The New Trader Joe’s Find That’s as Good as Homemade—And Way Easier

We recently vacationed in Mexico, and despite arriving home in time to do a full grocery shop before the new week started, things still felt busy. There’s the unpacking, settling in, and catching up on chores. So, I was patting myself on the back for picking up a package of Trader Joe’s new ready-to-cook Homestyle Angus Beef Meatballs. 

With everyone back to work, school, daycare, sports, and lessons, the meatballs formed the backbone of an easy dinner. I baked them on a sheet pan to get some color, then simmered them in a pot with my family’s favorite marinara sauce while I cooked pasta and made a quick salad. Twenty minutes later, we all sat down to a simple yet delicious meal.

Why You Should Try Trader Joe’s Homestyle Angus Beef Meatballs

I make meatballs often and in many different ways, with different proteins and flavor variations, so I’ll admit, this is the second time in my life that I’ve actually bought pre-made meatballs. And these genuinely won me over. They’re quite large, with 12 generously sized meatballs in a 20.4-ounce package. The texture is tender, if somewhat dense, and they don’t fall apart while cooking. 

They have a rich, hearty flavor that tastes surprisingly homemade. The seasonings skew Italian but are subtle enough to be a blank canvas for whatever culinary meatball creation you have in mind. For example, I often make Italian chicken meatballs at home, then decide to brush them with harissa, Buffalo sauce, or adobo sauce from a can of chipotles.

The price point is reasonable, too. At $7.99, they aren’t cheap, but they are priced fairly when I consider the time, work, and clean-up I’ve saved. I’ll never stop making meatballs from scratch, but I’m glad to have a good store-bought backup that I can lean into from time to time.

How I Use Trader Joe’s Homestyle Meatballs

While classic spaghetti and meatballs was my first instinct, these meatballs have a lot more potential than simply sitting in a bowl of noodles! My family loves meatball subs, and these would make an Italian hoagie much more accessible. I’d cook them in the oven, nestle them into fresh, crusty rolls, smother them with marinara and melted provolone, and dinner would be served. 

For a riff on Swedish meatballs (or, for that matter, French onion), I could see myself simmering them in a sweet and tangy gravy, then serving them over egg noodles or mashed potatoes (or, for the latter, in a gorgeous onion soup-like sauce). I bet they’d also be fantastic in a Mediterranean-inspired bowl with hummus, Greek salad, and tzatziki or baked into a casserole with sauteed peppers and onions, rigatoni pasta, and a golden, bubbly top of grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. 

No matter how you prepare them, sometimes all that dinner needs to be is easy, and these TJ’s meatballs make that possible. Of course, I’ll always prefer a from-scratch meatball, but I’m happy to have these as an easy, delicious, back-pocket meal option. Trader Joe’s, you’ve done it again!

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