Trader Joe's is the ultimate destination for groceries—and not just because they're cheap. Aside from your everyday essentials, the kitschy grocery chain also offers a rotating selection of seasonal, unique, and trendy products. And one could argue that the prepared food section is where they really shine.
From sandwiches to soups to sushi, Trader Joe's has everything you need for a fast, delicious meal. That's especially true when it comes to their salads. The chain offers both individual grab-and-go salads to complete kits in a bag for an easy side dish. And there are options for everybody—including both classic recipes and creative twists that you can only find at TJ's.
That being said, not all Trader Joe's salads are equally delicious. So our team rounded up every one we could find (26 in total!) and tasted them head-to-head. And there were several standouts that we can wholeheartedly recommend. Here's our ranking of every Trader Joe's salad, from worst to best.
Mediterranean Style Salad Kit
Do yourself a favor and skip this salad. It's not bringing much to the table besides the crispy chickpeas and flatbread croutons. The red wine vinaigrette is uninteresting at best; the toppings get lost within the greens. We were wholly underwhelmed after eating this one. In the words of one taster: "Boo. Boring."
Waldorf Salad
A Waldorf salad is already dated, and the version from Trader Joe's doesn't make a convincing case for a comeback. The greens quickly wilt under the weight of the toppings, and every component is chopped just a little too large to eat easily. If you want a dose of nostalgia, you're better off making a Waldorf salad from scratch.
Chinese Inspired Salad
When a Chinese-inspired salad is made well, it hits. The version from Trader Joe's is, unfortunately, a miss. The flavor is bland and watery, the dressing is far too sweet, and we were hoping to find more chicken. Does it fit the bill for a Chinese-inspired chicken salad? Sure. But does it bring us joy and satisfaction? Definitely not.
Greek Salad
We all know what a good Greek salad should be, so Trader Joe's is at an inherent disadvantage in trying to meet our expectations in a pre-packaged version. And, somewhat expectedly, this salad doesn't stack up. The dressing is fine, the choice of ingredients is fine, and all of the vegetables are haphazardly chopped into large and uneven pieces. It makes the eating experience kind of annoying, and the flavor of the salad itself isn't good enough to justify the purchase.
Harvest Salad With Grilled Chicken
The Harvest Salad with Grilled Chicken tastes good, if a little uninspired. The Dijon dressing is nice, the chicken is nicely cooked, and the chunks of cheddar bring a nice burst of savory flavor. But nothing about this salad is exciting. Considering the breadth of fun and inventive salads at Trader Joe's, this one is definitely skippable.
Pacific Salad
If you want your salad to be light and crunchy, opt for the Pacific Salad from Trader Joe's. Texture is the main appeal here, with crispy iceberg lettuce, fried rice noodles, and toasted almonds bringing a lot to the table. But there's not much going on in the flavor department besides sweet and watery. This salad would probably be more successful with a different type of lettuce; as is, it's just okay.
Avocado Ranch Salad Kit
This salad is proof that sometimes there can be too much of a good thing. We love a crispy, carby element in a salad, but Trader Joe's goes a little too crazy with the corn chips here. Think of it as a taco salad served in one of those crispy tortilla bowls, but chopped up. The flavors are fine, sure, but we're kind of losing the salad plot.
Southwest Salad
One taster described this salad as "kind of mid," and we're inclined to agree with them. It's the kind of southwest-style salad you can find at any grocery store—creamy dressing, black beans, a smattering of corn kernels. It's not mind-blowing by any stretch of the imagination, and there are better salads with a similar flavor profile out there (including ones at Trader Joe's).
Caesar Style Salad Kit
Caesar salads are ubiquitous in the bagged salad world, so you probably already know how this version from Trader Joe's tastes. One taster described this as "as classic as a classic can be, in a good way." The dressing is lighter than your average store-bought Caesar, which works to the salad's advantage and keeps the greens crispy. It's not going to knock your socks off, but this salad will certainly satisfy.
Mozzarella And Tomato Salad
This salad takes inspiration from a classic Caprese and turns it into a hearty meal. You can find tomato, mozzarella, and balsamic, naturally, but it also features pine nuts and black olives on a bed of mixed greens. Our tasters enjoyed this salad overall but had some notable complaints. First, the mixed greens are delicate and easily get overwhelmed and soggy in the presence of the other ingredients. Also, the flavor of the black olives easily takes over the entire meal—so the olive-averse should steer clear.
Broccoli And Kale Slaw
The Broccoli And Kale Slaw has been around for years, and it's popular for a reason. Many of our tasters kept coming back for more. But, compared to the other salads in the Trader Joe's lineup, this salad is almost too sweet. There are dried cherries, dried blueberries, and a super sweet dressing. One of our tasters described this as a "dessert salad."
Green Goddess Salad
The Green Goddess Salad at Trader Joe's is solid in so many ways: the greens are crisp, the dressing is far better than other brands, and the chicken thighs are well-cooked. But there's one glaring issue with this product, and it's the puffed rice. We normally like the added crunch of puffed rice, but whatever Trader Joe's uses is tough and gets stuck in your molars. It's a pretty good salad as long as you throw out the rice.
Sweet Chili Mango Complete Salad Kit
We weren't expecting this salad to pack the punch that it does. Even those of us with high spice tolerances thought it had a major kick, so if you're less comfortable with heat, proceed with caution. The blend of cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts offers great crunch and heartiness. However, there was one complaint voiced by a few tasters: the mango itself. The dried fruit has a leathery and chewy texture, which threw some people off.
