We Tried Trader Joe’s New and Improved Pizza Sauce

Trader Joe’s Pizza Sauce is back! And we tried it. But before we dive into the review, let’s dive into why it went away in the first place. 

Like Domino’s before them, Trader Joe’s knows to admit when they screwed up. According to the brand, Trader Joe’s Pizza Sauce got the boot because they “could do better.” According to folks on Reddit, the sauce was way, way, way too oniony and garlicky. Whatever the complaints, Trader Joe’s discontinued the sauce in order to rejigger the formula. And now, they’ve put it back on shelves, promising that it has a “more subtly seasoned profile than its predecessor.” 

I slathered it onto some bread, popped it into the toaster oven, and gave the newly improved Trader Joe’s Pizza Sauce a try.

Trader Joe's Pizza Sauce

New Pizza Sauce!

Trader Joe’s Pizza Sauce

A lot of pizza sauces just end up tasting like marinara. Why would I buy a tiny jar of marinara masquerading as pizza sauce when I could buy a big jar and use it for everything? Trader Joe’s new pizza sauce proves that there is a difference between the two tomato sauces. 

Pros: I didn’t taste the old Trader Joe’s Pizza Sauce but I can honestly say that the new Trader Joe’s Pizza Sauce is great. (So great that I will need to revisit our best pizza sauce ranking). It’s deep and rich with umami flavor. It tastes like there’s way more tomato paste in the mix for a thick, spreadable sauce (that’s what sets it apart from marinara sauce). And it’s not sweet like some pizza sauce can be. But it’s not salty, either. It’s straight-up concentrated tomato flavor. They definitely dialed back the aromatics, too. There’s no overwhelming onion, garlic, or herbs. And it’s only $2. 

Cons: When I say Trader Joe’s dialed back the aromatics, I mean they really dialed them back. This sauce is pure tomato. I didn’t detect any garlic, onion, oregano, or basil. So, if you like your pizza sauce to be seasoned, you might be a bit disappointed. Personally, I’m happy to sprinkle on my own oregano and top a pizza with fresh basil. But I’m a huge homemade pizza snob. It’s my one fault.

Credit: Liv Averett / Trader Joe’s

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks


About the Author

Justine Sterling

Justine Sterling is the editor-in-chief of Sporked. She has been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and is an avid at-home cook and snacker. Don’t worry, she’s not a food snob. Sure, she loves a fresh-shucked oyster. But she also will leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and loves a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.

Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!

Your thoughts.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *