I Taste-Tested 17 Popular Trader Joe's Vegan And Plant-Based Products — Here's What To Buy (And What To Skip)

There are a handful of vegan alternatives constantly popping up in the Trader Joe's cheese aisle, and I've admittedly always approached them with caution. With the exception of Kite Hill, which is a spreadable vegan cheese similar to Boursin, I've never had a truly enjoyable non-dairy cheese that I would buy again.

I also saw these Cheddar-style slices get a lot of hype on social media, and around the internet, when they first hit shelves. The cheddar-style slices are made from cashews, so I I figured they could very well taste rich, creamy, and almost dairy-like.

I tried a bite of cheese on its own and was quickly...horribly disappointed. It tasted awful, sort of like plastic mixed with coconut mixed with feet (so yeah, absolutely nothing like cheddar cheese). I figured I'd give this product a second chance.

I've tried Trader Joe's cultured coconut milk in the past, and I wasn't a big fan. It was watery and straight-up unappealing. So while I didn't have the highest hopes, I figured this cashew-based yogurt could potentially make up for past non-dairy yogurt failures.

Uncooked sausage is never particularly pleasant to look at (or to touch) but this meatless alternative was especially slimy and unappealing. I followed the directions and pan-fried it on the stove-top, letting all sides turn brown and crispy. After about six minutes, it was brown, almost to the point of looking burnt, and my kitchen was getting smoky. It did strangely smell very similar to Italian sausage, probably because of all the seasoning.

If there's one food that most people associate Trader Joe's with, it's probably the frozen mandarin orange chicken. It's a timeless crowd favorite for a reason: it's so good, and it makes for the more effortless, take-out quality meal. So I was extremely interested in trying the meatless version of TJ's frozen aisle icon.

Off the bat, you'll notice that the meatless morsels look totally different from the Mandarin orange chicken. Whereas the Mandarin orange chicken pieces are imperfectly shaped and all different, the vegan version was made up of identical looking, oval-shaped chunks. And the breading is also different. While the Mandarin orange chicken has more of a corn starch coating, this vegan version is basically mini chicken nuggets.

I heated up the meatless morsels in the oven à la package directions. They didn't get as crispy as the real Mandarin orange chicken, but they were certainly golden brown on the outside. I tasted the vegan chicken both before and after tossing it in the sauce, but neither way was very convincing. The morsels are mushy and weirdly squishy when you take a bite. They don't have much crunch to them. And the sauce was so watery and thin that it didn't cling to the "chicken." It just sort of made the whole fake meat slimy.

I think I might enjoy this more paired with some veggies or TJ's fried rice, but on it's own it wasn't a win for me. However, it's clear that Trader Joe's does know how to make a very compelling faux chicken (read on!).

Now I wouldn't quite call myself "a mayo person," but I do feel like mayonnaise is a necessary ingredient in many recipes that I really enjoy, like tuna fish salad, coleslaw, deviled eggs, lobster rolls, and so on.

While some people might use plain yogurt in place of mayo, I firmly believe that there is a certain creaminess in texture and flavor that only mayonnaise can achieve. Which brings me to Trader Joe's vegan mayo spread and dressing. I'd been eyeing this TJ's creation since it hit shelves. I've seen it advertised as both vegan and health conscious, made with avocado oil, mustard flour, garlic, onion, and chickpea broth in lieu of egg. But could it taste anything like real mayo?

I've always wondered: who exactly is the audience for this vegan meat-lover's pizza?? If you love the taste of pepperoni and sausage so much that you want both on your pizza, you're probably not going to be vegan. But that being said, I know many people who like the taste of meat, but are trying to eat less of it for environmental or health reasons. So maybe that's my answer. In any case, this ready-to-bake vegan meat-lover's pizza exists at Trader Joe's.

And it's not just meatless. In addition to vegan chorizo, Italian sausage, and pepperoni, it's also loaded with dairy-free mozzarella and cheddar shredded cheese. Upon unwrapping the pizza pie, my first impression was that the crust itself looked exceptional — perhaps better than any other TJ's frozen pizza crust.

It looked like a delightfully chewy, thick and sturdy base for all of the toppings. I heated the pizza up directly on an oven rack according to package directions and baked it for about 15 minutes.

