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How to Heat Trader Joe’s Kimbap (and Make It Crisp)

김밥gimbap
Short answer
  • Microwave from frozen: Microwave it straight from frozen; the pack says not to thaw it first. Use the time printed on your box.
  • Pan-fry the slices (optional): For a crisp outside, pan-fry the slices in a little oil, as the pack suggests.

From reports of the pack text. Sources below.

Gimbap (김밥)
Gimbap (김밥): the dish, not the Trader Joe’s product. Photo: changupn, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Trader Joe’s Kimbap is a frozen seaweed rice roll filled with fried tofu and vegetables, made in Korea and sold in nine pre-cut slices.

Trader Joe’s own product page wouldn’t load for us,[1] so every fact below comes from at least two independent reports of the pack. We couldn’t confirm the microwave time printed on the box from two sources, so use the time on your box.

How to cook it

Microwave from frozen [2][3]

  1. Don’t thaw it: the pack says to microwave it straight from frozen.
  2. Heat it for the time printed on your box.

Pan-fry the slices (optional) [4][11]

  1. Heat a little oil in a frying pan.
  2. Fry the slices until both cut sides are crisp and golden.

One report says the pack gives 2 minutes per side; we found only that one source for the time.[11]

You can eat it hot or chilled, according to two reports of the pack.[12][13]

Label facts

From the pack영양정보·표시사항
Pack size
230 g (8.11 oz), 9 pre-cut slices [4][5][10]
Calories
420 for the whole roll [6][4]
Sodium
980 mg for the whole roll, over 40% of a day’s value [6][4]
Contains
Soy, sesame [7][5]
Filling
Seasoned rice, fried tofu, burdock root, carrot, pickled radish, spinach, seaweed. No meat or fish in the ingredient list. [7][8]
Made in
South Korea, by Allgot (올곧) in Gumi [7][9][8]

Trader Joe’s doesn’t label it vegan or vegetarian in any source we could check, so we don’t either.

Korean words on this pack

Tap the speaker to hear each word. More in the label words list.

  • 김밥gimbapseaweed rice roll (kimbap)
  • 김gimseaweed (laver)
  • 밥bapcooked rice
  • 단무지danmujiyellow pickled radish
  • 우엉ueongburdock root
  • 시금치sigeumchispinach
  • 두부dubutofu

Ways to serve it

  • Dip the slices in beaten egg before pan-frying; in Korea, leftover gimbap is often reheated this way.
  • Serve with a little soy sauce for dipping.

These are serving ideas, not part of the pack’s directions.

Sources

  1. Trader Joe's: Kimbap (product page; it didn’t load for us)
  2. Trader Joe's Rants: review quoting the pack
  3. Ahnest Kitchen: Trader Joe’s Kimbap review
  4. Tasting Table: Costco vs Trader Joe’s frozen kimbap
  5. Open Food Facts: Kimbap (Trader Joe’s)
  6. EatingWell (via AOL): nutrition of the 9-piece roll
  7. Trader Joe's Reviews: label transcription
  8. Maeil Shinmun (in Korean): the Gumi company behind the kimbap
  9. Korea JoongAng Daily: viral frozen kimbap is supplied by Allgot
  10. Food Republic: Trader Joe’s frozen kimbap
  11. Tasting Table: a flavor upgrade for Trader Joe’s kimbap
  12. Eat This, Not That!: Trader Joe’s kimbap
  13. What’s Good at Trader Joe’s: Kimbap

Checked October 25, 2026. If your pack differs, follow your pack, and tell us so we can update this page.

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