The Cajun Comfort Meal You Should Start Buying From Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's has plenty of fan-favorite items, and if you've ever explored its frozen food section, you'd know it's hard to avoid overspending. But among the many frozen entrees the chain sells, there's one Cajun meal that TJ's fans can't seem to get enough of: its comforting jambalaya.

Jambalaya is a popular dish that can be made either Cajun or Creole style (Creole style uses tomatoes). The dish is usually made in one pan and combines ingredients like onions, peppers, celery, chicken, and Andouille pork sausage. It's all cooked with rice and bursting with Cajun seasonings, and definitely one of those Cajun foods you need to try at least once. Trader Joe's Jambalaya comes frozen, but according to consumers (even Louisianans), it's a solid heat-and-eat dinner that tastes fairly homemade without all the work — or the stress of accidentally undercooking the rice. The TJ's version is made with tomatoes, so it's Creole-style, and includes all of those other ingredients except chicken. It contains only Andouille sausage, though Trader Joe's does recommend pairing it with shrimp or blackened chicken.

The jambalaya serves about two people and costs $5.49, so it's not only satisfying but also an affordable dinner. And Trader Joe's customers seem to be having fun making the meal their own.

The best part of buying a frozen dinner is convenience, but you can also prepare it slightly differently to better suit your taste buds. Fans of Trader Joe's Jambalaya have figured out a few tricks for making it taste even better. "I spruced it up using a little salt, tomato, and chicken bouillon, and msg," one Reddit user wrote, adding, "Would absolutely get this again."

Someone else on the same thread suggested the jambalaya was watery when they prepared it, and another commenter offered a solution: "Replace water with olive oil, add some extra cayenne, garlic, and onion powder to soak up some of the moisture, and cook at a slightly higher temp to aid in evaporation." Another Redditor agreed, eschewing the oil but suggesting the water temperature should be at a consistent boil when preparing the dish to avoid that water-logged consistency.

A few consumers have leveled critiques. One person found it too salty but added sweet bell peppers to balance the flavor, while another said it was good but not spicy enough. In a separate Reddit thread about the meal, another person suggested improving the overall taste by adding a little more flavorful Cajun seasoning along with some Louisiana hot sauce. Most customer feedback has been positive, though. So, if you're a fan of Louisiana cooking, you might want to make a special stop in the frozen section next time you're at Trader Joe's.