Trader Joe's Ponzu Sauce

If you’ve ever been to a restaurant that serves poke, chances are that you’ve already experienced the uniquely tart, tangy, and umami-rich flavor of ponzu. Traditionally made with a base of rice vinegar, bonito broth, rice wine, and some manner of citrus juice, ponzu is a pitch-perfect sauce for seasoning fish for poke and sashimi, but that’s hardly where we’d stop. Made for us by an expert supplier in Japan, Trader Joe’s Ponzu Sauce can add an element of sweetness, savoriness, and richness to all sorts of dishes, from the simplest of rice bowls to the most complex of marinades.

Trader Joe’s Ponzu Sauce is made in the style of shoyu ponzu, meaning it has a soy sauce base—ponzu without soy sauce tends to not keep very well on the shelf. Our supplier’s recipe also subs out the rice wine in favor of a bit of sugar to provide a sweet contrast to the delightfully tart yuzu juice used in every batch. We find that this balance of ingredients makes it a more-than-capable condiment for pretty much any savory application in the kitchen, and especially so for making flavorful salad dressings, dipping with tempura, pan-fried gyoza, and other crispy appetizers, or mixing into burger patties for an extra bonito-powered boost of umami.

Ingredients