I've had my fair share of vegan mac 'n' cheese before. I've had Annie's vegan boxed mac, and I've even made it from scratch using homemade cashew "cheese" and butternut squash purée. But let me tell you...the homemade version is a process. So I can see why dairy-free eaters would be very excited about the idea of a ready-to-eat vegan mac 'n' cheese that tastes closer to homemade than the boxed stuff.

Each container of this vegan mac contains two servings at 320 calories a piece, and according to the nutrition label, the cream sauce is made with butternut squash, coconut milk, and buttery spread. And all you have to do it pop it into the microwave.

Ever since I first spotted this fully cooked, ready-to-eat, meatless Bolognese in the frozen aisle, I'd been curious to try it. Trader Joe's also sells a jarred version of meatless Bolognese sauce, but there's something about shelf stable Bolognese (real or meatless) that sort of freaks me out. Which brings me to this frozen meal.

It's made with plant-based beef, mushrooms, and red lentil pasta, so not only is it meatless, but it also seems like a good option for health-conscious shoppers who want a more protein-and fiber-packed pasta alternative.

Trader Joe's is constantly introducing more and more dairy-free desserts, and this is one of the newer additions that's been getting lots of hype. Most of the vegan ice cream desserts are made of either oat milk or coconut milk. These are little bite-sized treats of frozen coconut milk ice cream and chocolate flakes coated in a rich chocolate shell.

I had heard good things about the Trader Joe's mozzarella-style shreds. These are made of cashews, and the bag says they are made for melting and great for pizza. All good news. The vegan mozzarella looks a lot like real shredded mozzarella, and based on appearance alone I'm not sure I would have noticed the difference.

They feel thicker though, and have the same plastic feeling as the vegan Cheddar slices. I tried a bite of the shreds on their own, and they're not bad. In fact, there's something I sort of enjoyed about them. They're salty, they melt in your mouth, and they have that chalky flavor reminiscent of real shredded cheese. They're crunchier than real mozzarella shreds though, and they have a bit of a unique after taste (maybe due to the coconut oil).

Turns out, these vegan-style shreds do melt wonderfully, and they impart a similar flavor to real cheese, though not quite as strong or creamy. They are more subtle, and they easily get lost in a bowl of pasta when mixed in so you probably need more than you might think necessary in order to really taste the flavor.

All in all though, these are a convincing substitute for dairy if you're making something like pasta, pizza, nachos, eggplant Parmesan, etc...and I would absolutely buy it again.

Before I spotted Impossible chicken nuggets in the frozen aisle at Trader Joe's, I'd been on the look-out to try them. I recently tried KFC's Beyond Chicken and was curious to see how the Impossible version compares. So as soon as they hit shelves, I grabbed a bag.

They're made of soy protein and wheat flour, and they're flavored with lots of spices and seasonings to give them that "meaty" taste. Five nuggets contains 240 calories and 13 grams of protein, which is not very different from your standard Tyson fully cooked nuggets, which contain 270 calories and 14 grams of carbs in a five-piece serving. The instructions are the same as any other nuggets: You just pop them into the oven for about 10 minutes and voilà.

The breading, for one, is identical. They're coated with super fine breadcrumbs that make them look and taste like any chicken nuggets you grew up eating. As for the inside, it was chewy and tender and looked almost identical to real chicken. I don't think you could fool anyone in a blind tasting, but they're still very enjoyable, especially paired with TJ's Magnifisauce.

I only wish these plant-based nuggets got crispier. After ten minutes in the oven the breading was golden brown, but it lacked a good crunch. Next time (and there will be a next time) I would heat these up in the air fryer.

Soy chorizo is a perennial favorite among loyal Trader Joe's shoppers. I tried this meatless chorizo alternative a long time ago, so I was excited to give it another go. I don't eat chorizo often, but when I do — in dishes like tacos, soups, and paella — I really love the flavor.

So to test out Trader Joe's faux chorizo, I decided to put it into breakfast tacos. I took the chorizo out of its casing and put it into a skillet. Just like regular chorizo, it crumbled instantly. I let the chorizo chunks get nice and brown, and to my surprise, it started to smell like real pork sausage with that distinct smoky-sweet paprika scent.

