Trader Joe’s Jarred Cuban Mojito Sauce

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Please excuse the images if they look a bit off, in some way. I have no idea. I’m making this entry from my laptop and these lcd screens blow for photographic work.
Maybe a month ago Gramma K picked up some of this Cuban Mojito simmer & marinade from Trader Joe’s. She and Gramps thought enough of it to mention it to me, so I asked Mama to get us some. It sat around in the cupboard for quite some time, well … a month. I had a day off yesterday, so decided to give it a shot. Man, everyone is glad I did. What a really nice & easy, yet tasty meal it was.



I came up with the recipe for this dish from Jacques Pepin’s Complete Techniques (a must have for anyone who needs help doing any kind of task in regards to cooking). In there is a short little recipe for something called Hunter’s Chicken, where the first step is to brown the chicken pieces in butter. This is what you see up there above you, chicken pieces browning in butter. Just in case you’re wondering, when you brown chicken pieces in butter, they stay browned. It’s wonnerful.
Just brown the suckers, don’t cook them through.
Pull them out and set aside on paper towels, some place warm.
LEAVE BROWNED BUTTER IN PAN. Ya foo.

Slice up an onion all pretty along with some mushrooms. Put in butter chicken browned pan. Cook at medium heat until the mushrooms just barely start to brown, or so. Caramelization=flavor=happy mouths.
While the onions & mushrooms are cooking, dump your jarred Mojito sauce in to a large heavy dutch oven, one that is non-reactive. Warm the sauce to a slow simmer.
When the onion stuff is done, dump everything in to the pot. Everything means the chicken too. Simmer this covered for about an hour, little rolling bubbles you should be seeing. After an hour, take off the lid and increase the heat just a tad and keep those little bubbles going. What you’re doing now is reducing it a bit, make it just a little richerer.
30 minutes should be FINE. This gives you about an hour and a half cooking time.
This would really go well with long grain brown rice & something green.

This jarred Mojito sauce is perfect for something yummy during the week when you can’t deal, but you have enough energy to knock out some chicken browning. The taste is bright, the lemons & limes handle that end. It’s also got in there cilantro & organo, onions & extra virgin olive oil, sea salt & black pepper and finally xanthan gum. MmmMmm, xanthan gum. Everyone had 3rds.
Xo Xo

49 thoughts on “Trader Joe’s Jarred Cuban Mojito Sauce”

  1. Dame good recipe! tryed it last night, and sure enough, everyone loved it. Totally impressed the misses too!

  5. I went even easier…just dumped the mojito sauce in a baking dish over frozen chicken breasts. Baked 40 minutes at 375.
    Mixed a bit of extra mojito sauce in with jasmine rice in my rice cooker.
    Heated up a side of black beans, put it all together, and we had a healthy, no fuss weekday meal. Yum!!

  6. I agree with Keira — I loved this, just reheating leftover rotisserie chicken in the Mojito sauce, with a side of black beans, all over rice! My favorite black beans are the Goya Black Bean Soup in a reddish can. Drain off a bit of liquid, and they are perfectly spiced for serving over rice. Served with steamed green beans. Marvelous and quick! Loved the bright citrus flavor of the sauce.

  7. Take it to the next level by adding some dried reconstituted porcini mushrooms and their broth to the white or cremini mushrooms. The porcini awaken a whole new flavor in the cultivated mushrooms.

  9. I just make a skillet dish from this sauce after having a sample in Trader Joes. Brown a pound of chicken, add a jar of this addictive sauce, and a can of rinsed drained black beans. Simmer covered, for 15 minutes turning once or twice.
    Serve over rice or couscous…

  10. Love your cooking hints!!!! And love that Mojito Sauce…. had to put some in my luggage on my last trip over there…. we are waiting patiently for Trader Joe’s to open one of their “fine” stores here in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. Meanwhile, my family’s and friend’s Mojito fix is sporadic.
    oxox

  11. Hey Mama,
    Aw, it should be easy enough to prepare yourself. I don’t have a good recipe handy though. TJ stores are opening up here in the San Francisco Bay Area semi rapidly, most certainly you will be getting one soon!
    Biggles

  12. I had thin sliced pork with the Mohito sauce as a marinade then cooked on the grill. I poured the Mohito sauce over the pork on the grill. Served with yellow rice and black beans. This is the first time I’ved used this sauce but it’s not the last. Planning to use it next with Shrimp. Thanks.

