Trader Joe's Garlic Achaar Sauce

Every culture has a condiment that becomes the default condiment of choice. A few years back sriracha seemed to be placed on everything. Even Frank's Hot Sauce's slogan mentions putting it on everything.

Well, if you want another culture's take on the go-to everything sauce then let Trader Joe's introduce you to Garlic Achaar.

The taste

For me, this is a new item. I've never had achaar before. But if you are a fan of Indian flavors this doesn't disappoint. And yes, this will be the sauce that stands out among all of your spicy condiments.

The base here is like many hot sauces: it's made of red chili peppers. So it's medium in heat.

There is a subtle flavor of jalapeno peppers in here as well which will give you a sense of the heat. For some, that's already too spicy for you, to some that is not going far enough. I think sriracha overall is hotter than this sauce.

Once you get past the taste of peppers that is when the flavor of the garlic hits. There is both raw and roasted garlic in this as well. There is no hiding the garlic here just like it was the star in Trader Joe's Garlic Spread.

But what makes this a somewhat familiar taste is the spice mixture. If you've ever had any of the frozen Indian entrees then you are familiar with the flavors of fenugreek, coriander, and cumin which often makes up many of the masala sauces. What you are tasting here is going to be complex and quite different from any other hot sauces or condiments you might be keeping in your refrigerator.

This sauce is way too thick to be a simmer sauce although I see no reason why you couldn't thin this out. Heck, this would be great as an aioli as well.

What should I serve this with?

This is a pretty easy condiment to pair with a lot of different items. Bread, naan, paratha, grilled cheese, soup, eggs, french fries, or a protein that seems a bit plain on its own. Even some sour cream or yogurt could make this into a delicious dip. Just dip your spoon in and imagine the possibilities.

This is a condiment that is an absolute blank canvas and to be honest I haven't seen many retailers carry anything like this.

Overall

For $2.69 is a really solid and tasty item as long as you enjoy the spices of Indian food. This condiment is a truly blank canvas that will allow you to get creative with something that seems a bit plain.

Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Garlic Achaar Sauce again. I haven't seen anything else quite like it. It added a really nice pop of flavor.

Did you try it?  Let me know what you think in the comments section!

A visual rundown of this product

The jar of Trader Joe's Garlic Achaar:

The nutritional information and the ingredients:

Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.

The Bottom Line

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