12 Store-Bought Salsas With the Highest Quality Ingredients
Salsa is the perfect snack. Not only does it pair well with chips and guac, but it's also oftentimes relatively low in calories and made with real vegetables. However, finding a super healthy salsa that has high-quality ingredients can sometimes be tricky.
Surprisingly, many store-bought varieties rely on natural flavors for their zing as opposed to fresh ingredients like fire-roasted tomatoes, jalapenos, or cilantro. For example, brands like Tostitos and Pace add natural flavoring to their chunky salsas.
Other brands are loaded with sodium and can contain upwards of 250 milligrams of sodium per two-tablespoon serving. With a daily recommended limit of 2,300 milligrams of sodium, the fact that you're hitting 11% of your daily max in two small tablespoons is concerning.
Lastly, it's important to be aware of low-quality ingredients and additives when shopping for store-bought salsa, like the refined soybean oil in Goya's Pico de Gallo Salsa, unnecessary firming agents like calcium chloride or xanthan gum in La Victoria Thick'n Chunky Salsa Verde, and synthetic preservatives like sodium benzoate found in CHI-CHI'S Restaurant Style Salsa Mild.
So, if you're looking for a healthy salsa you can pick up at the store tonight, here are the best store-bought salsas made with the highest quality ingredients. Read on, and for more healthy grocery shopping tips, check out the 50 Healthiest Weight Loss Snacks on Grocery Shelves.
Ithaca Salsa
Ithaca Hummus is unsurprisingly best known for its hummus, but its salsa is a deliciously healthy option made with very simple ingredients. When dipping into Ithaca's salsa, you'll only be consuming natural ingredients like tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, jalapeños, cilantro, and salt.
Siete Salsa Cremosa
There are only seven ingredients in this authentic, taquería-style salsa from Siete—a Mexican-American family-run company—with the first one being jalapenos. Most brands use highly refined oils like canola or sunflower oil, but Siete uses high-quality olive oil in their Salsa Cremosa, which lends a creaminess to this spicy condiment that's unmatched.
Tenayo Chunky Salsa
Chunky salsa is a must for some people, and this one from Tenayo does not disappoint. The brand's founder, Arturo Cruz, hails from El Tenayo, Mexico, and the salsas are made in New York. This chunky salsa has just 6 ingredients: tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro, jalapeños, and salt. Plus, this salsa is non-GMO, preservative-free, gluten-free, and has zero added sugar. One 2-tablespoon serving has 15 calories and just 1 gram of sugar.
Amy's Kitchen Medium Salsa
Amy's Salsa may have an extremely short ingredient list (only nine items), but it doesn't skimp on flavor. You can dip your favorite tortilla chips in this jar and rest assured that you're enjoying a healthy, vegetable-rich snack with only one gram of sugar and zero preservatives.
Good & Gather Organic Mild Salsa
If Target is your go-to place for snacks, you can pick up a jar of their Good & Gather Mild Salsa and enjoy a tasty, low-calorie complement to your favorite chips or vegetables. At 220 milligrams of sodium, this salsa has one of the highest amounts compared to the other store-bought salsas on our list, so keep an eye out and watch your portion sizes.
Mi Rancho Organic Chipotle Salsa
If you love chipotle flavor, this store-bought salsa is packed with smokey barbacoa flavoring. It's slightly spicy and features all organic ingredients, including organic tomatoes, organic chipotle peppers, and organic red peppers. One 2-tablespoon serving has 10 calories and just 1 gram of sugar. Plus, it's a family-owned business.
Green Mountain Gringo Mild Salsa
This mild salsa is a classic. It features apple cider vinegar and lots of fresh veggies, including ripe tomatoes, onions, and tomatillos, plus a variety of peppers (jalapeños, pasillas, and serranos). There are also a menagerie of spices and herbs, including cilantro, parsley, cumin, fresh garlic, and sea salt. One 2-tablespoon serving has 10 calories and just 1 gram of sugar.
Mateo's Gourmet Medium Salsa
If you like medium heat, this Texas-born salsa is perfect for you. It's the brand's original salsa and gets its flavor from tomatoes, jalapeños, garlic, cilantro, and spices, while the red wine vinegar and lemon juice add the acid for a balanced and refreshing flavor. One 2-tablespoon serving has 10 calories and just 1 gram of sugar.
Jalapa Jar Austin Blend Hot Salsa
This salsa was created as an ode to the founders' culinary roots in Austin, Texas. Spicy lovers will fawn over this hot salsa. It gets tanginess from red wine vinegar and lime juice, and spice from jalapeños–which is balanced by tomatoes, red bell peppers, red onions, cilantro, garlic, and lots of spices. One 2-tablespoon serving has 10 calories and just 1 gram of sugar.
Aplenty Five Pepper Salsa Verde
Green salsa (aka salsa verde) is very versatile, and this one stands out thanks to the many peppers in it. It's made of tomatillos, plus 5 different peppers: roasted green tomatoes, habaneros, roasted jalapeños, and red & green chili peppers. Plus, it has no artificial flavors, synthetic colors, or high fructose corn syrup. One 2-tablespoon serving has 10 calories and just 1 gram of sugar.
Nature's Promise Organic Salsa
Another great option for those wanting a simple (yet flavorful) salsa, Nature's Promise Organic Salsa delivers a ton of flavor with zero grams of sugar and all-natural ingredients.
365 Organic Thick & Chunky Mild Salsa
Grabbing a jar of Whole Foods' 365 Organic Mild Salsa will give you a bold snack without any artificial preservatives. Their ingredients list is fairly long, but it's full of only vegetables, spices, and vinegar as a natural preservative. For only 10 calories per two-tablespoon serving and less than one gram of sugar, this salsa delivers on taste and health at the same time.
A previous version of this story was published on September 26, 2022. It has been updated to include additional copy and proofreading revisions, as well as updated contextual links.
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