”), was included in those nice gift worthy imported pasta assortment boxes during the Holidays, if you remember, they came in a trio of high end Italian pastas and made a nice gift. I think those were $10. Trader Joe’s got feedback that people especially loved one of the three pastas in the gift set which was this one, “Organic Lemon Torchietti”. So Trader Joe’s decided to come out with it as a stand alone item in a 1 pound box.
I liked this pasta a lot, and think these are well worth trying. This Torchietti is a really good, very high quality Italian pasta from a good manufacturer. I could see some fancy store easily charging three times what Trader Joe’s is selling it for ($3.49)
Trader Joe’s says this: “Shining brightly with Sicilian lemon flavor and a complementary yellow hue (thanks to the addition of organic turmeric), these short, wavy, organic durum wheat noodles are extruded through a bronze die, creating a ridged exterior that makes them an exceptional vehicle for an array of sauces. Try tossing them in an olive oil, pesto, or Organic Vodka Sauce. Or for a double dose of lemon, Limone Alfredo Sauce. In addition to this sauce-supporting superiority, Trader Joe’s Organic Lemon Torchietti are equally excellent in hot and cold preparations – let pasta salad season begin!”
Ingredients are : Organic Semolina Durum Wheat, Water, Organic Lemon Oil, turmeric (for color)
COOKING: 6-7 minutes in boiling salted water.
The pasta is very good, I tasted it plain, it had just the slightest hint of lemon, from the lemon oil used to make it. The shape and being bronze die cut means the pasta holds sauces very well.
TJ’s does suggest pairing this Torchietti with their LEMON ALFREDO SAUCE which is I’m sure is a good combo, and one I will try later. First, I used these Torchietti with that “LEMON PESTO” to come up with a lemon themed pasta dish. Adding to the pesto with extra lemon, olive oil, butter, Pecorino, and a few grilled lemon slices. The dish turned out very good.
(TIP: I took the pasta out early at around 4 minutes as I was going to continue cooking it in my sauce for another 2+ minutes with my sauce for al dente pasta)
By the way, I bought them 2 weeks ago, and they were $2.99, which Trader Joe’s website also says is the price. I go back yesterday and I see the sign now says $3.49?! Is this price increase due to Tariffs coming into effect?
These can work in a hot dish but they suggest these would be good for a pasta salad too. I agree. The unique twisted shape really is good for holding sauces. And I would not just think “lemon” with the pasta, I could easily see pairing this with any of your favorite sauces. The lemon flavor in the pasta is not strong at all.
The website says “Limited” for these, so if you want to try these, I would grab a box while you can.
Trader Joe’s latest dip is called ROASTED TOMATO LABNEH DIP. Its thick and creamy, tangy, cheesy, and herby from dill and parsley.
It has roasted tomatoes on top. Labneh is made from very thick strained yogurt. Trader Joe’s dip incorporates ingredients like balsamic vinegar, herbs and garlic as well. You can use this as a spread or a dip. This would be great on top of chicken or fish. Try it with Pita chips or your favorite crackers. It worked great when I put this out as a dip along with veggie sticks (celery, carrot, yellow pepper….) T
“Try dunking Trader Joe’s Roasted Tomato Labneh Dip with pita chips, fresh Lavash, or really anything tasty and dunkable…. carrot sticks, pitted olives, French fries, you name it. Try spreading it on a sandwich, a Falafel wrap, or even just a slice of sourdough toast. Try dropping it by the spoonful over salads, hearty grain bowls, or tomato-based soups. Whatever you do, just be sure you try it! It’s a tart, cheesy, herby, phenomenally full-flavored eating experience, and it’s now available at your neighborhood Trader Joe’s.” – Trader Joe’s
I liked this quite a bit. The Labneh dip is good with most anything: vegetables, chicken, meat or fish like grilled salmon, as a dip, as a shmeer on a bagel or sandwich, with falafel, mixed with hummus, or chickpeas. Spread some on TJ’s Lavash. Labneh is especially good with eggs, Turkish style. Try putting an egg, fried or poached egg on top of a spread or bed of the labneh. It’s a little tangy/sour. I liked that taste, however my wife found it a little too tangy. After I finished half of it as-is, I decided to see how it would be mixed with a mashed avocado. It was very good mixed with the avocado. After doing that my wife loved the Avo-Labneh mixture, so you may want to try this hack too. Speaking of which, this would be great as the base of AVOCADO TOAST.
