12 Trader Joe's Appetizers That Are 10x Better Than The Main Dish

Dinner is great, but have you ever been so into the appetizers that you don't even care about the main course? There's something fun and delicious about grazing on snacks and small bites, whether at a restaurant or at home. Trader Joe's is a mecca of little bites and apps to suit many flavor preferences, and they are all so easy to cook and serve. As a regular Trader Joe's shopper, the store is my go-to whenever we have company, for girls' nights, and even when I have zero desire to cook a full meal.

Call it a grazing table, an impromptu cocktail hour, or a perfect girl dinner. Whatever you consider it, Trader Joe's is the best discount grocery chain in the game when it comes to many areas, and offering a solid array of tasty apps is certainly one of them. There are also options representative of different cultures, from Asian or Italian to Latin and beyond. I purchased 12 appetizer items from various departments and they are all so good that I am ready to make a case for skipping the entree altogether. Don't forget to leave some room though because Trader Joe's also stocks some spectacular desserts.

People will travel for tacos, but you can easily get them at Trader Joe's, too. These little tacos are excellent handhelds that pack some big flavors. Do not underestimate the size because they can easily stand up to an entree. The tortilla is perfectly crunchy and crispy and they cook easily in an air fryer for a fast app. The inside is a completely different texture. A combination of tender potatoes and poblanos is a fantastic complement to the crunchy exterior giving you the best of both texture worlds. The filling is far from boring and instead delivers a savory and satisfying flavor.

The miniature tacos may look completely unassuming, but the flavors and consistency of all the elements together produce a comfort food you never knew you needed. We love Trader Joe's Crispy Potato and Poblano Tacos and enjoy them regularly at home. The size and compact feel also makes them ideal for dipping. Grab your favorite salsa and sour cream to pile on more excitement. If you really want to live, try heating up the Trader Joe's Queso Dip and plunge your potato poblano taco right in there. It adds a creamy component and definitely matches the energy of the fun and tasty app.

I absolutely love hors d'oeuvres. You cannot convince me that filling up on tasty little bites being passed around at a party are not the ultimate experience. There is zero regret on filling up on a variety of snacks making their way around an event and being full by the time dinner is served. Everyone knows the cocktail hour fare is usually superior to the main event anyway. That's exactly what the Trader Joe's Pastry Bites with Feta Cheese and Caramelized Onions achieve.

These are so good and frequently requested when my family comes over for Sunday dinners. One box is never enough either because they go fast. The flaky, butter pastry shell makes a great vehicle for a balanced filling of feta and onions. Sweet caramelized onions meet tangy and savory feta and the two become an appetizer power couple. The list of accolades is a long one when all of the components of the simple looking pastry cups create the ultimate bite. Pop a warm one in your mouth and I dare you not to polish off the whole tray before company arrives. They may look basic, but after one (or 10) of Trader Joe's pastry starters, you will likely turn your nose up at the boring chicken breast waiting to be plated.

Sticking with the whole hors d' oeuvres category of appetizers, Trader Joe's Mini Mushroom Tartelettes are another winner. Similar to the pastry with feta and onions, these tartelettes prove that good things come in small packages. The pastry cup is flaky and buttery, as it should be. There is no denying the earthy essence of mushrooms. The tartelletes may be mini in stature, but the depth and flavor of the creamy mushroom filling deserves attention. To say these are satisfying is an understatement.

Mushroom lovers will easily fall in love with TJ's tartelettes. Between the butteriness, umami flavors, and intense mushroom flavor, they are easily substantial enough to justify skipping dinner. Eating them in one bite is easy. Saving some for guests, not so much. I can also confirm that while the tartelettes are a fantastic party starter, they are just as delicious straight off the baking tray before they even hit the table. Give me like five of these and a glass of wine and I don't need anything else.

One of the things I love about soup is its ability to be many things. If it has enough substance it can easily pass as a full meal. What's better than a hearty soup brimming with flavor on a chilly night? Some may say serving it as an appetizer is just as great. Soup is often slept on as an appropriate starter for a night in with friends or family, and it shouldn't be. As a matter of fact, the right soup can be even more filling and satisfying than any main dish you have in mind. That's where Trader Joe's soups come in.

