“Use like garlic. Delicious on avocado toast, in butter and sauces, on vegetables and proteins, or any time you want extra depth of flavor”
This is a pretty interesting Trader Joe’s product, a bit of an unusual find. Now a few years ago, they sold something in the produce section labeled “Black Garlic”. It was from Japan. It basically looked like a whole head of garlic you had forgotten about in the pantry that had shriveled up and turned completely black! Wild looking! I tried it. Inside shriveled shells were cloves of black garlic inside were softish and absolutely delicious, chock full of UMAMI. I found it to be a kind of amazing, and pretty unusual product for Trader Joe’s to carry. This stuff eventually vanished or was discontinued, anyway I stopped seeing it. Now a year or two later, I noticeed this small jar in the spices section. “Ground Fermented Black Garlic…Made In South Africa”. The black garlic has been dried and ground up into little tiny black bits that can be sprinkled onto things. It tastes garlicky but different from fresh garlic or garlic powder for one thing this was fermented. It’s full of Umami, adding extra depth of flavor to whatever you put it on. I did think it’s a little on the pricey side at $2.99 for a tiny 1 oz jar but I have found it does last a bit. It’s terrific added to sauces and as they mention vegetables. I am trying this on so many things. Avocado anything especially. I am thinking this is a hidden gem that many will look at and bypass and it may vanish in the future. So as we don’t know how long this product will last, if this sounds interesting, grab one to try.
Rated “While not anywhere equal to kimchi you would get at a Korean supermarket it’s OK in a pinch, especially for cooking with, and it’s pretty cheap for kimchi!”
(Review Update: I tried it again (Dec 2023). I found it improved. TJ’s kimchi has gotten a little better since I first wrote this review. While still not top notch kimchi, it’s not bad – especially factoring in the price which you can not beat)
Yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut and kimchi are all fermented foods with probiotic benefits. So in addition to being being tasty as side dish or an ingredient, kimchi is a healthy food teaming with probiotics and worth adding to your diet.
My wife is Korean/Japanese. We try to always have some kimchi in our fridge. Personally I love me some kimchi. I like it so much, during Covid I even tried my hand at making it myself (and actually it turned out great.)
From my wife and my in-laws I’ve learned to tell what’s good kimchi. My wife says Trader Joe’s is “just OK”. She will eat it if its the only kind we have in the house but she much prefers to buy kimchi at H-Mart. So lets’ get this out of the way immediately. Their kimchi is way better than Trader Joe’s. It cost more though.
I can tell you the kimchi from HMart is great. It was no doubt made locally, and trucked in which probably took no more than one or two hours. In contrast, Trader Joe’s kimchi is Made in Korea. Which sounds good but think about how is it shipped to the U.S. By Air or Sea?. I’m guessing with the time to get it to the U.S, its taken some time and fermented more which is OK for Kimchi if you want it a bit aged. It just may not be as fresh a kimchi as you might buy H-Mart (when you open a jar of that, you can tell it’s pretty new-ish as the HMart one has a a firm crunchy texture and bright color. If you check out this site, it has pictures of Kimchi over time, from one day old to fifty days old; you will really see what happens to it. Compare the “Day 50” to “Day 1” kimchi to see what occurs as it ferments more.
With this Trader Joe’s kimchi, the texture of the napa cabbage is a bit soft, the green quite faded.Kimchi is a “living” food that continues to ferment, even in the fridge which slows down but does not stop fermentation.
My wife and I think in a pinch a jar of Trader Joe’s kimchi is OK. As we like having some kimchi in the house we say “it’s better than no kimchi”. Generally what we do with TJ’s kimchi is use it for cooking and kind of think that’s what you should too – but of course you can just eat it as-is. Just realize this kimchi is nowhere as good as say the excellent Tobagi brand kimchi one can buy at H-Mart. However that stuff is now crazy expensive! This kimchi is a bargain comparitively.
In the past in Korea, kimchi was almost typically all home made, though modern Korean families mostly buy it these days, unless Mom or Grandma makes it. In Korea of course one can buy very good commercially made, very fresh kimchi. Here in the US you can find good kimchi at Asian markets for example H-Mart. Kimchi is tricky to distribute because it is alive and highly perishable. It keeps fermenting. We once bought a jar at Whole Foods of a crazy expensive, “Mother In Law’s Kimchi”. When we opened it up, the kimchi exploded out of the jar like a shook-up can of Coke! Jeez, it had really fermented and built up pressure. It made an enormous mess of our entire kitchen and took us about an hour to clean up. On top of which we didn’t find it at all worth the high price ($14?) at Whole Foods.
