Trader Joe's Zhoug Sauce Will Add A Bold Touch To Any Meal
Everyone's got a favorite condiment, that one sauce, spread, or relish they would absolutely pack if headed to a desert island for an indefinite period of time. We'd never call into question anyone's loyalty to their particular M.V.P. of the condiment shelf, but we do have to recommend new sauces as we discover them. And Trader Joe's zhoug sauce is worth taking note of.
If you've never heard of zhoug sauce, don't worry — you're not alone. Pronounced "ZOOg", according to Trader Joe's, this bright green sauce is one of the chain's hidden gems. It has probable Yemeni origins and a huge cult following thanks to its versatility plus, more importantly, the intense heat it packs into its unassuming package. That heat is artfully balanced with bright notes from fresh herbs to create something truly special. Zhoug is not a sauce for the faint-hearted, but it is an easy way to elevate your regular weeknight meals in a way that leaves everyone wanting more.
What exactly is zhoug sauce?
Zhoug sauce, at its core, is an herbal, cilantro-based mixture. The supporting role to zhoug's cilantro is jalapeño, and a lot of it — at least, in Trader Joe's version. Chile flakes, garlic, and seasonings round out the recipe, resulting in a sauce that's bright, bold, and very, very spicy. It gets its distinctly earthy and bold flavor from a healthy dose of both cardamom and cumin. Zhoug is not quite salsa verde, and it's not quite cilantro chutney, but it is delicious. And hot. Did we mention it's hot?
Trader Joe's has been offering zhoug sauce for a while now, and it's begun to take the Internet by storm in recent years. It's often been featured in articles and blog posts as a flavorful find from the grocery chain. Zhoug is certainly something that can be made easily at home with the help of a food processor and some time, but when Trader Joe's is offering tubs of it for $3.69, it's hard to turn down the convenience.
How to use this spicy condiment
To be clear: Zhoug sauce is fantastic as is, in the form of an accompaniment-dip for crackers and vegetables, as long as you're ready for the heat. But the sauce offers so much more utility in the kitchen than just that, also being able to enhance many different plates. In an article for Insider, former professional chef Grace Kennedy praised zhoug's versatility, saying that at their first restaurant job they "spread house-made zhoug onto burgers with a dollop of creamy mayo, spooned it on top of hummus for an extra kick, and used it as a finishing sauce for whole roasted fish."
Zhoug mixed into some sour cream or Greek yogurt makes for a creamy, spicy dip perfect for any occasion. A spread of zhoug with a nice steak is reminiscent of chimichurri yet decidedly different at the same time. On the most basic level, zhoug serves as a solid hot sauce to drizzle over tacos and drip across nachos. So long as you're a fan of cilantro and heat, it's a sauce that's sure to serve multiple uses in your kitchen.