Trader Joe’s Frozen Appetizers: Easy Trader Joe’s Appetizers for your Dinner Party
Sharing my favorite easy and quick Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers for your next gathering!
We all know that hosting can be a lot. There’s the appetizers, dinner and dessert. Not to mention the drinks, table decor, cleaning the house and somehow getting yourself showered and presentable…
If there’s one way to relief a little bit of stress from your plate, it’s with these flavorful Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers!
Let the oven or air fryer do all the work for you.
Your guests will love the appetizers & it will give you more time to just focus on the other portions of hosting or just being present with your guests!
I’ve done the hard part for you, so just save this post for your next gathering!
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Bird’s Nests
These are tempura vegetables with a soy dipping sauce at $3.99/bag.
Each box has 8 pieces, with 2 separate packets of the soy dipping sauce.
They can be cooked from frozen in the air fryer or oven. Note: the oven will take slightly longer at about 20 minutes.
The veggie nests have shredded onion, carrots and kale, which can’t be distinctly tasted because they are all shredded.
The soy-based dipping sauce is sweet, savory and has a little spice to it.
These are vegan-friendly, but they do contain gluten (from the wheat and soy).
They are a great side dish if you have an asian inspired meal.
Pro Tip: Elevate these by sprinkling a little bit of sesame seeds and cut a green onion on a bias to sprinkle on top! That small touch will make these frozen bites turn into an elevated appetizer for your guests!
Trader Joe’s Fried Olive Bites
There’s 12 bites in each bag at $4.49/bag.
These frozen olive bites are really flavorful, savory and perfect for the olive lovers! Because they are so salty, it would be hard to eat these by yourself, that’s why it’s the perfect appetizer for a gathering!
These frozen bites are made from 2 different olives, green Castelvetrano olives (from Italy) and purple Kalamatas (from Greece).
The olives are mixed together, stuffed with cheese, lightly battered, rolled in panko breadcrumbs and fried to become perfectly crispy!
They can be made from frozen in the air fryer or oven. Note: the oven time will vary slightly from air fryer time but it will take about 20 minutes for these little guys to crisp up.
Pro Tip: Stick a cute toothpick in each one of these and finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley. If you really wanted to elevate it, you could drizzle some balsamic glaze on top as a sweet accompaniment to the salty bites.
Trader Joe’s Turkey Meatballs
These fully cooked turkey meatballs are flame broiled at $4.99/bag.
There is about 12 meatballs in each bag.
They can be popped in the air fryer or oven. The oven time may vary slightly. If they are cooked from frozen, it will take about 35 minutes, but if they are thawed, it will only take about 20 minutes.
They are great for those that don’t eat red meat and want a high protein alternative as theres 12g of protein for 2 meatballs.
I prefer to serve these with a sauce on top or on the side.
Depending on your cuisine for the night, you can try a BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, Greek yogurt sauce or marinara sauce. The options are endless.
Pro Tip: Stick a cute toothpick in each of these, drizzle the sauce on top and sprinkle with fresh basil. Your guests will love this healthy appetizer for an Italian themed dinner!
Trader Joe’s 5 Cheese Greek Spiral
This greek app is made with 5 different cheeses wrapped in filo dough at $4.49/package.
The cheeses are; gouda, kasseri, kefalotyri, semi hard cheese and blue cheese.
It can be served as an appetizer to a Mediterranean style dinner, or even a brunch appetizer!
This can be made in the air fryer or oven. If you’re baking in the oven, it will take about 45 minutes, so you want to give yourself enough time!
It comes in a spiral so it can be cut (similar to a pizza) for serving.
Because of the cheeses, it is a bit heavier so if you have a lighter dinner, this could be the perfect appetizer!
It’s meatless and vegetarian friendly, however with the dough and cheese it’s not vegan.
Pro Tip: Serve these with a few cherry tomatoes tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper on the side for a pop of color. If you have fresh herbs, add a sprinkle of dill or parsley on top.
Trader Joe’s Bacon Wrapped Scallops
These are simple scallops wrapped in bacon with a brown sugar glaze at $8.99/package.
There are no nitrates added.
Theres 10 scallops in each package, already skewered up and ready for the oven.
They can be made in the oven or air fried. In the oven it will bake from frozen in just about 20 minutes.
You’ll get a sweet, smokey and salty flavor all in one bite!
These are the perfect hors d’oeuvres for an elevated dinner party.
They are high in protein, and made with minimal ingredients, also it’s gluten free!
Alternatively, if I wasn’t having a dinner party, I would make a big green salad and serve these babies on top as a light dinner!
Pro Tip: I would serve these on a bed of arugula or micro greens to pop the color. Sprinkle some balsamic glaze on top & enjoy as an elevated appetizer.
Trader Joe’s Brazilian Style Cheese Bread
It comes with 12 pieces at $4.99/package.
This is made with tapioca flour, parmesan cheese, and a chewy center, soft and crunchy on the outside but chewy on the inside!
It’s gluten free friendly and made with only a few simple ingredients.
They can be made from frozen in the air fryer or oven. The oven will take about 10 minutes to crisp up.
They are not as cheesy as the package describes but there is a cheese flavor due to the parmesan.
These can not only be served as an appetizer but also as a side for dinner!
Alternatively, they can be served as a brunch side dish or appetizer too!
Pro Tip: Serve these with a side of marinara sauce or even some honey and jam.
Trader Joe’s Vegetable Gyoza
These Thai vegetable gyozas are priced at $4.79/bag.
I prefer to cook these on the stove top in a skillet to crisp up, but they can also be made in the microwave if you need a quicker version.
The directions actually state that you can steam them but I think that crisp adds some flavor and texture that could be desirable for guests!
These are vegan friendly, however they contain wheat so it doesn’t make them gluten free friendly.
The filling is filled with veggies like cabbage, radishes and carrots.
I would grab a sauce to serve with these like a soy based blend or even just soy sauce!
This would be a great appetizer for an asian inspired meal or a vegetarian/vegan group of guest.
Pro Tip: serve with a dippings sauce like a Trader Joe’s asian sauce or even just a soy sauce blend. Sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds for presentation!