  13. Your recipe sounds great (only without the mushrooms for me). I have a little concoction of my own using Trader Joe’s Mohito sauce too. I brown the chicken first just like you said, only next time I’ll use butter bc it just sounded sooo good. Then I chop up one cup of onions, add another clove of minced fresh garlic. Now keeping the yummy brown (not burnt) stuff in the bottom of the pan from the chicken, I put in the garlic and onions, add a little olive oil or perhaps more butter in this case. Cook long enough to carmelize and open up the flavors then dump in a jar of TJ’s Mojito and deglaze the bottom of the pan, mixing everything together, then add the chicken. Baste the chicken frequently and simmer just where it’s bubbling but cooking slowly. Cook like this for 30-45 mins then serve over Mahatma’s Yellow Rice with Cuban style black beans ladled over the top. Also, I love to use the sauce over my beans and rice. Serve with a crusty loaf of Cuban bread to sop up the sauce. Every time I serve this it gets rave reviews. MMMM MMMM GOOD!

  14. Sad news. Trader Joe’s has discontinued the Mojito sauce. I just hit seven TJs looking for some leftover jars, and there are none. Boohoo!

  15. the mojito sauce became a staple in my pantry and now it’s discontinued. if everyone asks their tj manager to request it’s return it might happen.

  16. Thank You Linda!! I was just headed to TJ’s (Mission Viejo) this morning to pick some Mojito sauce up. I had gone to TJ’s in Laguna Hills last night and they had the label on the shelf – but no sauce!! They must have discontinued it quite recently. I’m going to call them this morning to find out what happened to it.

  18. We loved the Mojito simmer sauce, simmering with cubed pork loin, and then mixed with hominy, like a Posole. Served with tortillas its the bomb.
    What a bummer TJ’s discontinued it. Let’s all tell our local TJ manager to “BRING IT BACK!!”
    If they don’t there’s a similar tasting recipe, see:
    http://www.tasteofcuba.com/mojo.html
    -chas

  19. Trader JOe’s has discontinued this item. Which we used all the time. Any ideas who else may have a similar product or the recipe.Thanks. Andrea

  20. This was the BEST sauce in the world…
    Does anyone know what was exactly in it?
    Does anyone have a jar??
    I am willing to sit there and play around with the ingredients until I match it…
    This was the “secret sauce” in my Cuban specialty dish…
    I just called 4 Trader Joe’s, and they said that it is nowhere to be found…
    If anyone has a jar, please send me the ingredients, and I will keep everyone posted if I concoct a match!
    Thanks!
    -Negin 🙂

    • Found this recipe online:

      Trader Joe’s Cuban Mojito Simmer Sauce {Copycat Recipe}

      5 cloves of garlic, crushed
      1 medium onion, chopped
      1 cup cilantro, loosely packed
      2 TB cumin
      2 tsp oregano
      3 TB cider vinegar
      1/2 tsp sea salt
      1/4 tsp ground black pepper
      juice of 2 limes
      1 cup orange juice
      1 cup light olive oil

      Place garlic, onion and cilantro in a food processor or blender-pulse to combine and chop into smaller pieces. Add cumin, oregano, cider vinegar, sea salt, and pepper. Pulse again to combine completely.

      Combine orange and lime juice and add to garlic/onion mixture until incorporated. Slowly pour oil through the top of the device, allowing mixture to fully incorporate. Transfer to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat until hot and mixture has thickened.

      *Note-on occasion, this sauce doesn’t want to thicken-1 TB cornstarch dissolved in 3 T water and poured into sauce will fix the problem without affecting the taste.

