Everybody knows that Trader Joe’s is one of the best grocery stores in the US if you are after something a bit unique. They love to grab ingredients/foods from a whole host of different cuisines, especially Asian cuisine. So, does Trader Joe’s have oyster sauce?
Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s does not currently sell oyster sauce. While they have stir fry sauces that contain oyster sauce, as well as a whole host of other condiments and sauces, oyster sauce has never been a product that they have kept.
On this page, we want to walk you through the Trader Joe’s product range. We also want to tell you how to research whether Trader Joe’s has oyster sauce.
Trader Joe’s Product Range
If you have ever stepped into a Trader Joe’s, you will notice that it is an Aladdin’s Cave of unique products. While Trader Joe’s is one of the largest grocery store brands in the US, they do things a little bit differently from the other major grocery stores.
Trader Joe’s knows that it cannot compete on size, but it competes on flavors. Trader Joe’s sources quality ingredients, often directly from the product manufacturer.
Trader Joe’s products are highly regarded by people, and many online discussion forums have appeared simply for discussing Trader Joe’s products.
Trader Joe’s does especially well on the Asian cuisine front. They have a variety of prepared dishes, and a plethora of sauces, condiments, etc. Trader Joe’s offers some amazing stir-fry sauces, for instance.
Their sauces/condiments rarely are the ‘basic’ flavors, though i.e. you won’t find oyster or fish sauce. Trader Joe’s isn’t like that.
It is a company that likes to formulate its own flavors, and many of the products that they sell are combo sauces e.g. stir-fry sauces, its famous Incredisauce, and more.
This really isn’t a place to head if you are looking for the basics. Trader Joe’s would never have enough space in their stores to sell the basics.
Understanding Oyster Sauce
Oyster sauce comes in a variety of different styles. However, they pretty much all have the same basic ingredients. The extract from cooked oysters, sugar, salt, water, and corn starch. It is a very common ingredient in Asian cuisine.
Oyster sauce has a very earthy, salty taste to it. It is almost briny in flavor. It doesn’t taste like fish at all. When it is used in a dish, it is more to add a savory kick rather than add a fishy taste.
In fact, it is more commonly used with meats such as beef and chicken than it is used with fish. The delicate flavor of fish probably wouldn’t pair well with oyster sauce.
Oyster sauce can be used in a variety of different ways. In most cases, it is used as a great addition to noodle-based dishes, including stir-fries.
Many stir-fry sauces actually contain oyster sauce (this is why you should always check product packaging if you have an allergy).
It can also be used as a salad dressing, but you will probably want to go easy when you add this to your dishes. It is incredibly salty.
For those that are allergic to oyster sauce, vegetarian options are available. Instead of containing oysters, they contain mushrooms. The flavor is broadly the same, just less of a briny taste.
To check the current price and availability of Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Flavored Sauce, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
Researching Trader Joe’s Oyster Sauce Availability
TraderJoes.com will always contain the most up-to-date list of Trader Joe’s products. If you wish to find out whether the company has oyster sauce in stock, just tap ‘Oyster Sauce’ into the search bar and it will let you know.
If they don’t have oyster sauce in stock, the search engine will display products that contain oysters e.g. their stir-fries.
You can also give the Trader Joe’s customer support team a call. They are very knowledgeable about their products, and they may even be able to help you to find an alternative.
If you are in a Trader Joe’s store, we wouldn’t really recommend asking one of the staff members there. They can get quite busy. Instead, head to the condiment aisle. If there is oyster sauce in stock, it will be there.
Finally, you can check online forums, including the Trader Joe’s subreddit on Reddit, for information about products. If Trader Joe’s ever decided to introduce oyster sauce to their range, Trader Joe’s fans would probably be the first to know.
Alternative Oyster Sauce Options
As it stands, Trader Joe’s does not currently offer oyster sauce in their stores. It is unlikely they ever will offer it. Unfortunately, they do not really offer any alternatives either. This is because Trader Joe’s steers clear of ‘basic’ sauces.
If you are making a stir fry, then we suggest that you check out Trader Joe’s General Tsao Stir Fry Sauce. This contains oyster sauce, and it is something that they always have in stock.
While Trader Joe’s does not currently stock them, both fish sauce and hoisin sauce can make a basic replacement for oyster sauce.
The flavor profile isn’t exactly the same, but both should add a salty kick to your dishes. Although, since the fish sauce is very heavy in salt, you’ll probably want to use less than what you would use if you had oyster sauce.
Some people may also use white miso paste. This is something that Trader Joe’s does stock. Again, the flavor isn’t the same, but it is a saltier ingredient that can add an extra kick to your dishes.
Unfortunately, it cannot be used as a dressing. You’ll have no issues mixing it up into your stir fries, though.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe’s does not stock oyster sauce, nor have they ever kept it in their stores. This is because Trader Joe’s often steers clear of more basic flavors, instead opting for prepared sauces of their own design. Unfortunately, the company doesn’t really offer alternatives to oyster sauce either. The closest would be white miso paste.
Things could change, though. If you want to keep tabs on stock at Trader Joe’s, you can head to their website or give the customer service team a call.
