I Tried Every Frozen Burger at Trader Joe’s — This Is the Absolute Best One You Can Buy

If there’s anything I take very seriously, it’s burgers. Don’t believe me? One New York summer, I tried to sample all of the city’s best burgers (a tiring, albeit delicious, goal). I ate north of 20 burgers that summer, and while I had my personal favorite (It’s Molly’s on 3rd Ave., by the way), I did learn that the best burger can be so relative. Are we grilling? Are we pan-frying? Do we want a crispy, Juicy-Lucy-style cheese-stuffed patty? Or something surprising and new? 

I brought all this experience with me when judging Trader Joe’s best frozen burgers. I tried absolutely all of them and found that there was one frozen patty that stood out from the rest — and it’s probably not what you’d expect. Ready to find out the winner?

What I love most is how simple and surprisingly good these frozen Shrimp Seafood Burgers are. They come pre-seasoned with a simple blend of garlic, basil, salt, and pepper, and are so adaptable. There’s really no limit to the flavor directions you can take these burgers in, which I can’t say is true of other meat-based patties.

I like these on a toasty, buttery brioche bun with mayo mixed with Old Bay, or on a light, spicy arugula salad with crunchy radishes. I also love mixing together Trader Joe’s Sweet Chili Sauce and mayo and Sriracha for a Bang Bang-style spin. When I’m craving Greek, I sandwich these shrimp burgers in fluffy pita bread with tzatziki sauce and sliced red onion. And next up on my summer burger to-eat list? Making these burgers po’boy style, loading up a fluffy hamburger bun with remoulade sauce, pickles, sliced tomatoes, and plenty of Crystal hot sauce.

What frozen burgers do you buy at Trader Joe’s? Share your favorites in the comments.