Historically Trader Joe’s has tried their hand selling Kimchi a few times, in different packages (see above). Over the last few years, I would notice some kimchi at Trader Joe’s but it changed or vanished? Either they discontinued it for a spell or maybe they were finding other vendors, changing the packaging, or all of the above. Before TJ’s current version sold in this red plastic jar, they sold kimchi in a plastic pouch (see link) and then in a glass jar. This current version is the third incarnation/package I can recall. I have never been too impressed with TJ’s Kimchi usually giving it a “well its OK”. My short review of this TJ’s latest kimchi attempt remains that: “well it’s OK”. Let’s face it, this kimchi was shipped (by air?) all the way from Korea, probably landed in California, then it has to be distributed by truck all over the US.
In reality TJ’s kimchi is nowhere near to a kimchi you will find at almost any Asian market, like H-MART (wow, see how many kinds H-MART has?!) If you have the chance to buy some at an Asian market, that would be a good base line to compare this to.
On the plus side Trader Joe’s Spicy Fermented Napa Cabbage Kimchi does have a tangy fermented taste (from lactic acid, which interestingly is even listed as an ingredient?) It doesn’t list any fish products (oysters, squid, or fish sauce) for more Umami like many top brands have, meaning TJ’s kimchi is VEGETARIAN/VEGAN. Is it “Spicy” ? I don’t find it spicy at all, like most kimchi is, though I imagine this is a highly personal taste. Trader Joe’s kimchi is kind of already what I would call just a shade “old” meaning it’s like a Korean supermarket kimchi that we bought say 2-3 weeks ago that had now become more fermented as it sits in our fridge. As kimchi ages and ferments more the taste gets a little more sour, it gets softer, and the green color fades a bit. What we do at this point is we say let’s make something with it. Use it to cook in a dish, for example to make a kimchi fried rice, or maybe “Soon Dubu” (kimchi tofu stew) or Kimchi Pork (Buta Kimchi).
I’m glad TJ’s is at least selling Kimchi and Korean foods like the TTeok Bok Ki. And Jap Chae (both are not bad) or the Korean rice cakes.
So to sum up if you can’t get a really good Kimchi from a Korean store, Trader Joe’s kimchi will do in a pinch. It’s price is amazing (still $4 in 2023) – kimchi in Asian supermarkets has gone up so much, its crazy expensive.
Try TJ’s kimchi with your Pot Stickers. I say cook with it, certainly use this with some leftover rice for some kimchi fried rice, with a fried egg on top. Some more ideas to use the TJ’s kimchi in dishes:
You could make a Kimchi Jigae (kimchi stew) with tofu and kimchi and pork. Tip: TJ’s pork tenderloin is good for this.
This is a very good Kimchi (TOBAGI sliced cabbage kimchi). Bon Appetit reviewed a bunch of kimchi brands and Tobagi was one of them. Its available at HMart if you can get to one; try some really good kimchi and you will understand the difference
DIY Kimchi! No, seriously! I’ve made kimchi. Its good. There are easy kimchi versions that are not terribly hard to make. If you buy a few ingredients at a Korean market you can make your own kimchi and I bet the result will be better than TJ’s kimchi not too mention you will feel like a star when you impress people casually tossing out “You like this kimchi? I made it myself”. Aaron & Claire on YouTube have a great “easy kimchi” recipe using regular cabbage (it’s a kind of “summer kimchi”). I made it and my (Korean-Japanese) wife who has always said the TJ kimchi is at best “meh” told me the cabbage kimchi I made based on Aaron & Claire’s recipe was the best kimchi she had in the U.S. (she was just so impressed this white guy – me – made some good kimchi)
Seriously, if you want a good kimchi, you will be surprised that you can make kimchi yourself. Thanks, Aaron & Claire for a super recipe, and you will find lots of other ones on Youtube and online. I’ve learned so much watching Aaron cook.
You can find toasted Sesame Oil at Trader Joe’s as well as GOCHUJANG (red chili paste) It’s a must have ingredient to do Korean cooking. As well as Korean Red Pepper Flakes (Gochugaru) – needed for making kimchi
Since it first appeared, Trader Joe’s Italian “Bomba” Hot Pepper Sauce blew up all over the internet as one of Trader Joe’s best new offerings. In this case, any hype you’ve heard about how good TJ’s “BOMBA” is, is 100% justified. This stuff is incredible. Sorry I won’t be saying “it’s the bomb” (even though it is). However I will tell you that we just freaking LOVE this stuff, and put it on many, many things. Since first trying this its become a condiment that we have to have in the fridge at all times. Here’s why.
