Forget Soy: This Trader Joe's Sauce Packs A Major Punch

Every month, there's something to discover at Trader Joe's, but around 2024, shoppers spotted a new addition to the shelves: ponzu sauce. This prized condiment prompted excitement online, as it's one of those TJ's products that appears to be somewhat elusive. At least, it's not listed on the TJ's website, though social media reports indicate it's still available as of 2026. Many of those who can get their hands on a bottle can't get enough of the tangy, salty zing it brings to the table, and we can't blame them! Trader Joe's ponzu is a blend of traditional soy sauce with citrus (among other ingredients — more on that later), and for lovers of Japanese cuisine, it ranks alongside the likes of teriyaki, miso, and unagi.

Customers were thrilled to see it, with one Redditor calling it "a great alternative to their soy sauce," while another writing on the same thread said, "Amazing! Good mix of soy and citrus and going to be my new go-to." TJ's ponzu sauce is as flexible as it is tasty, too. While it's primarily used as a dipping sauce, especially for the hot pot dish shabu shabu and gyoza dumplings, it also makes a delicious salad dressing and is popular on tonkatsu, deep-fried pork cutlets.

However, any home cooks thinking of using ponzu as a marinade, particularly for salmon, ought to tread carefully. If left for more than 30 minutes or so, the citrus in the sauce will essentially cook the fish, much as lemon juice can do to shrimp. Err on the side of caution for time, and all should be well.

As popular as the Trader Joe's version is (our friends at sister site Tasting Table ranked it their third-favorite of the store's sauces), it's not the only kind of ponzu available. It's actually a twist on the classic ponzu, which dates back to 17th-century Japan, when Dutch traders introduced locals to a citrusy "pons" or punch. The name ponzu roughly translates to punch vinegar — how perfect a description is that?

Traditional ponzu is a blend of citrus fruits such as daidai, kabosu, and yuzu, with rice wine and rice vinegar, katsuobushi (or bonito flakes), and kelp broth daishi. The Trader Joe's version also has added soy sauce; because of that, what's in the bottle is technically ponzu shoyu. This means that, unlike straight-up soy sauce, which is umami-forward and quite salty, TJ's ponzu shoyu has a refreshing, citrusy kick married with soy's savory depth. There's another significant difference between soy and ponzu shoyu, too. All that citrus is amazing for flavor, but it doesn't react well to heat, and its flavor can become dull when cooked. If you want to add the Trader Joe's ponzu to a hot dish, make it a final flourish or a garnish to get the best results.

Static Media owns and operates Foodie and Tasting Table.