Trader Joe’s Roasted Tomato Labneh Dip $3.49 (8.5 oz) I would buy this again.
If you are fan of “tinned” or canned fish, you probably know that Trader Joe’s has gotten into this popular food trend more and more the last few years.
They now carry quite a few varieties of tinned fish and keep adding new items like this new one: SKIPJACK TUNA FILLETS in olive oil.
Of course Trader Joe’s sells plenty of kinds of cans of tuna. They probably have about 4 or 5 different cans of tuna which include 3 varieties of ALBACORE TUNA (packed in oil, water, 1/2 salted…) YELLOWFIN in olive oil, plus two kinds of SKIPJACK (not like this though)
They came out with a tin of CALAMARI in olive oil (Squid), which is quite good if perhaps not for a #tinnedfish newbie. So let’s consider a far easier entry for most people, like a can of salmon. They have the regular stuff then they have what may be the best canned salmon you ever tasted. The level up salmon in the pink square can they call “Lightly Smoked Salmon”.
Now, they’ve introduced this gourmet level tuna SKIPJACK TUNA FILLETS in olive oil. Just glancing at it, you can tell this one is fancy. Its in a lovely looking rectangular can which indicates much more “gourmet” compared to the other cans of tuna. For a good reason. This is totally Gourmet level tuna. A Must Try product. Isn’t the design gorgeous?
Trader Joe’s says: ‘”Has there ever been a better time to be a tinned fish enthusiast? It seems like all sorts of prepossessing piscine proteins are popping up on shelves, and we here at Trader Joe’s are proud to do our part with options like Trader Joe’s Skipjack Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil. They’re made for us by a supplier in Tunisia, who sources their Skipjack Tuna in the Mediterranean, which is caught via sustainable pole-and-line fishing methods to reduce by-catch. The loin of the Tuna is cut into long, flat fillets, then lightly salted and cooked to perfection, then packed in Olive Oil so that they’re ready to be used in all sorts of culinary contexts right out of the tin.”
Here’s my honest review of Trader Joe’s new Skipjack Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil. This may be the best can of tuna you ever tasted. This is one of those Must Try new items. This tuna is so freakin’ good!
Ingredients are simple: Skipjack tuna, olive oil, salt.
And by the way, check out that this has a whopping THIRTY FOUR GRAMSPROTEIN per can! Sweet.
You may know Skipjack Tuna as “light tuna”. This can is the highest gourmet level of it.
Open the can up and you will see some nice meaty fillets of pure tuna, flaky, and moist looking all covered in tasty olive oil. The tuna is so delicious. Skipjack Tuna is slightly darker with a more intense flavor than albacore tuna. Yes, you may think that this is a bit on the pricey side at $3.99 for a “can of tuna”. But trust me, this tuna is truly Level Up Gourmet. A bit like those very pricey super deluxe imported gourmet jars or cans of tuna (like Ortiz) which go for 3-4x the price of this one, albeit those are generally Albacore tuna (white) while this is Skipjack Tuna which looks a little bit darker than albacore but is delicious.
“So, how best to enjoy these Skipjack Tuna Fillets? That’s the real beauty of them—you can use them in all the same situations you would with everyday canned tuna, like tuna salads, melts, and casseroles, and in more elevated instances like charcuterie boards, on pasta primavera, or in a Nicoise salad. We find that their firm, flakeable texture and mild flavor make them a great choice for simply snacking on while served on a cracker or crostini. ” – Trader Joe’s
How does this compare to the $1.79 pouch of Skipjack? I guess you could easily say that this gourmet version kind of makes that pouch seem like cat food compared to this one.