There are many soup-erstars lurking in TJ's refrigerator section and there are no bad decisions regarding which you should toss in your cart. The broccoli cheddar soup is outstanding if you are looking for a heavy and filling soup. Serve it with a hunk of crusty bread, or even go all out and put it in a bread bowl and bam, it's now a meal. The one soup that knocked my socks off recently though is the Tomato Feta. It's smooth, creamy, and warms your entire soul with one slurp. Far from a regular tomato soup this one melds bright tomato and tangy feta flavors and frankly it's a home run. Serve a small bowl with a hunk of Trader Joe's French baguette and watch how many of your guests ask for seconds.

When my husband and I go for Italian, instead of starting with a traditional appetizer, like calamari or burrata, we often order a pasta dish to share, and ravioli is one of our favorites. Trader Joe's has a number of packaged raviolis in the refrigerated section of the store and they are all worth a look. We are currently in a serious relationship with Trader Joe's Italian Tomato and Burrata Raviolini and how could you blame us? Little pasta pockets stuffed with zesty tomato and super creamy burrata simply cannot disappoint. They are so indulgent that you will forget what you even planned to serve for dinner. The burrata tomato combo hits the spot every time.

TJ's raviolini are a delightful starter all on their own. You can also sprinkle with some freshly grated parmesan cheese or add your favorite sauce, whether it's tomato or Alfredo. The little pasta bites also crisp up offering a completely different culinary experience if you hit them with the air fryer. You can also add them to a tomato soup for an even bigger splash. Regardless of how you serve Trader Joe's Italian Tomato and Burrata Raviolini, your tastebuds will thank you and probably beg for more. Buy more than one package. Trust me.

The thing about taquitos is that they are delicious and fun. They offer the ideal opportunity for a finger food that's easy to serve and even easier to enjoy. How could you not be into a corn tortilla tightly rolled with precision around a scrumptious filling? Just beyond the crunchy first bite lies savory black beans and melty cheese. That combo is a tried and true fiesta and never lets me down.

Trader Joe's Black Bean and Cheese Taquitos are enough to fill your belly, but also compact enough to dip many times over. This is another app that only gets better with sauces. Try them with salsa, sour cream, guacamole, or all of the above. The more the merrier, as they say. Also, I strongly encourage you to take the same unsolicited advice I offered about the crispy tacos. Grab the warm queso and get to dipping. Because the flavor of the taquitos is not complex or too muddled, it's the perfect candidate for some delicious accessories. A few of these with the right sauce combos and you have something better than a main course.

What is it about food on a stick that makes it so appealing? From kabobs on the streets of NYC to corn dogs at a carnival, it's just a good time. When Trader Joe's started stocking its Potato Cheese Sticks to capitalize on the rush of Korean-inspired snacks making waves everywhere, there was zero question that I was going to buy them. This did not stop after the first purchase either, and has become a freezer staple. The stretchy mozzarella is blanketed in potato chunks and the whole thing is battered up nice and good.

Potato and cheese are a long-time match made in heaven so they already have a head start over whatever dinner is planned. It's on the heavier side of the appetizer spectrum, which lends the cheesy potato sticks to effortlessly satiating your appetite. If you love the drama of a good cheese pull, you're also in luck on that front. These are delightful all on their own, but if you are a habitual dipper, potatoes and cheese are chill enough to be paired with a variety of sauces. If you like ranch or honey mustard, go for it. Looking for more of a kick? Try a spicy sauce to add another layer of flavor to the cheese potato stick. For the purists out there, TJ's Potato Cheese Sticks play very well with ketchup.

I understand that onions are one of those foods that can be divisive. While I am proud to be pro onion, there are a lot of people among us who have nothing but disdain for the tearjerker of the veggies. However, I feel like if any of those people are willing to keep an open mind and try Trader Joe's Onion Flowers, it might just convert them. They're a distant relative of the famous Bloomin' Onion from Outback, and a real crowd pleaser. Some apps are more interactive than others, and TJ's Onion Flowers are the former.

The Onion Flowers are lightly battered and do not upstage the star of the show — the sweet onion. It becomes like an edible centerpiece as people gently pull crispy onion petals from the flower one by one. The sweet onion coupled with the crunchy batter make for one delicious flower. Set one (or a few if you are game) within grabbing distance of everyone at the table and watch how it becomes a delicious connection point and better than any fork and knife experience.

