The Worst Trader Joe's Dumplings Have A Sour Aftertaste

From its bingeable snacks and delicious frozen entrees to its very reasonably priced wines, there are so many reasons to love Trader Joe's. One standout category is the chain's selection of frozen dumplings, perfect for whipping up a quick, tasty meal. However, not all of Trader Joe's frozen dumplings are created equal. If you're looking for another thing to add to your list of Trader Joe's shopping tips, consider skipping the Steamed Vegetable Soup Dumplings. Food Republic taste-tested and ranked nine frozen dumplings, and found this variety to be the most disappointing.

The Steamed Vegetable Soup Dumplings are stuffed with a combination of jackfruit, carrot, cabbage, spinach, and ginger. According to the Trader Joe's website, they are inspired by Chinese xiao long bao – dumplings known for their savory fillings and the tasty broth released when you take a bite. However, instead of an irresistible flavor bomb, our taste-tester said the broth was watery, and the filling had a bland, sour taste. This could be because the dumplings contain jackfruit, which is often canned in a briny liquid that can overwhelm a dish with tang if the fruit isn't properly rinsed, seasoned, and balanced with richer, umami-forward ingredients. If Trader Joe's uses a canned version, the acidity may be working against what makes soup dumplings the perfect bite: savory filling and flavor-rich soup.

We're not the only ones who aren't a fan of these vegan dumplings. People on Reddit also have issues with the texture. The perfect soup dumpling should feature a thin, resilient wrapper. Yet, in a Reddit post, one person noted, "I found that the vegetable filling absorbed a lot of the soup, and they weren't really 'soup' dumplings like the other ones." Another described the dough's texture as "rubbery and dry" (via Reddit). Paired with a sour aftertaste, this doesn't sound particularly appetizing.

Even if the sour aftertaste and texture issues weren't enough to deter you from buying these vegan dumplings, they're also not the best value compared to the other frozen options at Trader Joe's. Each package of Steamed Vegetable Soup Dumplings includes six dumplings (six ounces) for $3.49. While this is still affordable, it's not that great a deal when you can get a 10.58-ounce package of Trader Joe's Vegetable Dumplings for around $0.50 more.

You could also skip right to Trader Joe's Thai Vegetable Gyoza — the frozen dumpling that earned the number one spot in our taste test. Not only are these dumplings great value — for $4.99, you get 16 ounces of dumplings — they taste fantastic. Whereas the Steamed Vegetable Soup Dumplings were bland and acidic, our tester reported that the Thai Vegetable Gyoza, filled with cabbage, carrot, chive, radish, and onion and seasoned with ginger, garlic, and soy sauce, had a super-savory, well-balanced flavor that was reminiscent of another Trader Joe's favorite, the chicken spring rolls. If you're missing the broth element of a soup dumpling, you could pair these with your favorite ramen recipe or a savory broth for a take on this easy hack for restaurant-worthy wonton soup. However you choose to enjoy them, life is too short for bland dumplings.