HOW TO USE SKIPJACK TUNA: Is this gourmet four dollar can of tuna “Too Good” just to make a tuna sandwich? Maybe, but then again maybe no, as it just may make you the best tuna sandwich you ever had in your life.
Seriously. I made a fantastic tuna salad with this tuna which I used to make a Tuna Melt (on TJ’s Rustico Bread). This tuna melt was so amazing and delicious. It was yes, perhaps the best tuna sandwich I ever had.
My first thought when I tasted this tuna was how perfect this would be for making a TUNA NIÇOISE salad. This tuna would be outstanding for the classic French salad with tuna (Salade Niçoise) A recipe link follows…
You can eat the tuna right out of the can. Maybe add a sprinkle of lemon. You can do things to it, such as make a great tuna melt, tuna salad, put it on top of rice, a Japanese style rice bowl with some nori (seaweed snacks)…. Oh and the oil that comes with this is excellent. I say use it, don’t toss it. Use at least a bit of it on the tuna, or save some for a dressing. Its just natural juices and olive oil and its yummy, filled with umami.
IS SKIPJACK TUNA A HEALTHY AND ETHICAL TUNA CHOICE VS ALBACORE TUNA? Yes.
“Choosing pole-and-line-caught light skipjack tuna is your best choice for a low mercury and sustainable option“. Skipjack are smaller fish with lower levels of mercury than yellowfin or bluefin. And Sustainable and Wild.
Trader Joe’s SKIPJACK TUNA FILLETS in Olive Oil $3.99 (6 oz net weight, drained 4.2 oz) I would buy this again.
PRODUCT OF TUNISIA
SKIPJACK TUNA: In Japan its a prized fish known as Katsuo
Katsuo Fish with Cherry Buds, print by Hiroshige, 1830
#tinnedfish #tinnedfishlovers rejoice!
update: june/july 2025 – Now these are MIA. I can’t find these on the shelves! Argh! Perhaps too popular!
“A soft rustic sandwich bread with rolled oats, molasses, flax seeds and sunflower seeds”
WHY TRADER JOE’S MULTIGRAIN RUSTICO SANDWICH BREAD IS A MUST TRY
Trader Joe’s Multigrain RUSTICO BREAD – This is a very tasty bread you may have seen at Trader Joe’s at some point. Its a little soft with an oblong shape, kind of like a long skinny rye bread. The slices are roundish, again like a rye bread. The outside is coated with rolled oats and seeds.
I tried it and liked it. I found it good for making all kinds of sandwiches and seems especially good when toasted or grilled. RUSTICO BREAD is both a little “rustic” as well as seeming a bit on the healthier side from some of the ingredients such as whole wheat, rolled oats, molasses, flax, sesame, and sunflower seeds. While its soft it’s not too soft, this has a little hearty body to it.
Each slice has 4 grams of fiber. At 80 calories per slice, its a bit on the lower calorie side as some Trader Joe’s sliced breads come in at 120-150 calories per slice. The roundish slices are probably a tad smaller than regular square shaped sliced bread. While the bread is soft it still has a little rustic nature from the seeds and oats hence the “Rustico” name. And while it has seeds I would also say its not “too seedy” for those picky eaters who might object to seeds, like some kids I think might. This is a good compromise all around.
Both of us really liked this bread trying it out for the first time. We found TJ’s RUSTICO BREAD to be another good addition to all the many breads we would gladly pick up again at Trader Joe’s, which is a list which seems to keep getting longer and longer all the time, as they have so many good breads.
The RUSTICO BREAD makes excellent toast and sandwiches. For example, say Avocado Toast or a Tuna Melt. Heres what it looked like all grilled up for a Tuna Melt I made on RUSTICO Bread. It looks good and tasted even better.
NEW ITEM: Trader Joe’s frozen OKONOMIYAKI, a Japanese Savory Vegetable Pancake with a sweet and savory sauce and dried bonito flakes
Product of Japan
What is OKONOMIYAKI you ask? Okonomiyaki is a kind of savory pancake, which almost everyone in Japan loves. They are eaten all over… at home, at restaurants (see picture) and from street vendors. They are really popular, and they’re delicious.
