I Tried Trader Joe's Controversial Sushi & It Had One Major Flaw

Venture over to the refrigerated section at Trader Joe's, and you'll encounter a range of grab-and-go meals like sandwiches, salads, wraps, and now, sushi. This summer, the California-based grocery chain brought back its sushi for the first time in years. The premade, maki-style rolls come in two varieties: California and vegetable.

Although grocery store sushi generally gets a bad rap, Trader Joe's sushi has sparked particularly strong reactions, both in the past and again in the present.

News of the dubious rolls' return triggered flashbacks for many shoppers, who recounted their past experiences on social media. Multiple commenters on Reddit complained about the sushi's rice, describing it as "mushy," "spongy," and "congealed Elmer's glue." One customer who recently tried the new version "for old time's sake" suggested the same problem still exists: "Sad to report that the rice was just as gluey and sweet as always."

On top of the negative commentary, Trader Joe's sushi rolls also received the wrong kind of attention when they were included in a 2019 recall issued by the manufacturer, Fuji Food Products, Inc. This recall included products like sushi rolls, salads, and spring rolls that may have been contaminated with listeria. It's worth noting, though, that the recall wasn't limited to Trader Joe's products and included items sold at other retailers.  It's unclear which manufacturer currently supplies the store's sushi.

While it may seem like Trader Joe's sushi doesn't have a lot of elements working in its favor, I have seen some customers share positive reviews of it on social media. So, I decided to try both types of rolls for myself. Here are my thoughts.

Vegetable Rolls

For those seeking a vegetarian-friendly roll, Trader Joe's Vegetable Rolls feature seasoned sushi rice, nori seaweed, fresh cucumber, avocado, shredded carrots, and a sprinkle of black and white sesame seeds. Each container includes nine rolls and small packages of Kikkoman organic soy sauce, wasabi-style paste, and pickled ginger slices. I picked up a package for $5.99.

The look: Unsurprisingly, the carrots, cucumbers, and avocado were a little more sloppily stuffed into the rolls than what you'd see at a typical sushi restaurant. Some rolls had slightly more avocado and carrots than others, while the single small cucumber chunk was about the same size across each roll. Meanwhile, the sesame seed-speckled sushi rice was shiny and looked rather gelatinous. Could the Redditors be right?

The taste: Right off the bat, the first thing I noticed was, unfortunately, the gluey texture of the rice, which had an off-putting, mushy mouthfeel. The rice's flavor was slightly vinegary and dominated all other flavors in the roll. The small cube of avocado added even more softness, while the cucumber offered some much-needed crunch, making me wish there was slightly more of it. The carrots didn't have a particularly strong presence flavor-wise, though they contributed texturally in a pleasant way, as did the sesame seeds. Needless to say, this roll needed some more flavor, which I enhanced with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

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California Rolls

Trader Joe's California Rolls are filled with fresh cucumber, avocado, and imitation crab made from Alaskan pollock. As with the vegetable rolls, one package cost me $5.99.

The look: The portions of avocado, imitation crab, and cucumber varied across the rolls, but what caught my attention first was the imitation crab. While I've typically seen chunks of this ingredient in California rolls, this imitation crab was more broken up and mixed with mayo. Like the vegetable rolls, these just had one small piece of cucumber and were dotted with some black and white sesame seeds. The rice, again, had a distinctly mushy appearance. The grains looked like they fused together.

The taste: Unsurprisingly, the rice again overshadowed all else, with its vinegary flavor and almost doughy texture. After I took the first bite, I couldn't detect any of the other ingredients, though I was able to get some crunch from the small piece of cucumber. While the avocado tasted fresh, I surprisingly couldn't taste the imitation crab. This roll was even more disappointing than the other one.

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Conclusion

Given the mixed reactions from Trader Joe's shoppers, I wasn't sure what to expect with this sushi, though I was hopeful that it would be better than the woeful product that people discussed online.

After trying both rolls, I found that I liked the vegetable option more, mostly because the crunchiness from the veggies was more pronounced, countering the extreme stickiness of the rice. That being said, I wouldn't purchase either, again. Maybe I got a less fresh batch. Regardless, the rice overpowered the rolls, which were only slightly improved with soy sauce and ginger. Going forward, I'll be sticking to other products at Trader Joe's—and getting my sushi from a legit sushi spot when the craving strikes.

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