  21. I asked about the sauce today and was told it was discontinued three months ago! I loved this sauce and want it back.

  22. I’m bummed to hear TJ has discontinued this. my MIL was born in Havana, and one whiff of this sauce brought back “comfort food” memories to my husband. I will try some alternatives, too – the guy at TJ today said “maybe it didn’t sell” – which I find hard to believe, having found nothing but raves about it.
    AARGHH!

  23. I have been craving this sauce after I ran out of it a few months ago. I never did have a chance to go to Trader Joes until yesterday 05/08/07 and was francticly searching for it until I went to customer service and they told me it was discontiued. They should have warned us about this so we can stock up!!!!!
    I am soooooo disappointed 🙁

  24. I love this sauce. That’s the one thing that I don’t like about TJ’s– they are always discontinuing things I like.

  25. I too, was told it was discontinued because of slow sales. I absolutely loved this sauce- much better than the Thai Curry which hasn’t been discontinued. Now, does anyone have the recipe to share?

  26. This sauce is kickin! Too bad they’ve pulled it I hope they bring it back!!!
    Usually I will make brown rice with barley and quinoa add dried montmormency cherries (from trader joes also yum)and golden raisins and or gogi berries then mix half a jar of sauce in (more if need to moisten thoroughly)and serve with chicken lemongrass rolls …yum~
    Hmm does anyone have an ingredient list??? I didnt save it not knowing they would pull it I can prolly recreate if someone has the list however and share it:o)
    Rayn

  27. Please get the Cuban Mojito Sauce back at the Town Center Trader Joe’s store in Alameda, CA since several of us buy it.
    Thanks,
    Linda

  28. Here is the list of ingredients.
    Trader Joe’s ingredients, from the label
    onions
    orange juice
    water
    EV olive oil
    cilantro
    cider vinagar
    lime juice
    garlic
    sea salt
    cumin
    arrowroot
    black pepper
    oregano
    zantham gum

  29. This was my absolute favorite sauce from TJs. I do what I call “assembling” dishes, like the above recipe. I am so bummed that they no longer carry it and think we should all start writing to them, requesting that they make it again.

  30. Count me in as another disappointed customer who couldn’t find my favorite Cuban Mojito sauce at TJ’s today. Also told it was probably because of slow sales. I find that hard to believe just reading the entries on this site alone. Thanks, Julio for the list of ingredients.
    I’ll play around trying to reproduce a proximity until we can convince TJ to restock it.

  31. I agree with the other lovers of Cuban Mojito Sauce. Couldn’t believe they discontinued it.
    Put in my vote to reinstate it.

  32. My Mom and I took the ingredients from the jar and experimented with the proportions. This recipe is pretty close. LEA
    “ALMOST TRADER JOE’S”
    MOJITO SAUCE
    5 cloves garlic crushed
    ½ cup onions, finely minced
    1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro
    2 TBS cumin
    2 tsp oregano
    1 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil
    2 Tbsp Cider Vinegar
    1/2 tsp sea salt
    1/4 tsp black pepper
    Juice of 1 lime (about 2 TBS)
    Juice of 1 orange (about ½ cup)
    For coarse grind, pulse in food processor. For smoother sauce, use blender. Makes about 2 cups. May be refrigerated or frozen.

  33. I love the mojito sauce from TJ’s, however I was told they were no longer carrying it at my local store.

  34. I too am disappointed TJ’s d/c the Mojito. I emailed them as well. Hopefully they will reconsider. Thanks for the recipe, I will try it but it was just soooo convient out of the jar.

  35. I too just tried to buy the mojito sauce yesterday. I have one jar left in the cabinet, and now consider it gold. I called the company in California yesterday to try and find it. What I learned is that they have created the recipe themselves, and had a vendor make it. That basically means that they will not give out the recipe because they do have the option to bring it back again. I would be happy to add my request for it to be brought back. What were they thinking?
    P.S.
    The same thing happened to the balsamic glaze that they carried in a squeeze bottle. It was basically a balsamic reduction in a bottle, and was fabulous on grilled foods as well as many other things. Anyone know how to get that back too?