If ever there were a Trader Joe's item that proves anything mini can still outshine a single entree, it's the mini shrimp bao buns in the freezer section. For anyone who has yet to experience a bao bun, it's pillowy, soft, springy, and a texture unlike anything else. While I enjoy a good crunch and crispness of many apps, the tender bao bun is a nice and tasty deviation that allows the rest of the ingredients to have their time in the spotlight.

TJ's Mini Shrimp Bao Buns offer a flavor parade including lemongrass, lime, and tasty, thin shrimp patties. It's an impeccable little sandwich as is. You can also spruce it up with some fresh veggies, like sliced cukes, or fresh herbs of your choosing. The bao buns don't need it, but simple additions can make them even more yummy. I love the chili dipping sauce the bao buns come with as well to brighten them up. Trader Joe's Mini Shrimp Bao Buns are already like a little meal in a few bites and you won't be sorry if a few of them count as dinner.

Trader Joe's really shines when it comes to highlighting foods and flavors from different cultures. If that wasn't already evident from the list of apps so far, let me introduce you to gozlemes. Picture a collab between a flatbread and a quesadilla and you have a Turkish treat called gozlemes. The dough is thin, crispy, and easily cooks to an ideal golden brown. Gozlemes are literally perfect to slice into wedges for easy serving. The inside of the Trader Joe's Gozlemes is all about cheesy goodness, and I'm talking heavy on the cheese.

Gozlemes offer an opportunity to finish one off yourself, or share, if you are feeling generous. If you decide to invite others to a gozlemes party, I'd suggest making a bunch, slicing through the thin, golden crust, and watching them disappear before your very eyes. They are filling, satisfying, and can easily make anyone forget about dinner. Cheese lovers might want to line up for this one because it takes the magic of a grilled cheese and elevates the whole experience. I only hope gozlemes don't become one of the items TJ's chooses to discontinue.

If you are like me and have a great affection for all the cheesy things, you'll want to track down Trader Joe's Chiles Rellenos Con Queso. These treats present a fantastic use of gooey cheese and crisp peppers, and they do it well. TJ's takes peppers, stuffs them with delicious cheese, and then covers them with an egg batter. Once the chiles rellenos are cooked, all of the flavors commingle and create a hearty, satisfying bite. Stuffed peppers are easy to make in general but grabbing these from Trader Joe's is easier.

We also need to take a moment for the sauce. Surrounding the stuffed pepper is a rich and decadent sauce. The way it seeps into the soft coating is outstanding. Putting a TJ's Chiles Rellenos Con Queso in front of anyone doesn't just serve as the start of a fantastic meal. They ARE the meal. These are by far the most filling of the apps on this list and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who would object. Peppery flavors with a cheesy touch hit all the high notes and make for some unforgettable bites.

You cannot compile a list of all-star appetizers without this next item. They are downright legendary and that's no exaggeration. There's a good chance that if you attend any event where servers are circling the room with delightful treats on silver platters, they will be there. I'm talking about pigs in a blanket and they are probably the unequivocal GOAT of appetizer fare. There's just something about the savory mini hot dogs wrapped in flaky pastry that made Anthony Bourdain salivate. You'll want to grab an entire tray for yourself.

Trader Joe's has its own version and if any of the above words made you drool with anticipation, go grab a few boxes of the parmesan pastry pups. It's a superior example of how to upgrade an old school app and it hits the spot every single time. Cocktail style beef franks and buttery puff pastry are the duo of your dreams. Trader Joe's levels them up with a dash of parmesan cheese covering the pastry with a craveable tang like a nice little bow to wrap up the whole experience. The pastry pups are small but leave a huge impression, and it's impossible to eat just one. They can easily become the whole meal.

In order to compile this list, I visited my local Trader Joe's in Boca Raton, FL. I scoured the aisles, refrigerator, and freezer section to create a meal fit for a queen. As a regular shopper, I grabbed some of my favorite go-tos as well as items I had yet to try. I reviewed each appetizer to make a case for why it could easily serve as a meal. I considered flavor, texture, and, most importantly, if they have what it takes to stand up to an entire full dinner.