The Trader Joe's Frozen Pasta Dish That Just Isn't Worth The Money

Trader Joe's is known for its massive variety of frozen goods, including everything from sides and desserts to heat-and-eat meals. It's also known for its high-quality taste — most of the time. We taste-tested 11 of Trader Joe's frozen dishes that we usually skip while shopping and crowned a winner, or in this case, the biggest loser. Despite some less-than-stellar performances by other products, the Food Republic team deemed the Breaded Fried Ravioli as our true last-place contestant.

Fried ravioli with breading is not some grand Trader Joe's invention, so you think they might get it right with the help of other successful recipes. But what could've been an idyllic crispy and creamy combo turned out to feel more like eating a pile of sand. The breading totally overwhelmed all other aspects of the ravioli and did nothing for the flavor. The dryness was then worsened by a lack of cheesy filling and no accompanying marinara sauce that could've given the breading some life. All in all, you're better off skipping this frozen fiasco in favor of other Trader Joe's meals or even frying your own breaded ravioli.

If you're already at Trader Joe's and in the mood for ravioli but have read this review and know to avoid the frozen aisle, you can still find the ingredients to make this frozen dish at home. Head to the refrigerated section to grab a pack of fresh four-cheese ravioli that you can coat in breadcrumbs and cook up with an easy toasted ravioli recipe. The results will be decidedly fresher than the frozen version and really give you that outer crunch with a proper gooey inside, all while still using Trader Joe's ingredients.

Of course, reviews of this frozen food may have turned you away completely, but Trader Joe's has much more to offer. Asian-inspired food dominated Trader Joe's frozen fan favorites in its 15th Annual Customer Choice Awards, and the public picked the Butter Chicken with Basmati Rice as its favorite. While this meal wasn't one of our favorites and seemed a bit lacking in wow factor, it was by no means terrible compared to many of the other tested frozen foods. Between our somewhat decent review and raving compliments from the general public, you're way better off swapping the Breaded Fried Ravioli for a bite of Butter Chicken.