Trader Joe’s Kibbeh review

Kibbeh are a staple in Middle Eastern cuisine – essentially formed balls of meat, veggies and spice. You’ll find these in the freezer section of Trader Joe’s, amidst other International flavors.

Cooking: The Kibbeh are fairly dense frozen lumps, so take a moment to cook up. I tried them in the air fryer but they essentially took as long as in the oven – which is about 15-20 minutes. The packaging also suggests boiling them, which seemed odd to me, I didn’t try this.

Taste and texture: Quite enjoyable. The Kibbeh have a crisp shell and a surprisingly moist interior given the ingredient list. There’s a moderate beefy profile with lots of warm spices at work around the edges. The overall soft texture is punctuated by pockets of crunch from the cracked bulgur wheat. It’s a nice contrast.

Verdict: I’d happily order these again, though I’d want to have a precise dish in mind to serve them alongside. The flavor profile is very specific which means they aren’t a jack of all trades kinda frozen food.

Trader Joe's Kibbeh frozen — Trader Joe’s Kibbeh frozen

Air fried Trader Joe's Kibbeh — Air fried Trader Joe’s Kibbeh

Trader Joe’s Kibbeh nutrition and cooking

Overall

Are Trader Joe's Kibbeh any good?

These are a decent rendition of the Middle Eastern classic. You’re local Middle Eastern restaurant undoubtedly does a better version of these, but they’re not at all bad in a pinch.

Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC – Utah’s biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows.

I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen. Follow along on Instagram too!

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