I Tried 8 Different Store-Bought Jarred Salsa Brands, and This One is the Best

It’s a crowd-pleaser. It’s a game-day favorite. It’s both a dip and a condiment. Perhaps the most universally loved food, salsa — particularly the jarred kind — comes in all different flavors with a variety of different ingredients. While homemade salsa will always be the best, sometimes grabbing a jar at the store is the only or better option.

We stopped by our local Publix grocery store and perusing all of the different jarred salsa options, it was easy to get overwhelmed. Restaurant-style, chunky, mild, medium, ghost (!), all-natural, gluten-free … you get the picture. It got us thinking, though. All things being equal — plain-old mild salsa — which of the jarred store-bought options is the best?

Allow me to share a short disclaimer: I realize that salsa preference — as with most foods — is completely personal to the person eating it. For example, my husband took a blind taste test, and his No. 1 was my No. 6. But since I’m the one writing the article, my preference wins.

So here we go. I picked up eight of the most commonly found jarred salsa options (at least where we live) and put them to the test. Each jar was 16 ounces and “mild” flavor. Here’s what rose to the top.

8. Chi-Chi’s

• $3.39
• First ingredient: Tomatoes in tomato juice (contains citric acid to acidify)

If you’re looking to “Let the fiesta begin!”, then Chi-Chi’s claims to be your best bet. However, this one ranks last on our list. It’s indeed chunky, but also incredibly watery (it’s the third ingredient on the list), which makes us wonder if that’s how they keep the price down (it’s the cheapest option on our list). It also tastes mass-produced and oddly sweet. While it wouldn’t be the first one we grab, it could do in a pinch.

7. Muir Glen Organic

• $6.09
• All-organic
• Gluten-free
• First ingredient: Organic tomato puree (organic tomato paste, water)

While Muir Glen gets bonus points for the purity of its ingredients, we found the flavors to be somewhat watered down and bland. The ingredient list confirms it’s all organic, so at the very least you can feel good about what you’re putting in your body. And while chunky, it’s still able to be transported by restaurant-style chips.

6. On the Border

• $3.99
• Gluten-free
• First ingredient: Tomatoes

Full disclaimer: On the Border was my husband’s top pick. I wasn’t as enamored. While it has a short and easy-to-read ingredient list, one of those ingredients is sugar, and that came through in the taste. It was all pretty heavy on the smoky flavor, of which I’m not a huge fan. Bonus points, however, for consistency. It was less chunky and more restaurant-style, which made transporting on a chip a smooth experience.

5. Green Mountain Gringo

• $5.99
• All-natural
• Gluten-free
• First ingredient: Tomatoes

We like the fact that Green Mountain Gringo incorporates some more unusual ingredients into their salsa – pasilla peppers and tomatillos, for example. In terms of quality, it’s there. This one is more a matter of personal taste. I found it to taste almost like gazpacho or tomato juice. It has great texture though, and it plays well with tortilla chips.

4. Newman’s Own

• $3.49
• Gluten-free
• First ingredient: Diced tomatoes in tomato juice

Right out of the gate, Newman’s Own gets love for its mission: “Let’s give it all away. 100% profits to help kids.” It also has a pretty clean list of ingredients. That said, I found it has a sweet flavor, which is odd given there’s no sugar. While it says it’s chunky, I found it to be smooth, more like restaurant-style salsa. Chips can handle this salsa nicely.

3. Tostito’s

• $3.91
• First ingredient: Tomato puree (water, tomato paste)

Another full disclosure: Tostito’s salsa is sort of like my love for Totino’s pizza . It reminds me of my childhood when it would be served at family gathering with some fresh avocado mixed in and topped with shredded cheddar. SO good! The reason it didn’t take the gold is because of it’s ingredients, which are somewhat dicey and salt-filled. It’s super chunky, too, which can lead to some breakage if you’re chips are too thin. Go with thicker tortilla chips or even Frito’s Scoops for this level of chunky.

2. Ousley Ouch

• $5.49
• All-natural
• Gluten-free
• First ingredient: Tomatoes (tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato puree, salt, citric acid, calcium chloride)

Ousley is known for its bold flavors that put the Ouch in the name. Ghost is the hottest, which I wouldn’t dare try. And since we’re playing on an even playing field, we went the complete opposite direction with the mild. And yet! It still had a bit of a bite. It’s flavors taste fresh, not too smoky or sweet. The texture, too, was pretty close to perfection.

1. Mateo’s

• $5.49
• All-natural
• Gluten-free
• First ingredient: Tomatoes

They call it right out of the gate with their motto: “Not responsible for obsession.” And while I don’t consider myself obsessed (yet), as a first-time Mateo’s taster, I was definitely interested in going on a second date. Its texture is thin but not watery, and works well with any tortilla chip. They call it gourmet, and they back it up with the flavor. A clean and easy-to-comprehend ingredient list makes it a solid gold prize-winner in my book.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©MomsWhoThink / Ashley Haugen.

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