(note: Just to be clear this is Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki which has noodles. Someone from Osaka would get into a fight over this and Osaka vs. Hiroshima style, like New York Pizza vs Deep Dish pizza.)
These pancakes have chopped cabbage and a few other veggies mixed into batter with flour and eggs, like a pancake batter but savory. This is poured onto a grill and cooked. These will usually have some kind of protein element added as well, such as thinly sliced pork belly or squid or shrimp. But they can have just about anything in it as its very name states. “OKONOMI” in Japanese means something like “however you want”, or as you like it.
Trader Joe’s says: “Directly translated, Okonomiyaki is derived from two words, yaki (meaning “grilled”) and okonomi (meaning “as you like it”), a testament to its customizable nature. In Japan and in Japanese-inspired street food scenes across the globe, these savory pancakes can be made with a wide variety of ingredients, including different veggies, proteins, and cheeses, and topped with everything from mayo to seaweed to dried, shaved fish flakes. For Trader Joe’s Okonomiyaki, our supplier in Japan has opted for a relatively simple, yet sublimely satisfying combination of cabbage, yam, and green onion held together in an eggy batter. When prepped at home, it takes on a crisp texture on the outside and a light and creamy texture on the inside. And if that wasn’t enough, they’ve also included a packet of sweet and savory okonomi sauce and delicate tuna flakes so that you can enjoy your Okonomiyaki, appropriately enough exactly as you like it. ” – Trader Joe’s
(what it looks like just out of the package)(here’s what mine looked like all done – the yellow bit is an egg I added)
So I saw that Trader Joe’s came out with a frozen OKONOMIYAKI. Frankly I had my doubts that a Trader Joe’s version would be any good. My wife (Japanese) was especially skeptical. But guess what? We were both pleasantly surprised at how tasty these actually are. These are good! They are made for Trader Joe’s in Japan. This one is a simple basic version that has chopped cabbage, scallions, Japanese yam, and other items. My one gripe is the Okonomi sauce they give you could be a bit better (the best being OTAFUKU brand). This sauce is just OK. If you have Worstershire sauce, I would add a bit of that.
Word seems to be getting out about these too, with the internet saying this is a Good New Item. Its going a bit viral.
For five bucks, this is well worth trying. One could be a snack for two people. But better one each!
These as we’ve said, can be added to, as you recall these are “however you like it?” You can learn how to customize these. To start with for example we just said to each other lets add an egg (scrambled) when it was almost finished cooking and that improved it quite a bit. I suggest at a minimum think about adding an egg if you want.
As Trader Joe’s says, these are a very simple basic version of something you may learn to customize with other things. You can add things to put on top like some grilled pork belly (very typical), cooked bacon or other grilled pork, grilled shrimp, squid (typical), chicken or tofu for that matter. (Hmm, I think these might work with sliced up grilled Teriyaki Chicken Meatballs? I think those might match well with this Okonomiyaki.)
Believe it or not these pancakes are terrific when you add cheese and get the cheese melted all over. Grate up cheddar and when you are finishing the bottom, put it on top and cover till the bottom side is done.
But even just as is this fairly basic version that Trader Joe’s gives you is fairly tasty. In the package you will find a cooked frozen pancake plus two little side packages. One is the sauce you will put drizzle all over it and the other has the yummy dried bonito (tuna) flakes, known as katsuobushi, which are a linchpin of Japanese cooking. Most people in Japan drizzle Kewpie mayo on it too so if you have that great, if not you can add a bit of sweetener to some mayo and spread that on.
TIP: you can add other toppings. If you have TJ’s FURIKAKE flakes, sprinkle a bit on top. Pickled red ginger (benishoga) is a typical thing many Japanese add.
