I Tried Trader Joe's New Microwavable Mango Sticky Rice. Here's What Worked And What Didn't

If you have the time to make a classic Thai mango sticky rice recipe when mangoes are in season, you'll be blown away by its natural sweetness. But that's not always an option for folks who are short on time or don't have access to wonderful mangoes. Indeed, living much of each year in India, where the mango selection is stellar, I'm always a bit hesitant to try mangoes (or mango-containing products) that don't meet the strictest definition of fresh. In other words, I'd rather stick with water than risk being disappointed with an out-of-season mango lassi. 

Even so, Trader Joe's new mango sticky rice is made in Thailand, where the mangoes are presumably picked at peak ripeness, frozen, and then packed into these bright yellow boxes alongside sticky rice and fried mung beans. Its geographical origin gave me hope, especially because I know that one of Trader Joe's fan-favorite summer snacks, Soft and Juicy Mango, also comes from Thailand.

Could these two products come from the same vendor? And could this newly debuted mango sticky rice possibly live up to the freshly made versions I've eaten at restaurants? I picked up a box to find out.

I've eaten mango sticky rice in restaurants around the world, including in the United States, the United Kingdom, and India. I've even had a packaged version brought to me from Cambodia. And while I've never been to Thailand, my husband has spent several weeks there and is never hesitant to tell me whether the dish in front of me is lackluster or spectacular. Granted, very few times have I been treated to a mango sticky rice that blew me away, largely because the quality of mangoes we get in the United States is so variable.

I therefore knew what to look for when sampling this product. In order to earn my approval, the bed of rice needed to be chewy, gluey, and dense — all qualities that must be obtained from glutinous rice. As for the coconut, its flavor needed to be readily apparent, but not so overwhelming that I couldn't taste the rice itself. Meanwhile, I expected the mangoes to be juicy and complex in flavor, perhaps offering floral notes or elements of honey. It was my hope that they would not be fibrous, but luxuriously soft instead. Finally, the fried mung beans needed to be adequately portioned and crunchy enough to contrast with the other textures of this famous dish.

As per package directions, I microwaved the rice and mangoes for 50 seconds, then garnished the dish with the generous pouch of fried mung beans. I then proceeded to judge this product based on all the above factors.

Overall, this was a delightful product, but it can't compare to freshly made mango sticky rice for a few reasons. Primarily, the sizable mango chunks became piping hot once microwaved, so they turned mushy and lost their natural structure. Mushiness is rarely a problem in traditional versions of mango sticky rice, unless the mangoes are overripe. In the best examples of mango sticky rice, the mango chunks are cool, allowing them to contrast spectacularly with the warm rice underneath. Even so, I appreciated that the mango chunks in this product weren't fibrous.

Meanwhile, the textures and flavors of the sticky rice were surprisingly superb. The rice was chewy, soft, and flavorful, and much better than any attempt I've ever made at sticky rice in my home kitchen (for the best results, sticky rice should be soaked and prepared in a steamer, which I don't always have the patience for). The flavor of the coconut milk was gentle, yet couldn't be missed, and the drizzle of coconut cream criss-crossing the dessert remained cold even after microwaving. That was both refreshing and an ingenious accomplishment on the manufacturer's part. 

Lastly, this product was a tad sweeter than most of the mango sticky rice dishes I've enjoyed, a fact I didn't necessarily love. Nevertheless, I've had bland mango sticky rice on several occasions, and I'd rather the dish be a bit too sweet than not sweet enough. Some folks may find the sweetness levels of Trader Joe's version to be perfect, and the fried mung did help offset the sugariness.

Though I loved this product, I'm still a greater fan of mango sticky rice when it's made fresh in a restaurant or even at home. While the frozen mango sticky rice from Trader Joe's pleases with its streamlined ingredients list and simple flavors, I also think it would be a shame for folks to go through life believing it's the real deal. It's a great introduction to the dessert, though, and well worth a repeat purchase (or two or three) if fresh mango sticky rice isn't accessible.

Because of the frozen nature of this product, it would be difficult to serve this mango sticky rice in its traditional sense, where the coolness of the fruit contrasts with the warmth of the rice. However, you could feasibly add fresh mangoes of your own to achieve this effect. Indeed, the temperature at which you serve mango rice dramatically affects its textures and flavors, and so the frozenness of this product was entirely responsible for its shortcomings.

It's important not to let this product sit too long after microwaving. Part of the reason why sticky rice is so much better when it's homemade is that it must be enjoyed immediately, before the texture of the rice can deteriorate and the temperatures of the ingredients begin to fluctuate. Your experiences may greatly differ from mine if you don't eat this dessert in a timely manner.

Trader Joe's mango sticky rice is now available at Trader Joe's locations nationwide. I found it in one of the frozen aisles, alongside the store's Peaches and Cream Tarte, Passion Fruit Meringue Tartelettes, and Classic Lemon Bars.

The price of Trader Joe's mango sticky rice may vary slightly depending on location, but for the most part, one box appears to cost $4.69 (before tax) nationwide. Compared to the price of mango sticky rice from your typical full-service Thai restaurant, that's pretty appealing at first glance. For comparison, a single portion costs $7.99 at a well-rated Thai restaurant near me in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. 

But because each portion of Trader Joe's mango sticky rice was so small, that price difference may prove negligible. Each box contains two servings, individually wrapped in plastic. I found one portion to be on the smaller side, but that's also refreshing in an age where everything seems to be supersized. If you're still hungry, you can always pop the second tray into the microwave.