BOMBA is a condiment made from crushed up fresh Calabrian red chile peppers that get fermented. By now I’m sure you’re well aware about how fermentation adds complex flavor elements to foods. When you taste this paste you will notice a little bit of funkiness. That is it’s fermentation and it adds a magical addition of, you guessed it, UMAMI. Giving this stuff more complexity than just a “hot sauce”. Now Bomba sauce is a bit spicy but it’s not really spicy. It’s nowhere near a knock-your-head-off hot sauce, skulls on the label, kind of spicy. This has a tolerable level of spicy PLUS flavor! As a spiciness test, I just put a small spoon of Bomba in my mouth. While I got “yes this is spicy”, it didn’t want to make me want to drink a glass of milk or anything. I got something beyond just “spicy”, there that funkiness, even a bit of sweetness. So depending on the amount you use, you can adjust the level of spicy to your taste and palate, and if you add even just a tiny bit to dishes – I’m talking a quarter of a teaspoon – it will add wonderful flavors that may surprise you.
How to use Bomba ? Of course this is going to be great added to tomato sauces, say on pasta or pizza or what have you. But what about other pasta dishes? A spoonful mixed into your Spaghetti Aglio e Olio? For sure! A little bit in your Carbonara? Controversial perhaps but I do it, and it is terrific. What about all those Gnocchi you love from Trader Joe’s? Regular, cauliflower, kale, shelf stable or what have you… OMG folks, a dollop of this Bomba with garlic and good olive oil will make your gnocchi soar. Still, Bomba is more than “just for Italian” food. I put a little bit into my scrambled eggs. It’s divine with eggs of any kind. A drop of it onto of my buttered, toasted baguette is great. A little bit mixed into avocado toast or guacamole. Add a little bit of Bomba to your marinade for meat or chicken. Dips and sauces? Perfect. You can mix this up with some Greek yogurt (or mayonnaise for that matter) for an instant wonderful sauce, to top some cooked Chicken Breasts, Shrimp, or Tofu as well. Or try that mix as a dip for some chips. Drizzle some with olive oil and garlic on your roasted veggies. Add a spoon of this to your soup or most any sauce to give it some jazz. I even love it on cottage cheese on toast (no, seriously that’s really good). On my sardines on toast. I suggest adding some fresh garlic when using Bomba. Of course these two go very well together. Asian food?! OMG yes, yes, yes! Honestly the list of things and types of food Bomba can improve and go with is endless and I promise, you will discover uses on your own (please share some with us in the COMMENTS below). TJ’s Bomba is truly a premium gourmet offering. Amazingly Trader Joe’s sells this for $2.99 a jar, which is honestly incredible for such a product. Oh and it’s really Italian, it is a “Product Of Italy”. I have found it sold out on occasion as its a big hit. So if you like it, next time grab an extra jar to keep in the pantry like I do (but just one, leave some for me, and the next guy!) Ingredients are: Chilies, Sunflower Oil, Olive Oil, Basil, Salt, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid. Honestly even if you are not really the “hot sauce type” I suggest you get a jar of this to try. Calabrian chili’s are not super hot; they are in the “medium” spice level. People can pop them in their mouths easily. Personally I can’t live without having a jar of Bomba in the fridge now and if you try this, you may feel exactly the same.
TIP: I add a bit of Extra Virgin Olive Oil after I open the jar to “seal the top” off from air and keep it freshest for longer. Keep the jar in the fridge. Take it out 15 minutes before using if its congealed.
If you tried BOMBA and have any Comments feel free to share them.
If you love sauerkraut, as I do, then you may find this Trader Joe’s sauerkraut is among the best you ever had. It’s great.
Trader Joe’s even says if you are not a fan of the stuff, this may change your mind about SAUERKRAUT. Now that’s confidence in your product, huh?! Unlike commercially made mass-produced sauerkraut which is cooked, this one is a raw,fermentedfood product which doesn’t even have vinegar. TJ’s says its made by a small batch producer in the traditional way, which is simply cabbage treated with salt and left to ferment. Old School. The real McCoy. “This is Sauerkraut like your great grandma used to make.”
It has some Persian cucumbers (pickles) in it as well which add even more more crunch and variety. This Sauerkraut goes perfectly with hot dogs of course, as well as sausages. This kraut would go especially with TJ’s excellent German made BAVARIAN BRATWURST previously reviewed, with a Rave. As we know now, fermented foods are very good for your digestive system, gut health and overall health in general. It’s considered healthy to eat something fermented on a regular or daily basis. A spoonful of this (or kimchi or kefir) every day and your gut bacteria will be aces.
Trader Joe’s Sauerkraut with Persian cucumbers is $3.99 for a 14 oz. container.
Ingredients:, Cabbage, Persian Cucumbers, Salt, Garlic.
Sauerkraut is great with these Cheddar Chicken Sausages
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Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants) 
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