Ranking the 9 Trader Joe’s Frozen Mexican Foods from Worst to Best

Trader Joe’s is more than just a grocery store; it’s an experience. From the comically small parking lots to the aisles filled with its inexpensive branded products, it’s truly a place you have to see to believe. Besides offering affordable products, Trader Joe’s also carries a massive variety of products. When you wander through its freezer section, you can find meals inspired by cuisines all around the world. Whether you’re looking for Korean, Italian, Indian, or Mexican food, Trader Joe’s has everything to suit an adventurous palate. For this review, I wanted to focus on the convenient, microwavable Mexican food that is stocked in the freezer section to see what’s worth the hype and what should be passed on. 

Prior to preparing each dish according to the package directions, I made sure each one had flavors that were inspired by or native to Mexico. After tasting them, I ranked them based on factors like taste, texture, and portion size. Though portion size is subjective, I wanted to include it so people have a general idea of how much they get out of each product.

Though a burrito bowl isn’t necessarily “authentic” Mexican cuisine, the flavors are certainly inspired by it. The inspiration for this Southwestern staple from Trader Joe’s actually comes from Canada and includes unique twists on the standard burrito bowl. Instead of white rice, as one might expect, it starts with a base of brown rice and red quinoa. From there, it’s topped with black beans, chicken, corn, bell peppers, cheddar cheese, and a tomato and chipotle sauce.

I wish I could say I liked it more. I found the dish to be relatively one-note with the occasional burst of sweetness from the corn. The portion itself was small, but I’m sure that it would suffice for many people. I was disappointed by the small amount of cheese, and the chipotle sauce felt like nothing more than a whisper. Overall, this product is nothing to write home about. I don’t think I would buy this meal again if there were others in stock. It doesn’t taste bad by any means, but it didn’t really stand out to me. I found it to be the blandest item I tried. If you’re looking for a quick and easy meal, this is a great option, but I think Trader Joe’s has better, more flavorful ones available.

The burrito is arguably one of the most well-known dishes associated with Mexico, second only to the taco. Though burritos have likely been around for millennia and may have evolved over time, we know them today as corn or flour tortillas filled with various meats, cheeses, and vegetables. They have all the elements of a balanced meal wrapped neatly in a tortilla, making them a portable, easy-to-eat option on the go.

One of Trader Joe’s frozen burrito variations is its chicken chile verde burritos. Each package contains two burritos, which is enough to satisfy anyone for at least one meal — potentially two, depending on how hungry you are. I was really excited to try these, but found them to be just okay. As frozen burritos go, they’re pretty on-par with just about anything you can get at a local grocery store, though maybe a little larger in size. While they’re definitely filling, their taste is pretty underwhelming. They had a mild spice level, and the tortilla itself was soft and had a nice chew. They tasted good, and while I enjoyed eating them, I think Trader Joe’s offers more flavorful burritos that I would rather have. While the flavor wasn’t impressive, I did find them to be more filling than the chicken burrito bowl, which is why it ranked slightly higher.

Chiles rellenos con queso is one of those dishes you should order the next time you’re at a Mexican restaurant. It typically consists of poblano peppers stuffed with cheese, encased in a batter and deep-fried. It’s pretty labor-intensive, so I don’t imagine it’s something you would make at home often. But at a restaurant, it’s top tier. The Trader Joe’s version comes with two fried peppers and tomato sauce. The package states that it can be made in the microwave, oven, or air fryer, so there are plenty of methods to cook it. It can be served alone as an entrée or appetizer, or used as the filling of a burrito.

I love chiles rellenos con queso, but I knew that cooking it in the microwave would leave something to be desired. However, I wanted to make sure everything was prepared according to the package directions. The batter used to fry the peppers was noticeably salty, but the tomato sauce and cheese helped to mellow that out. Some bites were spicier than others, but overall, the dish was relatively mild. My only true complaint came with the last bite of the meal, when I bit down on what I believe was part of the stem of the pepper that hadn’t been removed in processing. It wasn’t an entirely pleasant texture, but I can’t dock too many points for something negligible. Overall, I found that it tasted good, but would’ve probably liked it more if I baked or air-fried it. This is definitely something I would consider trying again, but would change how I prepared it.

