Every now and again, I pick up a product that I’m not totally into trying. But for the sake of public information, I put it out there. And every now and again, I get something I love and something I absolutely hate. Now, even though I have over 900 Trader Joe’s reviews, I can’t say that I’ve done too much of a deep dive into the salsas. Some people can say they’ve tried them all….
Trader Joe's Condiments
Trader Joe's offers a wide variety of condiments from sweet to savory. But quality can vary, fortunately, that's why you have this site!
From the seasonal Sugar Plum Jam to the Chile Lime Seasoning to the popular Enchilada Sauce find dozens of reviews of Trader Joe's condiments and see which ones are worth your time and which ones you may want to consider leaving on the shelf!
Trader Joe’s Organic Maple Butter
Every now and again, there is a product that I’m almost positive that I haven’t seen available anywhere else. This is one of those products. I’ve never seen maple butter before. But when I saw it, I knew it was going into my cart.
…
Trader Joe’s Vanilla Bean Infused Vermont Maple Syrup
So it seems like maple syrup might become the new pumpkin. I’ve seen so many new additions this year to this simple condiment. Just last week I tried the Ghosted Maple Syrup. And I hope to get my hands on the other new maple syrup hitting shelves: organic Vermont Bourbon Barrel aged Maple syrup. If you are looking at the title, and thinking “didn’t they have that in the past?” Yes, but it wasn’t organic and this has a very different label than the bourbon barrel aged maple syrup I tried in the past. So, I guess I’ll have to report back on to that how they compare.
…
Trader Joe’s Vermont Ghosted Maple Syrup
The pros: Trader Joe’s Vermont Ghosted Maple Syrup is new and is a very hot combo of maple syrup and ghost pepper.
The cons: This is not for everyone. Anyone sensitive to heat, be warned, this is hot. Also, this was listed as “HOL” on my receipt which usually means it is seasonal. So if you love it, stock up.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Carrot Cake Spread
When a reader, H M, mentioned that this was new to shelves I got excited. And then H M tried it. And gave it a big thumbs down. Intrigued, I hunted for this product….
Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Marinara Sauce is one of two new refrigerated sauces hitting shelves: this and mushroom medley alfredo sauce. The ingredient list is pretty simple and straight forward.
The cons: It isn’t going to be my first choice in sauce options. This would have been better if they had used San Marzano tomatoes. Keep some EVOO and some basil on hand if you are planning on using this. For the price, there are some equally good options in the jarred section.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Soyaki
The pros: Trader Joe’s Soyaki is the best of two worlds: soy sauce and teriyaki. Yes, this is the viscocity of soy sauce with many of the flavors of a teriyaki.
The cons: The sodium is quite high in this. In fact, 1 tablespoon is 21% of what you have in a day. When I’m marinating something, I never use a tablespoon.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Enchilada Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Enchilada Sauce is a staple item in my household and makes for a quick and flavorful meal.
The cons: The directions add extra steps which can be skipped with minimum consequence.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning Blend
The pros: Trader Joe’s Chile Lime Seasoning Blend is a solid blend found in the spice aisle.
The cons: The name here should be reversed. It should be called lime chile as that is the order of dominant flavors.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Organic Sriracha Ranch Dressing
The pros: Trader Joe’s Organic Sriracha Ranch Dressing is nice and spicy.
The cons: I wasn’t wild about this on a salad, but as a dip I was all in.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki
The pros: Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki is different from other teriyaki sauces on the market and slightly different than the similar sounding Trader Joe’s Soyaki.
The cons: If you don’t like pineapple, then you should skip this item. This also tastes very salty, so you might be better off using this sparingly if you are going to marinade something.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Butter Spread
The pros: Trader Joe’s Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Butter Spread is one of two new butter options.
The cons: With some room temperature butter you can easily make this at home for a fraction of the cost.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s BBQ Rub and Seasoning with Coffee and Garlic
The pros: Trader Joe’s BBQ Rub and Seasoning with Coffee and Garlic makes cooking just a bit easier. It’s slightly bitter, sweet, and savory.
The cons: My husband and I both wished that there was a bit more smokey flavor in this. This is seasonal, so if you are curious about this then it is time to pick it up.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Peach Salsa
The pros: Trader Joe’s Peach Salsa might not be as spicy or smoky as the label might suggest, but still makes for a good and refreshing salsa.
The cons: For purists, this might hit you as being a touch sweeter than some palates might like.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie and Cocoa Swirl
The pros: Trader Joe’s Speculoos Cookie and Cocoa Swirl is a hypnotic mix of cookie butter and spreadable chocolate.
The cons: I’m still not sure how they figure there are 27 servings in this wee little jar.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Sriracha Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Sriracha Sauce is solid, but is not a duplicate of the more famous Sriracha Sauce with a Rooster on it.
The cons: The dragon on this bottle looks for more menacing than the one on the green dragon sauce, but the green brings more heat.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Chipotle Black Bean Dip
The pros: Trader Joe’s Chipotle Black Bean Dip is a smokey and thick dip.
The cons: The smoke flavor is very strong with this one.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil Hummus
The pros: Trader Joe’s Tomato Basil Hummus is a unique flavor pairing which on a surface level seems like it should be a good pairing. This is priced well at $1.99.
The cons: The pairing here ended up tasting odd.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Carolina Gold Barbeque Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Carolina Gold Barbeque Sauce is a solid mustard based BBQ sauce at a reasonable price.
The cons: If you don’t care for mustard based BBQ sauces then skip this item.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Hummus with Freshly Ground Horseradish
The pros: Trader Joe’s Hummus with Freshly Ground Horseradish is a recent addition to the dips of the refrigerated aisle.
The cons: Does not bring the heat that you might expect.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Gochujang
The pros: Trader Joe’s Gochujang is new to store shelves and adds a completely different hot sauce that some might not be familiar with.
The cons: If you have never worked with this type of ingredient, then you might not appreciate it fully. This hot sauce has some funk to it which might not garner everyone’s appreciation. It’s best to try this with something and not on its own.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Carrot Ginger Miso Salad Dressing
The pros: Trader Joe’s Carrot Ginger Miso Salad Dressing is very similar to the dressing that I’ve had in most Japanese restaurants. This dressing is also vegan.
The cons: This is more perishable than regular dressing.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Hot Sauce
The pros: Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Hot Sauce is a delicious condiment that is super versatile.
The cons: Don’t let the cartoonish dragon fool you. The dragon on the Sriracha sauce looks meaner, but this probably has more fire to it.
The verdict: …
Trader Joe’s Thousand Island Dressing
The pros: Trader Joe’s Thousand Island Dressing is a solid option in the refrigerated aisle.
The cons: Nothing comes to mind.
The verdict: …
