Not Tuna Or Salmon — Trader Joe's Shoppers Love This Overlooked Canned Seafood

Tinned seafood has become quite the hot item in recent years — from sardines to salmon, everyone seems to be adding this canned protein to their shopping carts. Many grocery stores offer a variety of canned fish you can buy. Some of the more popular kinds of fish, like tuna and sardines, fly off the shelves faster than others, but there's one tinned seafood that Trader Joe's shoppers believe deserves more credit: the canned Calamari Pieces in Olive Oil.

Canned calamari may not have been at the top of your grocery list before, but it's certainly a fish you should be keeping in your pantry. Trader Joe's shoppers began noticing this item on the shelves in  2024, and it's gained a following since its release. This item features pieces of Humboldt squid, caught from from the Spanish coast, that are marinated in olive oil and salt. The calamari is tender with a mild yet salty flavor, and one can will cost you about $4.50. 

According to customers, this calamari is the ultimate bang for your buck. As one Redditor wrote about the item, "Love that it is in olive oil, it was on the saltier side (which is my preference), and it was perfect to eat as a snack right out of the can with some chopsticks." With 17 grams of protein, shoppers say this hearty tinned seafood is a must-buy.

While the Trader Joe's calamari is tasty straight out of the can, many customers like to get creative with this seafood. Some people suggest sauteing the calamari with garlic and adding it as the protein in a bowl of pasta. Or, add a dash of hot sauce or cracked pepper and eat it straight out of the tin. You could even pair the calamari with a variety of other seafood and create a tinned fish charcuterie board.  

Although, it's worth noting that not all shoppers were as big of fans of this canned calamari, with some mentioning it had a pungent fishy taste with a chewy, hard texture. However, fans suggest letting the calamari soak in lime juice for an hour or so to give it that tender texture — vinegar is also a common way to tenderize calamari and lessen the fishy smell. Calamari may be commonly enjoyed fried or grilled, but this convenient tinned variety is one that should not be overlooked. Whether you're having it from the can as a midday snack or adding it to a main course, canned calamari comes in handy more than you think.