Sometimes I need to throw a nice meal together at a moment’s notice, or I have guests coming over unexpectedly and need to stretch things out, or I just want a nice side dish to compliment my main meal, so I always grab a couple of these bags of potatoes or whatever Trader Joe’s has in the freezer section. This bag looked extra appealing as I was putting together a dinner with pork chops and a salad. Trader Joe’s Country Potatoes with haricot verts and wild mushrooms.
Trader Joe’s has had several potato products in the frozen section. Many of them are a “Product of France”. I don’t know what they do in France with their frozen foods, but they are mostly better than anything you find frozen made in the USA. These potatoes seem to be the cousin of Trader Joe’s Herbs de Provence Potato Wedges that I reviewed last year. I really liked those potatoes. Sadly, I think they were seasonal item. I am sure they will be back next fall. But for now, we have these Country Potatoes!
These are basically “heat and serve”. You can make them in the Microwave or on the stovetop. I choose the stove top method thinking it would yield a better result, but I am not so sure. Next time I would do them in the microwave. When I made them on the stovetop they dried out before the potatoes were hot so I added about a 1/4 cup of water to keep some of the sauce.
The basics of this dish is that it’s potatoes, pre fried before frozen, then green beans, onions, and three different types of mushrooms. Button, Chanterelles and Boletus. You can see the big chunks of mushrooms when you open the bag. This is not a dish for mushroom haters.
As I mentioned, I did the stovetop method and they dried out. I might throw a lid on the pan next time and cook them on low so as not to lose the sauce. Plus they took over 10 minutes to heat up. Some of the bigger chunks of potatoes took a while to heat through.
Finally, everything came together and they were a perfect side dish for my pork chops!
Final Verdict
I have to admit I really liked these potatoes and green beans and mushrooms. It’s easy to make and the depth of flavor was amazing. The sauce that is frozen on to the outside of the potatoes is a genius move by the company that makes these. As you heat up the ingredients, it melts off and forms a nice thick sauce. There are lots of mushrooms and not just button mushrooms which have almost no flavor, but chanterelles and boletus. The potatoes and green beans are cooked perfectly. Also, it doesn’t say Vegan on the bag but looking at the ingredients list I don’t see anything that would make it not Vegan. So, I am calling it Vegan!
I plan on buying these again and stocking them in my fridge for the next time I need a quick side dish. I am going to give these 8 Bells!
Heating Instructions
HEAT FROM FROZEN
MICROWAVE (1200 watt):
Microwave heat times may vary depending on oven wattage.
Pour contents into a microwave-safe dish. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time, until heated through.
STOVETOP:
Heat skillet over medium-high heat. Pour contents into skillet and heat for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through.
Ingredients
Pre-fried Potatoes (Potato, Sunflower Oil and /or Palm Oil, Dextrose (Corn, Wheat), Button Mushrooms, Green Beans, Sauce (Sunflower and/or Canola Oil, Garlic, Water, Salt, Vegetable Juice Concentrate Blend [Carrot, Onions, Leek, Dextrose|Corn, Wheatl, Dehydrated Parsley, Onion Juice Concentrate Onions, Sunflower Of, Black Popper Extract (Salt, BlackPepper Olcoresini, Caramel Color, Modified Cornstarch, Paprika Oleoresin (Color), Pre-fried Onions (Onions, Sunflower Oil, Chanterelle mushrooms, Boletus Mushrooms, Parsley
I agree. I’ve had these potatoes several times. I always microwave them. I enjoy them very much, and they’re so easy to heat up. I like the green beans and mushrooms with the potatoes.