The #1 Underrated Sauce to Buy at Costco, According to a Food Writer

I’m a big fan of a sauce that has multiple purposes. Things are tight in my refrigerator, so when it comes to investing in a new condiment, I have to weigh my options and decide what’s truly worth taking up real estate on those tiny door shelves. If a sauce is more than a simple sauce or dressing, then it is already highly considered for the select few bottles I keep on hand. If you’re the same way when it comes to your condiments, then you’ll be happy to know that I recently discovered a sauce that is absolutely 100% worth the space it takes up. So much so that I’m considering investing in every single flavor and bottle of Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce.

And the best part? It’s available at Costco!

It’s Versatile and High Quality

There are a lot of different reasons I love this sauce, but let’s start with the most prominent one in my eyes: it can do so much. Sure, this sauce is great as a finishing drizzle on some of your favorite weeknight meals, such as noodle bowls, grilled foods and fried rice, and in sandwiches and on your morning fried eggs. But this sauce also works well as a marinade when you need something easy (and tasty!) that requires only one simple ingredient. And their website includes a variety of interesting ways to use the sauce that you may not have considered, such as in a miso chocolate cheesecake or a Bloody Mary.

Second, the quality of the ingredients in this sauce is not to be missed. Bachan’s is made with fresh organic garlic, ginger and green onion and doesn’t use any powders or dehydrated ingredients in the sauce. It’s a mixture of non-GMO soy sauce brewed using the traditional Japanese method—in which the soy sauce is processed and aged for a richer flavor—as well as a high-quality mirin (rice wine) and an organic rice vinegar. The sauces are made in small batches, are cold filled and are BPA-free.

It Comes in Many Tasty Flavors

While there’s a lot that you can do with the Original Bachan’s Japanese Barbecue Sauce, I’m particularly a big fan of all the flavors they have in their inventory. The Yuzu Citrus is my personal favorite and is the ideal sauce you want for your vegetable-based dishes, like vegetable lo mein, fried rice and even veggie skewers. There’s also Miso (great as a marinade for grilled salmon), Sweet Honey (drizzled on a burger, perhaps?), Hella Hot (think Nashville hot chicken, but upgraded) and Hot & Spicy (a delectable finishing sauce on slow-cooker ribs).

Yes, these sauces are available at Costco, but if you haven’t made the plunge and bought a Costco membership yet,  you can find these tasty sauces at many grocery stores or on Bachan’s website. Grab the bottles priced anywhere between $7.99 and $9.99, or snag sets of these sauces, including The Flavor Explorer, a full range of the Bachan’s flavors, for $44.99.

Grab a Mega Bottle at Costco

If you do have a Costco membership, then you’re in luck. While the original bottle size of Bachan’s sauce is 16 ounces, you can snag an even bigger bottle at Costco for under $10! Bachan’s is selling their Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce in 34-ounce bottles, making it the ultimate condiment and sauce to have on hand for all of your cooking (and drizzling!) needs. Even Costco shoppers over on Reddit agree that this is a sauce you are not going to want to miss. 

Along with the mega bottle, Bachan’s also launched their 3-Flavor Variety Pack, which is available at Costco as well. You can snag three bottles in one pack for under $20; a 16-ounce bottle of Bachan’s Hot and Spicy, a 16-ounce of the Yuzu flavor and a 16-ounce of the Miso flavor. Bachan’s also plans on releasing another 32-ounce bottle of their Hot and Spicy at the end of July. The rollout will start at Costco locations across Texas, and will spread to stores nationwide soon after.

If you’re a big fan of barbecue sauce and elevating your meals with all kinds of delicious flavor, then you’re going to want to keep an eye out for what Bachan’s has up their sleeve next; while information is still under wraps, the company has been working on a new innovation for dipping sauces in the future. Think air fryer chicken wings dipped in a tasty barbecue sauce. I’m already salivating!

With so many flavor possibilities, I have a feeling you’re going to want to snag a few bottles and try these sauces out yourself. It’s the perfect condiment for any time of the day. Drizzled on your sesame chicken noodle bowls for lunch? Check. Marinating a flank steak before throwing it on the grill? Check. Dipping your breakfast burritos in the morning? This sauce is perfect for it all.