Carrots are an amazing source of beta-carotene, a chemical that our bodies convert into vitamin A. They’re also low in carbs! One large carrot has approximately 5 carbs. If you’re interested in eating fewer carbs — or if you just appreciate a good carrot — you might want to take a closer look at Trader Joe’s Carrot Spirals.
Pasta is typically boiled in a pot, but this is no ordinary pasta since it’s made out of carrots — you’ll want to cook these spirals in a skillet. The process isn’t very difficult; just heat some oil in a pain, toss in your spirals, and heat them until you’re cooked through. Because all of the carrots are frozen together in a big clump, it may take some time before they thaw. Trader Joe’s says that these spirals will cook in three to four minutes, but it took us twice as long. Thankfully, we still wound up with perfectly cooked carrots in the end.
If you’ve been hunting for the perfect pasta substitute, these spirals might not satisfy you. Even after they’ve been cooked, they have a little bit of crunch to them, and they taste distinctly like carrots. You can douse them in sauce — or eat them with butter and salt like we did — but they won’t mimic the experience of eating a big bowl of carbs.
Still, these spirals are a tasty option, especially if you’re simply looking to reduce your carb intake. If you cut out some of the pasta in your dish and replace it with spirals, you’ll be able to eat fewer carbs while still getting the pasta you crave. We also think these spirals would be delicious in Asian-inspired dishes; we bet they’d taste great with peanut sauce.
But what we really like about these spirals is how generous the servings are. Cooking up a package left us with a heaping bowl of carrots, which is more than enough to share. When you compare these spirals to competing products, they’re a clear winner in the taste and texture department, and they offer plenty of value as well.
The Trader Joe’s Carrot Spirals aren’t a substitute for spaghetti, but they’re a versatile frozen food that can be served in a variety of ways. They’re tasty, easy to cook, and loaded with all of the vitamins you’ll find in your average carrot. If you want to cut carbs and add more veggies to your diet, these spirals are just what the doctor ordered.
To learn more about the nutrition content, ingredients, or cooking instructions for these Trader Joe’s frozen veggies, check out our package scans below.