Fiesta Salad With Shrimp
From a practical perspective, this is an impeccably assembled salad. Each component has its own plastic compartment so everything stays fresh. And most of the components are great: fresh pico de gallo, black beans, roasted corn, and crunchy tortilla strips. We enjoyed the creamy poblano dressing too, but there's one glaring drawback to the Fiesta Salad With Shrimp—the shrimp. It's pale, flabby, and not at all appetizing. Without the shrimp, this salad is a solid 8.5/10. But as is, it leaves a little to be desired.
Crunchy Slaw
The flavor profile of the Crunchy Slaw is very similar to their Chinese Inspired salad, but many of our tasters considered this to be a step up. There's great texture, thanks to the cabbage and crispy noodles. And the peanut-based dressing adds more nuance than a simple soy vinaigrette. It still veers a little sweet, though, so keep that in mind before you buy.
Pizza Ranch Salad Kit
The Pizza Ranch Salad Kit is a relatively new addition to the Trader Joe's salad repertoire, but it's already gained a bit of a cult following. And there's a lot to love: the pizza-inspired ranch dressing, the grated Parmesan, the flatbread strips, and the four-cheese crisp crumbles are all great salad additions. But all together, they completely overwhelm the greens. The dressing is heavy and abundant and there's more crunchy carby bits than lettuce. This is the perfect salad for people who hate salad. But if we were to buy this again, we'd halve the amount of dressing and mix-ins.
BBQ & Black Pepper Toscano Chopped Salad Kit
If you want to eat a salad but still want big and bold flavors, this salad kit is for you. The barbecue dressing is the dominant flavor here, but the crumbles of Black Pepper Toscano cheese add a delightful richness. "It's not too heavy, but enough to satisfy a barbecue craving," one taster said.
Broccoli Slaw & Kale Salad
Not to be confused with the Broccoli and Kale Slaw, the Broccoli Slaw and Kale Salad is an individually portioned salad that offers much more variety and balance. It similarly features dried fruit, but thankfully not in an overwhelming amount. The texture and crunch were the highlight for every taster, with many people citing the sunflower seeds as their favorite component.
Peanut & Crispy Noodle Salad Kit
This salad kit channels some Thai-inspired vibes with a vinaigrette featuring peanuts, lime, lemon grass, and ginger. The salad mix itself is made from multiple varieties of cabbage along with romaine, so it's sturdy enough to hold up to the substantial dressing. The fried rice noodles add a nice touch of texture, but we'd still want to add some more ingredients to make it feel more complete—like a protein, more vegetables, and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. But on its own, one taster described this as "perfectly passable."
Elote Chopped Salad Kit
Trader Joe's knows what they're doing when it comes to elote-inspired foods, and this salad is no exception. Tasters loved how creamy the dressing is, and the crunchy cornbread crumbles were a much-welcomed substitute for an average crouton. Our only gripe is that we wish there was more corn.
Southwestern Chopped Salad Kit
The Southwest-style salad has been around forever, so you won't necessarily encounter any new flavors in this salad kit. But the Southwestern Chopped Salad Kit from Trader Joe's is markedly better than its competitors. The cabbage-romaine combination offers the right amount of crispness without wilting, and the additional herbs make this salad taste especially zesty. This would be a great side salad on its own or as a main course with the addition of a protein.
Field Fresh Chopped Salad
This is not the kind of salad that jumps out at you from the refrigerator case, especially compared to other Trader Joe's products with trendier buzzwords. But the Field Fresh Chopped Salad is something you should try at least once. It's particularly hearty, with big chunks of chicken and well-seasoned pearl couscous. Our tasters particularly loved the sweet basil dressing, with one describing it as "surprising and delightful."
Chickpea, Kale, And Crispy Red Rice Salad
Admittedly, we didn't have very high hopes going into this salad. The bottom half of the container resembles more of a chickpea stew than a salad, and the few bits of kale on top were completely untreated (i.e. no massaging). But the Trader Joe's Chickpea, Kale, and Crispy Red Rice Salad surpassed our expectations. The avocado herb dressing is bright and fresh. The vegetables offer a balanced blend of crispness, sweetness, and crunch. And the crispy rice was the highlight of the whole bowl. This salad is hearty, satisfying, and refreshing—and it's completely vegan.
Lemony Arugula Basil Salad Kit
This is by far one of the most simple kits available at Trader Joe's, but it's proof that you don't need a large ingredients list to make a stellar salad. "It feels a little classier than your average bagged salad," one taster said. The arugula is crisp and light, and allows the mix-ins to truly shine. One taster said that you could definitely serve this salad at a dinner party.
Lemon Chicken & Arugula Salad
While this salad has lemon, chicken, and arugula, but those aren't necessarily the ingredients that shine. The seasoned pearl couscous adds texture and considerable heft, and the dressing is both sweet and spicy (a great complement to the peppery arugula). "This is the best salad from Trader Joe's by far," one taster said.
Sesame Miso Salad With Salmon
When we were buying all of these salads, the cashier shared that this was her favorite. Our team of tasters had the same opinion—the Sesame Miso Salad is straight up delicious. Out of all of the Asian-inspired salad dressings at Trader Joe's, the savory miso dressing here is by far the best.
But the star of the show is definitely the salmon. "The salmon was amazing and tasted great with the flavors of this salad," one taster said. It's flavorful, perfectly cooked, and adds a little bit of decadence to each bite.