This version from TJ is more or less a basic vegetarian Okonomiyaki (not counting the dried tuna flakes which you add as a topping)
HOW TO COOK Trader Joe’s Okonomiyaki: Open it up and take the sauce packet and put it in a dish of warm water to defrost. The package instruction says to nuke the pancake first a minute or two to defrost it, then grill it in a pan. (TIP If you do the defrost stop there. I strongly suggest you DO NOT COOK this by microwaving it. The pancake should get pan fried for correct crispy outer texture)
TIP: I skipped nuking altogether. I just let it left it on the counter for about 20 minutes to defrost and that worked fine. Then tossed it into a hot cast iron pan
Pan fry the pancake with a little oil or butter on low-medium heat until it looks GDB on the bottom and gets a bit of crispiness. Flip and let the other side finish.
OPTIONAL, of course but i think adding an egg makes this way better and a bit more of a meal. I removed the pancake from the pan to a plate, then tossed in an egg with a little butter, scrambled it and put the pancake back on top of it and cooked it for about a minute. Or just do a sunnyside up egg and put that on top before you dress it with your sauce.
When the pancake is golden brown and delicious, plate it, then dress it. Cut the corner of the sauce package and drizzle the Okonomiyaki savory sauce on all over it, in lines, then top that with the whole package of dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi, which are an Umami bomb). Another option you can add is a drizzle of mayonaisse, especially Kewpie which is sweeter than our mayo. Pickled shredded ginger (benishoga). Nori flakes…
Also it has great pictures of what the real McCoy looks like!
It just so happened that right after i wrote this post, there was a Japanese street fair festival nearby that I passed which had a vendor selling Okonomiyaki and it had the longest line of people waiting to buy it (sticker shock, they were 12 bucks!) I took a few pictures to share.
(NOTE: I’ve read that these have gone VIRAL and can now be hard to find!!!)
“A fish shaped waffle filled with a delicate custard cream, often sold as a street food in Japan”
TAI – red snapper, considered good luck. YAKI – grilled.
Taiyaki are sweet waffles shaped like fish and are hugely popular in Japan. They are always sold at street festivals where you will find taiyaki vendors like this guy making some.
They make them by pouring batter into iron molds shaped like fish. Cooked until they are golden brown, they get something in the middle then are flipped over. They come out golden brown with bit of a crunchy texture outside while Inside the taiyaki, there’s a sweet filling. Usually its ANKO (sweet red bean paste).
Here in Trader Joe’s Mini Taiyaki you find a yummy custard cream in the center.
Here’s what they look like.
As you can see they are pretty cute. And you know Japanese love CUTE (“Kawaii”) things. Trader Joe’s mini taiyaki are a little mini version of the typical Taiyaki which are usually much bigger. 4 times the size? Each of these TJ mini taiyaki is maybe a bite or two.
“Brought to us by an esteemed manufacturer in Japan, these bite-sized, perfectly pisciform Taiyaki are as much a feast for the eyes as they are a pleasure on the palate. Every bite starts with the crisp edge of the wonderfully waffle-y exterior, which quickly gives way to the luxurious consistency of the cool custard cream within.”
To make these Trader Joe’s says bake these in the oven or in an air fryer. They also say you can microwave these but I suggest you don’t, as they won’t get crispy which they need to be to really be enjoyed properly.
I didn’t do either of these. I just cooked them in a pan on the stovetop which works fine and is easy.
I just took a few of them out of the package, and let them sit for 10 minutes or so to defrost a bit. Then I put them in a hot cast iron pan (or use a non stick pan). Let them cook on one side until they get a lightly golden brown in color or when they look nice and crispy, and then flip them once or twice. It took about 6-7 minutes per side, so around 12-15 minutes total to cook them in a pan.
So how do Trader Joe’s TAIYAKI taste? These mini taiyaki are really YUMMY!
Even my (Japanese) wife approved of these and thought Trader Joe’s did a pretty good job with these. We were pleasantly surprised at how good they are. The only thing she said is she wished they gave you two kinds of filling in the bag, some with custard but she wanted some with “anko”, the most traditional filling.
Still the custard filling inside these is very good and satisfying for a sweet treat.
Trader Joe’s new MINI TAIYAKI are quite tasty and worth trying especially if you like Japanese treats. A package is $4.99. It’s not very big, a bit less than 8 ounces. There are just about 8 or 9 of these little fishes inside. Some people are saying save yourself a trip and “buy two”.
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