Anchovy paste is very common in Italian cuisine, often being used as a sandwich spread, or as a way to add a salty, savory kick to sauces, particularly Caesar salad dressing.
It is a tough product to find, though. As a result, a lot of people wonder whether Trader Joe’s, the greatest store for unique products, has it in stock. So, does Trader Joe’s sell anchovy paste?
Trader Joe’s does not sell anchovy paste. In fact, they do not sell any anchovy products at all. This is likely because anchovy paste isn’t a top-selling item, and Trader Joe’s tries to only stock products that sell quickly. Since they have never stocked anchovy paste, it is unlikely they will ever introduce it to their range.
Overview of Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s is not your typical grocery store. While they have a couple of staple products (albeit, not many of them), Trader Joe’s tries to bring in a few unique flavors from around the world.
So, it really comes as no surprise that so many people wonder whether they anchovy paste.
Trader Joe’s is all about product choice. If you go to your standard grocery store e.g. Walmart, then you will find hundreds and hundreds of products on the shelves. In fact, you may find dozens and dozens of different sauces.
Trader Joe’s doesn’t have the space for that, so they have to carefully select the products that they do sell. This means that instead of having dozens and dozens of sauces, you may get a little over a dozen.
Almost every single product is sold under the Trader Joe’s banner. Trader Joe’s sources these products from all over the world.
They love listening to customer feedback too, so if you ever have a suggestion about the type of products that you want to see in Trader Joe’s, then you just need to reach out to their team. Every week, Trader Joe’s is bringing new products to their stores.
Trader Joe’s Condiment and Sauce Section
Trader Joe’s condiment and sauce selection is massive, although they only stock one type of each product.
This is to ensure that they have a wealth of different flavors on the shelves i.e. you are not going to find fifteen different types of ketchup.
When they do stock more than one option for a sauce, then the second option will have a twist e.g. at the moment, Trader Joe’s are selling a great tomato ketchup with black truffle in it.
Trader Joe’s offers all of the staple sauces (mayo, curry sauces, ketchup, etc.) but they also like to experiment with the flavors.
In fact, Trader Joe’s is not afraid to create sauces of its own. One of their more popular sauces is Magnifisauce, their own concoction. This product is a blend of ketchup, mayo, and relish. It tastes delicious!
Their paste selection isn’t that broad. They sell standard miso paste, as well as Gochujang paste which is a Korean twist on typical miso paste. It is much, much more flavorful.
Anchovy Paste and Its Culinary Significance
Anchovy paste is a paste made of ground-up anchovies and a few other ingredients. The additional ingredients will depend on the part of the world the anchovy paste is consumed. In Italy, it wouldn’t be much more than anchovies and some salt, to help preserve them.
Anchovy paste can be consumed on its own. It is a common condiment, particularly in Italy and the Philippines. It adds a salty, briny kick to bread.
In fact, if you head to France or Italy, it isn’t uncommon to be served anchovy paste as an appetizer.
Outside of this, anchovy paste can be used to add saltiness to salads. For example, if you have ever eaten Caesar Salad, then anchovy paste is what gives the salty kick to the sauce. It can also be used in pasta and egg-based dishes.
To check the current price and availability of Cento Anchovy Paste, click here to view the listing on Amazon.
Researching Trader Joe’s Anchovy Paste Availability
Trader Joe’s will always list products they currently stock on the Trader Joe’s website (www.traderjoes.com). You can also contact them via phone and email. This is the best way to check whether they have anchovy paste in stock.
In rare cases, Trader Joe’s may introduce certain products as ‘test’ products. They may only be available at certain stores and never listed online.
Your best bet is to check out various Trader Joe’s online communities to find out more about these products.
Results: Does Trader Joe’s Sell Anchovy Paste?
At the time of writing, Trader Joe’s does not sell anchovy paste. They have never stocked anchovy paste. Therefore, it is unlikely that they will ever bring it to their stores.
You have to remember that Trader Joe’s business model relies on selling products that will fly off the shelves. As delicious as some people find anchovy paste, it isn’t going to sell that well.
Alternatives to Trader Joe’s for Anchovy Paste Purchase
Stores like Walmart will have anchovy paste in stock. You may also find that certain Asian supermarkets may stock anchovy paste. Although, it may taste slightly different from what you are used to.
You can make your own anchovy paste by blending anchovy fillets with a variety of ingredients. Although, unfortunately, Trader Joe’s does not sell anchovies.
The following ingredients can give a very similar taste to anchovies. Trader Joe’s may have some of these in stock:
- Kalamata Olives.
- Capers
- Worcestershire Sauce.
- Nori Seaweed
Worcestershire Sauce may be the best option here since one of the main ingredients is anchovies, so you get some of that taste anyway.
Final Thoughts
Trader Joe’s does not stock anchovy paste, or anything remotely similar to anchovy paste. Unfortunately, it is not a product that sells well and Trader Joe’s only sells products that will be sitting on the shelves for a few days, at most.
There are alternative options to anchovy paste e.g. Worcestershire Sauce, but they won’t taste the same. If you want actual anchovy paste, then your best bet is to head to your local Walmart. They always stock it.
