10 easy Trader Joe’s vegan meals for lazy nights

These easy Trader Joe’s dinner ideas come together fast. No recipe required.

In this post:

Pick up a box of Trader Joe’s crispy potato and poblano pepper tacos, plus a packet of their Spanish-style rice. (They’re two of my favorite Trader Joe’s vegan products.)

Air fry the potato tacos at 400 degrees for 9 to 10 minutes, stopping once to flip when the tacos are brown on one side.

Microwave the rice until warmed through, stopping once to stir for even heating.

Serve the tacos with tortilla chips, salsa verde, and/or vegan sour cream (using my Trader Joe’s vegan sour cream hack).

To make this meal even more delicious and substantive, stuff the tacos with any of the following:

• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Vegan cheddar cheese
• Guacamole
• Pickled red onions
• Soy chorizo and black beans
• Fajita vegetables
• Roasted tomato salsa

Adding Trader Joe’s vegan cheddar slices gives a very nostalgic Jack in the Box vibe.

Shelf stable naan flatbread from Trader Joe’s makes a hearty pizza crust for a personal-sized pizza.

Heads up: Trader Joe’s frozen naan is not vegan. Look for the one sold at room temperature with other breads.

For the sauce, use Trader Joe’s pizza sauce or tomato basil marinara. Then add whatever toppings you like.

(Unfortunately, the meatless pepperoni has been discontinued at Trader Joe’s, but my homemade vegan pepperoni is wonderful here.)

At Trader Joe’s, pick up toppings like:

• Mushrooms
• Olives
• Onions
• Bell pepper
• Tomatoes
• Italian sausage-less sausage
• Soy chorizo
• Basil
• Vegan mozzarella
• Vegan parmesan

Once you’ve assembled your flatbread pizza, put it on a baking sheet, and bake at 425 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

If you feel like making a vegan pizza with classic flavors, check out my supreme flatbread pizza recipe. Or for a quick air fryer lunch, try my air fryer bagel pizza.

Get the taste of takeout at home with a package of chicken-less Mandarin orange morsels, broccoli, and a packet of frozen brown rice.

If you want to make it even easier, buy broccoli florets instead.

Air fry the vegan chicken from frozen at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes, stopping once to flip once they’re browned on one side.

Steam broccoli with about an inch of water in a covered pot with steamer insert for 4 to 6 minutes, until bright and fork-tender.

Put the sauce packet in a skillet and reduce over medium heat until it’s thick and syrupy. (If it’s too watery, the sauce will make the breading wet and lose its crispness.) Then add chicken-less morsels, and coat evenly.

Microwave the rice until warmed through, stopping to stir for even heating.

Then compile and serve.

To level up or vary this dinner, replace steamed broccoli with sauteed bell pepper and green onion.

This meal pairs well with sesame kale, and sliced cucumbers seasoned with tamari, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.

Stir-fries don’t get much easier than this.

Air fry beefless bulgogi. (The air fryer instructions on the package aren’t nearly long enough. Be sure to cook until they’re perfectly browned.)

While that’s cooking, warm the vegetable fried rice in a pan over a medium heat on the stove or in the microwave.

The rice is dotted with lots of veggies like edamame, corn, bell pepper, green peas, leeks, and carrots.

Although it is lightly seasoned already, I like to amp up the flavor by adding splashes of tamari, rice vinegar, and sesame oil while it cooks.

Once it’s done, if you like, add a handful of roasted cashews, several drizzles of chili crisp, and/or pickled jalapenos for heat.

I’ve always been a person who could make a meal of appetizers. And nowhere is that easier to do than at Trader Joe’s.

Choose your own adventure with any of their Asian-inspired appetizers like:

• Jumeokbap (Pictured above)
• Steamed vegetable soup dumplings
• Thai vegetable gyoza (Perfect with gyoza dipping sauce)
• Vegetable spring rolls
• Teriyaki mushroom mini bao buns (Great with spicy chili crisp dipping sauce)
• Kimbap
• Vegetable dumplings
• Vegetable bird’s nests
• Mini vegetable samosas
• Taiwanese green onion pancakes
• Crispy vegetable pouches (Only available in late fall/early winter)

Cook according to package directions.