  36. No Mojito sauce up here in Gig Harbor, WA either!! Very disappointed, as hubby is of Cuban ancestry & this was one of his mainstays.

  37. thanks to the folks that listed ingredients and measurements for a replacement recipe. i was waiting for this sauce to make a comeback and now i’m sad! but, i’m willing to try to make it on my own because it was that good!!

  38. i too am a longtime fan of the mojito sauce and was dissapointed that its discontinued…i email TJ yesterday and this was their reply….
    Thanks for contacting us. We have discontinued that product in our
    stores due to slow sales. Because our stores have such limited space, if
    an item does not meet a minimum sales volume, we will discontinue it in
    order to bring in something we think will sell better. I will pass your
    comments on to our buyers for consideration. From time to time, if there
    is enough outcry to bring back a discontinued item and we are able to do
    so, we will give it another run.
    Thanks for shopping with us,
    Nikki
    Customer Relations

  41. Go to the Trader Joe’s (www.traderjoes.com) website and email them asking them to bring back the Mojito! If there are enough of us they will have to bring it back. My sister and I are on a campaign for it! 🙂

  42. I have found the exact same product, different packaging, at Kroger stores in Michigan. It is manufactured by World Harbors, website
    http://www.worldharbors.com. I hope this helps and you all can find it near you. I was so delighted to find it I bought all 3 bottles they had. I recently noticed they have restocked the shelf.
    Good luck

  43. Good news! I recently found the exact same product, different packaging, at Kroger store in Michigan. I was so delighted I purchased all 3 jars. I recently noticed they restocked the shelf. It is manufactured by World Harbors, website http://www.worldharbors.com. Good luck I hope you can find it near you.

  44. Thank you to
    julio on May 25, 2008 5:40 PM
    for posting the ingredients on Trader Joe’s Majito Sauce!
    I was sorry that I didn’t save the jar, not realizing it was going to go off the market.
    That was really thoughful of you.
    Thanks you so mcuh also to
    Leilani Allen on June 25, 2008 12:10 PM
    for the recipe. You and your mother did great! I made two batches one with the cilantro and one without cilantro. I am not a big fan of cilantro. I didn’t remember it having so much cilantro. I like the batch I made without the cilantro which looked and tasted closer to Trader Joe’s Cuban Majito Sauce. I felt I wasted my time chopping up 3 batches of cilantro for about an hour. I’m going to work on tweaking it to get it to taste how I like it–maybe i don’t need as much oil without the cilantro. I am just so happy to know I can make my own sauce now. To be honest, I don’t really care if Trader Joe’s ever brings the sauce back anymore 🙂 Your gave me a treasure, I never realized it could be so easy to make!

  45. I also tried this sauce and fell in love with it. Our Trader Joe’s no longer carries this particular flavor but does have some other not so good ones of the same brand…:(( I am very disappointed…it makes for a great quickie meal with tons of flavor. I hate when you come to love a product and then the store quits carrying it. I am glad at least someone is enjoying this yummy marinade and/or sauce.

  46. I am yet another person irritated by the fact that TJ’s no longer makes/carries this sauce. It was one of our favorites. We like the curry sauce, but the mojito was different.
    I wrote the company, and the response I got was that they weren’t selling enough of it to make it worthwhile. That’s funny, because well before they discontinued the sauce it was one of the more difficult to find in stock.
    From what I’ve read around the web I’m not the only one disappointed. I hope that one day TJ’s will reconsider and try again. They did with their brand of toothpaste (which they had also discontinued).
    Maybe this sauce will get another chance one day. In the meantime I’ll try my hand at making it from scratch.

  47. Aw, this was a really quality post. In theory I’d like to write like this too – taking time and real effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and never seem to get something done

  48. Did they bring it back or am I completely confused? I bought some a few months ago and having my chicken marinating in it for dinner tonight.