Planning a Christmas party can be stressful, but Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers make it easy to serve delicious party bites without spending hours in the kitchen. From crispy bites to savory dumplings and everything in between, these ready-to-cook party appetizers are perfect for impressing your guests. Whether hosting a big holiday party or a cozy Christmas dinner, this list of Trader Joe’s frozen appetizers will help you create a festive holiday spread with minimal effort.
Mac and Cheese Bites
Trader Joe’s Mac and Cheese Bites are a go-to party appetizers. These small, crispy bites are filled with creamy mac and cheese. Each bite is a little nugget of creamy, cheesy goodness encased in a crunchy exterior. They bake easily and are a hit for kids and adult party guests.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
This classic dip is a party favorite. It combines spinach and artichokes for a rich, savory flavor. It’s easy to bake from frozen and works perfectly with crackers, chips, or veggies. It’s an easy party appetizer to serve that everyone will enjoy.
Savory Squash Pastry Bites
These frozen Trader Joe’s appetizers will make your Holiday party look upscale. They are elegant mini pastries filled with a savory blend of pumpkin, butternut squash, and cheese (mascarpone, ricotta, feta, and parmesan). The flaky pastry crust perfectly complements the soft, flavorful filling. They bake easily from frozen and are a great addition to your holiday appetizer spread.
Uncured Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
Elevate your holiday party with these bacon-wrapped scallop hors d’oeuvres. Tender scallops wrapped in uncured bacon offer a savory, smoky flavor. They cook easily from frozen and make for an elegant and delicious appetizer. Perfect for impressing guests.
Crispy Shiitake Mushrooms
These bite-sized crispy mushroom appetizers are delicious. They are shiitake mushrooms coated with crispy fried batter. You can air fry or bake them in the oven. The result is crispy, umami-flavored finger food. Perfect for guests looking for plant-based appetizers at your Holiday party.
Mini Shrimp Bao
If you’re looking for a hearty appetizer at your Holiday party, these mini shrimp bao are perfect. These fluffy steamed buns are filled with a delicious shrimp patty. You can steam or microwave them. Serve them with lemongrass, lime, and chili sauce for dipping.
Pastry Bites with Feta Cheese and Caramelized Onions
These TJ pastry bites are filled with a savory blend of creamy feta cheese and sweet caramelized onions. They bake quickly from frozen, resulting in a flavorful, rich filling and a deliciously flaky exterior. They are a perfect appetizer to add a bit of sophistication to your holiday party spread.
Mozzarella Sticks
You can’t go wrong serving these TJ mozzarella sticks at your Christmas party. Not only are they kid-friendly, but adults love them too. These crispy, breaded appetizers are filled with gooey mozzarella cheese that melts perfectly when baked or air-fried. Serve them with marinara sauce.
Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are easy appetizers to serve at Holiday parties. Trader Joe’s sells either Vegetable spring rolls or chicken spring rolls. The vegetable spring rolls are rolled in a thin pastry wrapper and filled with a mix of cabbage, onion, carrots, edamame, tofu, mushrooms, and kale.
The crispy chicken spring rolls are delicious. They are filled with white meat chicken, cabbage, carrots, and onions. You can bake them in the oven or fry them on the stovetop. They are hearty party appetizers.
Brie en Croûte
Brie en Croûte is always a hit at Christmas parties. This flaky puff pastry is wrapped around creamy brie cheese. There is minimal prep on your part; just bake it from frozen and serve it with crackers. It creates a golden crust with a warm, melty center. This is a classic holiday appetizer.
Fried Olive Bites
Your guests will love these fried olive bites from Trader Joe’s. These delicious cheese-stuffed green Castelvetrano olives from Italy and dark purple Kalamatas from Greece are lightly battered in panko breadcrumbs. They cook easily from frozen (10 minutes in 400F). They are a unique addition to your holiday appetizer spread.
Samosas
Samosas are an easy appetizer to serve at your holiday party. They are available in classic chicken and vegetable samosas. There is also a seasonal spicy pumpkin samosa.
The chicken tikka samosas are delicious. They are chicken tikka wrapped in a crispy, golden pastry. They are a great way to add a touch of international flair to your holiday appetizer spread.
These spicy pumpkin samosas are filled with a flavorful blend of spiced pumpkin and seasonings. They bake easily from frozen, adding a festive, seasonal touch to your appetizer spread.
The vegetable samosas are filled with peas, carrots, potatoes, lentils, onions, and Indian spices. They are a great vegetarian appetizer option for your holiday spread.
Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese Bites
These butternut squash crispy mac and cheese bites are a seasonal take on the popular mac and cheese bites. They are filled with a creamy blend of mac and cheese and the flavor of roasted butternut squash. They bake easily from frozen and offer a unique twist on the classic mac and cheese.
Herbaceous Cheesy Bites
These herbaceous cheesy bites are elegant versions of the popular mozzarella sticks. These small, golden bites are packed with a blend of cheese and herbs (not overpowering). The result is crispy appetizer balls with gooey cheesy inside. Perfect for serving at holiday gatherings.
Brazilian Cheese Bread
Brazilian cheese breads are delicious appetizers to serve at your Holiday party. They are crisp bread with chewy cheesy inside. Made with tapioca flour, these cheese breads are gluten-free, perfect for guests who need gluten-free appetizers.
Meatballs
Meatballs are hearty appetizers to serve at your Christmas party. These tender, savory meatballs are perfectly seasoned and easy to heat straight from frozen. They can be served on their own, with toothpicks for easy party bites, or paired with marinara sauce dipping sauce. A classic appetizer that’s always a hit at holiday parties.
Shrimp Tempura
These crispy, golden shrimp tempura are the perfect addition to your Holiday appetizer offerings. They are coated in a light tempura batter and come out crispy with a delicate crunch and succulent shrimp. Serve them in a small plastic appetizer cup and the dipping sauce, it’s an easy and elegant holiday appetizer.
Shrimp Boom Bah
Trader Joe’s Shrimp Boom Bah are a sweet and spicy party appetizers. These crispy shrimp are coated in a flavorful, slightly spicy breading that delivers a satisfying crunch. They bake or airfry quickly from frozen and pair perfectly with the sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Serve on a platter with toothpicks. This bold and zesty appetizer will be a hit at your Christmas party.
Coconut Shrimp
These popular TJ Coconut shrimp are another sweet and savory seafood appetizer perfect for Holiday pirates. These succulent shrimp are coated in a crunchy coconut batter, and your party guests will love them.
Gyoza
Gyoza are hearty appetizers for Christmas parties. Trader Joe’s offers several flavors, including chicken, pork, and Vegetable.
The TJ Pork Gyoza are a favorite. These fully cooked dumplings are filled with savory, seasoned pork and vegetables and wrapped in a delicate, thin dough. They are best pan-fried, but you can also steam them.
The chicken Gyoza are dumplings filled with seasoned chicken, cabbage, and onion.
Filled with a savory mix of white cabbage, carrot, chive, white radish, and onion, these vegetable gyoza are vegetarian appetizers for your holiday spread.
Empanadas de Ropa Vieja
For a Latin-inspired appetizer, these Empanadas de Ropa Vieja are perfect. These flaky, golden empanadas are filled with tender, slow-cooked beef in a rich and flavorful sauce. They bake or air fry easily from frozen. This hearty and satisfying appetizer brings a taste of Latin-inspired comfort food to your holiday spread.
Shumai
Trader Joe’s Pork Shumai is another easy Asian-inspired party appetizer to serve. These shumai are filled with a savory mix of seasoned pork. Just microwave and serve—so easy! There is also a chicken shumai version if you have non-pork-eater guests, but the truth is the pork shumai is tastier than the chicken shumai.
Kimbap
If you want to serve sushi at your Holiday party, serve these Trader Joe’s Kimbap. They are Korean sushi rolls filled with tofu, vegetables, and perfectly seasoned rice, all wrapped in a layer of seaweed. You don’t need to thaw. Cook from frozen in the microwave for 2 minutes and serve them on a platter. It’s another plant-based option for your appetizer spread.
Soup Dumplings
If you’re looking for another easy microwaveable party appetizer, serve Trader Joe’s soup dumplings. They are available in three flavors: pork, chicken, and vegetable. The pork dumplings are filled with seasoned pork and a rich, flavorful broth that bursts with every bite. You can steam them, but they are also easily prepared via microwave. Serve them on elegant ceramic Chinese soup spoons. Suburbs 101 participates in Amazon Associates Program and may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
The chicken soup dumplings are filled with tender chicken and a flavorful broth, perfect for holiday gatherings.
For a vegetarian option, TJ’s Vegetable soup dumplings are packed with a hearty mix of jackfruit, carrot, cabbage, spinach, ginger, and a light, flavorful vegan broth.
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