Beef birria is something I’ve made from scratch countless times, so I had very high expectations. Much like the mole, it’s sold on its own and is meant to be used as the protein component of a dish. You can serve it alongside rice and beans or use it as the filling for a taco or burrito. Though it’s typically made with goat, this birrara has the same, familiar spice blend to give it its unique flavor. It’s meant to be fragrant, smoky, decadent, and all-around delicious. It’s also a quite labor-intensive dish to make, so finding a low-maintenance version would be a huge time-saver.

The Trader Joe’s birria was good, but it doesn’t quite hold a candle to a homemade version. It was a little saltier than I would’ve liked and the portion size felt relatively small for a product that costs this much. Even if it were to be used to fill small corn tortillas, I don’t think you could feed more than one or two people. The flavor was good, and it is definitely a great replacement for anyone who doesn’t want to go through the hassle of cooking birria from scratch — but I was disappointed by the measly portion. Ultimately, I wouldn’t purchase it again for myself since it’s already in my regular cooking rotation. However, I would recommend it for anyone who wants to try a small portion for themselves. 

I love making Mexican rice as a side dish, so I was curious to try Trader Joe’s Mexican-style riced cauliflower. Typically, Mexican rice is made with tomato sauce, garlic, and spices. The Trader Joe’s version is similar, but does specify that it’s Mexican “inspired” so as not to be confused with the real thing. The Trader Joe’s version includes tomatoes, bell peppers, pickled jalapeños, and lime. This product is also vegan, so anyone who is looking for great Mexican flavors without any animal products would be able to enjoy it.

I have a lot of opinions about the use of cauliflower to replace rice, however, I was pleasantly surprised by this dish. The cauliflower had a great crunch to it and both the lime and pickled jalapeños provided some much-needed acidity. Trader Joe’s really means it when it says this riced cauliflower is spicy. Thankfully, I have a pretty high tolerance for heat, but anyone who doesn’t like spicy food should steer clear of this product. Also, this was the only dish out of the lineup that wasn’t microwave-friendly. It cooks faster than standard rice does on the stove, but it’s simply not as convenient as a frozen meal that can be cooked in a microwave.

Ultimately, I’m not sure I love it as a replacement for a rice dish, but it’s something I wouldn’t mind serving in addition to it. It has a great heat level and can add a nice texture to whatever you’re serving it with. If I were to get it again, I would use it as the base for a spicy vegan burrito bowl.

Tamales are very nostalgic, as they’re reminiscent of my time in college. One of my roommates’ moms would deliver homemade tamales and pastries, and he was generous enough to share them. For the uninitiated, tamales are a masa-stuffed Mesoamerican dish. The tamales come wrapped and steamed in corn husks or banana leaves and can be filled with just about anything. Trader Joe’s offers three varieties of tamales, but I was most interested in the cheese and green chile version.

While I don’t find tamales to be one of the most filling dishes in the world, I do find them tasty. I love the soft, earthy corn masa paired with the subtle spice of the green chiles. Trader Joe’s uses Monterey Jack in the tamales, which is very mild and doesn’t take away from the rest of the flavors. Knowing how labor-intensive tamales are, my appreciation for these knows no bounds. They were delicious and savory and a must-try for any Mexican food lover.

My one negative for this product was that it took some time for me to find. The first Trader Joe’s I went to only had one of its tamale variations available, whereas the second one I stopped at had all three. The website itself only lists the green chile and cheese version, but in-store was a different story. The inconsistency was admittedly a little frustrating, but it still won’t deter me from purchasing them again.

Enchiladas are a filled corn tortilla dish that originated with the Aztecs and grew in popularity in Southwest and Tex-Mex cuisines during the last century. Like most things, the fillings and toppings can vary, but TJ’s version is filled with dark meat chicken and topped with salsa verde, mozzarella cheese, and cubed peppers. The salsa verde is made with a combination of tomatillos, poblano peppers, and jalapeño peppers and generously coats the enchiladas.

