The Worst Store-Bought Salsa Comes From A Brand People Love

Store-bought salsa can be surprisingly good, but, unfortunately, Trader Joe's Salsa Autentica isn't. In The Takeout's official ranking of 15 different store-bought salsas from worst to best, it landed dead last. And sadly, reviewers across the internet agree. Shopping With Dave dismissed it as "thin and bland," while several Reddit threads echoed that this particular salsa misses the mark in a whole variety of ways. Despite its promising name, Salsa Autentica offers little in the way of texture, flavor, or frankly, authenticity. It's thin enough to pour, but not in a good way. This salsa slides off chips like tomato juice, with no chunk, no cling, and almost no interest. Sure, perhaps you may come across the occasional lonely fleck of onion, but that will only make your eyes teary with regret. Worse, it doesn't even taste like salsa. 

The tomato-forward flavor profile leans more arrabbiata than anything remotely Mexican and the heat is generic and one-note. The kind that lingers for no reason, it offers burn without any real chili-driven character. Still, a few fans defended it; one Redditor loved it so much they admitted to eating Salsa Autentica straight from the jar, while a Trader Joe's review blog found it "bright and tangy," and Tasting Table reckons it works well as a quick base for tortilla soup. If you want something that delivers on its promise, consider making your own; this simple recipe allows you to make delicious salsa with whatever ingredients you happen to have on hand. As for diehard Trader Joe's snack fans, know this: You deserve better.

Fortunately, not all hope is lost when we walk down the salsa aisle. At the top of The Takeout's 15-salsa showdown sits a very different jar: Frontera Red Tomato Salsa with roasted tomatoes and garlic. It landed the top spot for good reason, too. Where Trader Joe's Salsa Autentica flounders in watery blandness, Frontera's version builds serious depth with char, spice, and balanced acidity — it tastes like someone fire-roasted real tomatoes and blended them with care. The consistency hits that ideal midpoint, too; thick enough to scoop, loose enough to drizzle, with a texture that suggests you're not that far off from a restaurant bowl.

The difference comes down to intention. Great jarred salsas prioritize flavor over shelf life, texture over pourability, and real chili identity over generic heat. Whether you're shopping for an easy upgrade to tacos or looking to impress at your next party, the best salsas strike that balance between bold and versatile. If you're unsure how to decode the options, knowing the difference between pico de gallo and salsa helps, as does knowing that not all red salsas are created equal. Bottom line: The top-ranking jars make it easy to skip homemade while the bottom ones, like Salsa Autentica, remind you why you shouldn't bother.