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Olé! We Tried 5 Store-Bought Salsa’s and There Is a CLEAR Winner!
Five shelf-stable salsas, all medium heat, were chosen to review. They were judged based on appearance, texture, flavor, and heat profile. Our top two contestants played hardball, but overall, there was a definite winner!
Mateo’s has a welcoming, earthy, up-front flavor reminiscent of cumin. The cilantro is bright, and the tomatoes are deep and robust. The texture is perfect. The heat and acid are nicely balanced. It lists tomatillos and red wine vinegar, which aren’t the standard, and I’m fine with the lemon juice concentrate if it means there aren’t any additives.
Pace is an affordable standard with a sweeter profile commonly attributed to vine-ripened tomatoes. The onion and garlic are also prominent flavors. The acid is not as forward as some others and is a little mellow. I like the Picante texture over the restaurant-style or chunky versions. Basic ingredients are listed, and I like that they use crushed tomatoes and there aren’t any additives.
Chi-Chi’s has a subtle heat that builds bite upon bite. It lingers, and the consistency is nice, not too chunky or blended. The lime is very forward, and its acidity is higher than the others. It has several additives listed on the label.
Herdez Casera is really heavy on the tomato. Overall, it was decent and would work in a pinch. I do not particularly like the ingredient list of additives.
Texas Pete Salsa only lists one additive. It also lists pasilla peppers and apple cider vinegar, which sets it apart from the others. It has a little heat, that’s for sure, and the flavor is overall pleasant.
And the winner is… Mateo’s! The cumin was the ingredient that put it over the top. The cantina style was more blended, which was nice. Pace was the runner-up with its original picante. I have to mention, though, that after the testing, I combined the remaining Mateos and Pace, and the result was pretty wonderful.