Salsa verde is one of my favorite foods on the planet, so it’s really no surprise these ranked where they did. Even as they were heating up in the microwave, the smell that wafted through my apartment had me more than excited to try them for the first time. You can easily smell the tomatillos and poblanos upfront, and a faint scent of the corn tortillas on the back end. Though you can make salsa verde at home, it’s always preferable when your favorite foods already come with it on top — and these enchiladas are a great vehicle for it. It has a medium spice level that’s not too overwhelming, though anyone with a low spice tolerance may feel differently, which is why they didn’t rank higher. 

These enchiladas are filling, affordable, and make a great dinner option for anyone who wants something spicy and/or high in protein. This is definitely getting added to my shopping list for the next time I go to Trader Joe’s. 

Carne asada, simply put, is marinated and grilled beef. It’s one of those things that’s a staple at every Mexican restaurant, whether it’s fast-casual like Chipotle or a sit-down spot. If you’ve never tried it before, it’s something you’re definitely missing out on. The meat is always juicy and tender and has a great depth of flavor thanks to the char from the grill. It’s also a versatile protein, so you’re always able to create something new with it as the base. I personally like to add a squeeze of fresh lime juice for acidity and tomatoes for sweetness.

As a self-proclaimed frozen burrito connoisseur, this is the product that surprised me most of all. The meat is very tender for a store-bought, mass-produced burrito, and you can really taste the smokiness of the roasted poblano peppers at the forefront of each bite. The tortilla also holds up very well and the spice level is prominent — but not overwhelming. If it came with some refried beans and rice and had a generous helping of melted cheese on top, it could rank higher than my top choice. Overall though, this dish has a really great depth of flavor and I definitely plan to include it in future shopping trips.

If you’ve never had Trader Joe’s frozen chicken mole, you’re missing out. As a kid (and honestly, even now), my go-to order at any Mexican restaurant has always been chicken mole, so I was unbelievably excited when Trader Joe’s began stocking it. It’s sold as a solo protein and is meant to be served alongside other things or included in tacos, burritos, and the like. On its own, the sauce is warm, rich, and smoky — all of the flavors I’ve grown to love over the years.

While some people may associate mole sauce as being made with chocolate, the Trader Joe’s version doesn’t have it. With that being said, it doesn’t make it any less authentic. Mole, which gets its name from the Aztec word for “concoction”, can vary based on a number of different factors. In Oaxaca alone, there are seven different variations of the popular sauce, so it’s no surprise that it can vary depending on who makes it. The Trader Joe’s version of this dish is inspired by mole rojo (red mole) and is made with dried guajillo and pasilla peppers in a tomato base.

This product is meant to be served with corn tortillas or alongside your favorite Mexican sides and comes with several servings to a package. It can easily be used for family taco night or enjoyed alongside some beans and rice. I find its flavor delicious, the portion size generous, and the price affordable. I’ve always had a fear of making mole sauce from scratch because I didn’t feel that I could do it justice, so it’s good to know TJ’s offers a great alternative. 

I considered several factors to decide how to rank these products, the most paramount of which was taste. I also looked at the price, availability, and how well the frozen Mexican product compared to other, well-made variations of the product I’ve had in the past. 

All foods were purchased and taste-tested over the course of several days so that I could compare them to one another without also getting burnt out on foods with similar flavor profiles. Because the foods are in different categories, like sides, proteins, and full meals, I wanted to focus heavily on taste rather than how filling each one was because they’re portioned for different purposes. That being said, I did include notes on portion sizes, especially for meals listed on the Trader Joe’s website as “entrees or appetizers.”

I cooked most of the dishes in the microwave according to the instructions. Although many have oven or air fryer heating instructions, I assume most people are more likely to use the faster, more hassle-free microwave. The only dish that was prepared on the stovetop was the riced cauliflower, as the package only gave directions for stovetop cooking.