Heads up: When steaming the bao, soup dumplings, or vegetable dumplings, I highly recommend laying down a liner made of parchment paper or silicone to avoid sticking.

For even more color and variety, fill out your array of appetizers with any of these simple side dishes:

• Sugar snap peas stir-fry (Shown above)
• Sesame kale
• Spicy edamame with chili crisp sauce
• Brussels sprouts with gochujang glaze
• Stir-fried green beans with shiitake mushrooms
• Roasted broccoli with chili crisp sauce
• Chili crisp Brussels sprouts

Pita bread is a terrific blank canvas for quick lunches or dinners. Here are three different ways that you can stuff your pita bread.

The first option is with falafel.

You’ll need a package of Trader Joe’s fully cooked frozen falafel, pita bread, romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and vegan tzatziki dip.

Add your fillings, and finish with a generous dousing of vegan tzatziki.

The falafel are pretty big, so I like to break them apart and spread them evenly throughout.

Variation: This falafel sandwich is also great in a wrap with Trader Joe’s cooked brown rice, lettuce, and tahini sauce or hummus. Serve with fries and TJ’s canned dolmas.

Your second pita sandwich option is to make a vegan steak gyro by using Trader Joe’s beefless bulgogi.

You’ll need a package of frozen Korean beefless bulgogi, pita, vegan tzatziki, and the fillings of your choice like baby spinach, tomato, cilantro, and pickled red onions.

(Trader Joe’s doesn’t sell jarred pickled red onions, but they do sell all of the ingredients to make them.)

Air fry the beefless bulgogi as described earlier in this post, and warm the pita.

Then add the bulgogi to the pita with all of your toppings. Finish with a generous drizzling of vegan tzatziki.

See how to make beefless bulgogi gyros

Trader Joe’s Greek chickpeas with parsley and cumin also make an excellent addition to a pita sandwich.

Roast the Greek chickpeas in the oven or air fryer. Then add them to warmed pita with veggies and a dollop of vegan tzatziki.

Stuff with your choice of fillings like quick pickled cucumbers, pickled red onions, and green leaf lettuce.

Variation: All of these pita dinners also work beautifully with Trader Joe’s baladi Egyptian sourdough pocket bread. It’s very convenient to have on hand. Simply heat from frozen in the air fryer.

For a really simple but satisfying dinner, make ravioli with marinara.

Trader Joe’s vegan spinach and cashew ravioli is found in the refrigerated section.

Cook the ravioli according to package directions. While the ravioli is cooking, warm organic tomato basil marinara in a pan. Once the ravioli is ready, add it to the sauce, gently combine, and serve.

Heads up: If you choose a different type of pasta sauce, be sure to read the ingredient labels, as some others contain cheese.

Vegan ravioli with marinara can be a meal on its own or pair it with any of the following:

• Air fryer garlic bread
• Air fryer mushrooms
• Sauteed green beans tossed in vegan cilantro-basil pesto
• Sauteed summer squash and zucchini
• Air fryer asparagus

For maximum deliciousness, sprinkle ravioli with Trader Joe’s vegan parmesan.

If you like Trader Joe’s ravioli, be sure to try my breaded air fryer ravioli.

For an easy pasta dinner that’s packed with fiber and plant protein, make lentil bolognese.

Strictly speaking, you really only need three ingredients for this healthy option: dried pasta, marinara, and steamed lentils.

But if you have the time and energy, browned mushrooms, garlic, and vegan cheese are delicious additions.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. While the pasta is boiling, saute mushrooms with oil and a pinch of salt in a pan.

Once softened, add minced garlic, and cook until fragrant. Then pour in some tomato basil marinara, heat through, and add some of the steamed lentils.

Unless you’re making a huge batch, you likely won’t need the whole package.

Once the pasta is al dente, drain, add it to the sauce, and combine to coat.

To add some decadence, sprinkle vegan cheese on top, cover with a lid, and allow it to melt. Or sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese just before serving.

For more easy dinner ideas, check out these ways to use Trader Joe’s steamed lentils.