Chorizo is such a strong, unmistakeable flavor thanks to the chile pepper and paprika seasoning, but this Trader Joe's vegan chorizo really hit a similar note. It was spicy and heavy on the paprika, but it was a bit drier than regular chorizo, as well as less fatty, greasy, and deep in flavor.

All in all, it looked and tasted similar enough to be a satisfying replacement. And when it was paired with scrambled eggs and avocado in a tortilla, it tasted even more similar to meat. I really enjoyed this and would definitely buy it again.

I am team oat milk. When it comes to coffee, I prefer this non-dairy milk over cow's milk in just about any situation purely from a flavor stand-point. But when it comes to ice cream, can any alternative milk actually compare to the luscious texture of real cream?

Enter: Trader Joe's strawberry non-dairy oat frozen dessert (aka vegan strawberry ice cream). At 260 calories per 2/3 cup, it is lower-calorie than let's say, Haagen Dazs strawberry ice cream, which clocks in at 310 calories for the same serving size.

This oat milk-based ice cream was really yummy. I happen to be a pretty big strawberry ice cream fan, so I was thrilled about the flavor. TBH the "almond brittle" tasted more like regular tiny almond pieces to me, but I got plenty of candied strawberries.

While not quite as luscious and creamy in texture as regular ice cream, it's still pretty rich and would definitely satisfy any ice cream craving. I think the oat milk makes it a bit softer than ice cream, and it's really easy to dig a spoon into the carton straight from the freezer (a big bonus, IMO). Whether or not you eat dairy, this is a delicious dessert that's well worth a try.

I cook with ghee often, but I've never tried vegan butter before. This stuff is made from a blend of oils including coconut, sunflower, and canola. It comes in a very basic butter packaging, which can be annoying to re-seal. There are also no measurements on the packaging, which makes it a bit more challenging to cook with. But putting these challenges aside, I was excited to taste TJ's buttery spread.

And unlike ghee, which has a bit of an oily aftertaste, this stuff has the same thick and smooth mouthfeel as real butter. I wouldn't say it tastes exactly like butter (it's more similar to margarine actually), but it does taste a lot like those even tastier buttery spreads like Smart Balance or Land O' Lakes. It's salty and creamy and spreadable and makes food taste even more delicious.

Smear it on a slice of bread or a toasted bagel, stir some into a bowl of rice or warm pasta, or cook with it. Whether or not you're vegan, you'll probably enjoy this dairy-free butter substitute.

A friend of mine was raving to me about Trader Joe's vegan feta, so naturally I had to pick it up on my next TJ's run. One of the newer additions to Trader Joe's vegan cheese repertoire, this non-dairy feta alternative is made of coconut oil, potato starch, and potato protein.

It comes packaged in brine just like real feta cheese, in an easily resealable container. I opened up the packaging and was shocked to find that this block of non-dairy cheese looked identical to real feta cheese. The texture was also wildly similar: It cut smoothly when sliced with a knife, then crumbled into perfect little creamy pieces.

The sugar cone is stuffed with a layer of fudgy chocolate, which makes up for the fact that it lacks the hard chocolate shell that coats the classic Hold The Cone.

The texture is a bit mousse-y — lighter and airier as opposed to dense, but it still has a delicious, rich chocolate flavor. There is a slight nuttiness, which probably has to do with the coconut milk, but it's not unpleasant. I also particularly like the packaging of these: unlike the original cones, which come in plastic, the vegan version are individually wrapped, which makes storage easier and cleaner.

I would even dare to say that I enjoyed these more than actual chicken tenders. I loved the crunchy breadcrumb coating and the neutral flavor of the tenders. They got much more crispy than the Impossible version, and they were most substantive and chewy. Next time, I'll make them in the air fryer, as I suspect they'll taste even better.

Unlike some other chicken substitutes, like Gardein, which can look a bit sketchy and grey on the inside, these looked almost identical to chicken in texture and color. Paired with your favorite dipping sauce, these are an incredibly satisfying and convincing meat replacement. I may or may not have caught my husband, Zack, (who is very far from vegan) heating up another batch of these the next night. He said he might actually prefer these meatless tenders from the real thing, so I'll call this one a serious success.