Grocery Store Salsa Verde, Ranked From Worst To Best

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Salsa verde is the daring yet often overlooked rendition of its well-loved fiery red sibling — but which brand does it best? Full disclaimer: I'm newer to the world of salsa verde, and though I've tried it before (I'm talkin' those expensive little Taco Bell Salsa Verde packets here), I had yet to experience the full gamut of all this olive-hued dip had to offer. I'm proud to say that I am now a believer in how truly delicious a good salsa verde can be, but if there's one thing I learned during my taste-testing journey, it's that no two store-bought salsa verde options are alike.

In this post, I'm revealing my true and honest thoughts on which grocery store salsa verde options are best (and worst) and why. I'm covering everything from taste to texture and levels of spiciness to ensure that you know what you're getting into before you spend your hard-earned dollar on your next jar of salsa. So, if you're ready, let's heat things up with my take on grocery store salsa verde ranked worst to best.

Chi-Chi's Mild Salsa Verde has a taste and texture I won't ever forget — and not in a good way. I found Chi-Chi's Mild Salsa Verde at Walmart for $2.28 per 16-ounce jar at the time of publication. Every 2 tablespoons contains 5 calories, along with 0 grams of fat, 230 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of added sugar. Unlike most options on this list, Chi-Chi's Mild Salsa Verde contains high fructose corn syrup, which is known to increase the risk for obesity, fatty liver disease, and diabetes. Being the ingredient minimalist that I am, I found the addition of this sweetener annoying, to say the least, and it didn't do anything to improve the taste of the salsa.

Aside from the use of high fructose corn syrup, I was repulsed by Chi-Chi's Mild Salsa Verde for several reasons. The texture was extremely gloopy — in person, it looked more like a tomatillo purée than a traditional salsa. I took a chip and dipped it in, hoping its flavor would be better than its appearance. Unfortunately, the taste of the salsa made me gag –- its flavor was extremely flat and tasted like nothing more than a watered-down version of a traditional red salsa. Thus, Chi-Chi's Mild Salsa Verde is easily one of the worst salsa verde picks of the bunch.

Ummm — ew? Frontera Tomatillo Medium Salsa is priced at $3.88 per 16-ounce jar at my local Walmart. It contains 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 150 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrate, and less than 1 gram of added sugar per 2 tablespoons. Though there's hardly any sugar in this option, it's worth mentioning that Frontera Tomatillo Medium Salsa is one of the only brands that include sugar in its recipe at all –- an ingredient I think could've been left out, since it didn't seem to help its flavor.

Frontera Tomatillo Medium Salsa is honestly an awful salsa verde pick. First and foremost, the consistency is literally like water — I had sampled a few soupier salsa verde options up to this point, but this particular brand took the cake (or, soup?). On top of that, the salsa was quite bitter despite being one of the few brands that contained added sugar.

As far as heat goes, Frontera Tomatillo Medium Salsa was only slightly spicy, which is to be expected for a medium-heat salsa like this one. Overall, I'd recommend that anyone looking for a thick, rich, and robust salsa avoid this salsa verde grab — its flavor isn't well-balanced, and its liquid-like texture makes it far from enjoyable.

Like the previously mentioned salsa verde brands, Goya Medium Salsa Verde is nothing to write home about. It comes in a generously sized jar at 17.6 ounces and is sold for $4.29 at my neighborhood Pick 'n Save. Per every 2 tablespoons, expect it to contain 5 calories, 0 grams of fat, 170 milligrams of sodium, 1 gram of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of added sugar. Goya Medium Salsa Verde contains modified corn starch, which isn't a common ingredient in most of the other brands — if that bothers you, you may wish to steer clear of this salsa verde pick.

What disappoints me most about Goya Medium Salsa Verde is its flavor — there's almost no taste whatsoever. The only thing my taste buds can detect is a slight amount of heat. Speaking of heat, Goya Medium Salsa Verde is medium in the true sense — it isn't hot per se, but it is a little spicier than some of the other salsa verde brands on the list. As for the texture, expect a smooth yet watery consistency with little to no chunks of tomatillos.

With all things considered, Goya Medium Salsa Verde is a pass for me. With its startling lack of flavor, I don't see any reason to make your next go-to for chip dip.

HERDEZ Medium Roasted Salsa Verde is an okay pick, but isn't the best. It comes in a 15.7-ounce glass jar and goes for around $3.32 at Walmart. A 2 tablespoon serving of this salsa verde contains 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 240 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of added sugar.

Upon opening HERDEZ Medium Roasted Salsa Verde, the first thing I noticed was its colorfully speckled hue. The salsa was a lively shade of olive green with flecks of red and black strewn throughout. I poured a little into a ramekin and observed its texture — though not necessarily soupy, this salsa verde had a gelatinous texture (presumably from the xanthan gum used in many foods, including several salsas on this list) that admittedly made me a bit queasy.

After going in for a bite of HERDEZ Medium Roasted Salsa Verde, I was met with a mouthful of very potent flavor, and not in the most pleasing way. It goes hard in terms of onion-y flavor, something which I felt was a little off-putting (and I love onions). The tomatillos were also front and center, which may be a bonus to people who can't get enough of their flavor. As for spice, this salsa verde packs more heat than a few of the others but still isn't anything I'd label as seriously spicy. All in all, I felt this salsa was a little too bold for my liking.

Good & Gather Mild Salsa Verde is another thin and soupy grab and, unfortunately, is middle-of-the-road in terms of flavor. You can find it at Target for around $2.99 for a 16-ounce jar at the time of publication, and it contains 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 160 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of added sugar (though sugar is still a part of the ingredients) per 2 tablespoons.

I'm in the middle when it comes to Good & Gather Salsa Verde, as is usually the case with many grocery items I sample from Target's 2019-released Good and Gather line. The texture here is remarkably thin, making for yet another watered-down experience. Even so, there's a decent amount of flavor (though admittedly not much) and no overly robust flavors to deal with. Good & Gather Salsa Verde is just kind of there. It has a hint of spice that I really enjoy, but overall, the taste pales in comparison to some of the other higher-rated salsa verdes on the list.

On the plus side, Good & Gather Salsa Verde is my go-to when it comes to a good salsa verde option for kids. Out of the bunch, this is the one with the least amount of heat that still has a pleasant flavor to keep my kids happy. So, if you're looking for something tame for kiddos or sensitive palates, this Target-branded salsa verde is the way to go.

As usual, Walmart's Great Value brand provides shoppers with, well, "great value" when it comes to its version of salsa verde. Great Value Medium Salsa Verde costs $2.64 per 16 ounces and has 10 calories per every 2 tablespoons of salsa, along with 0 grams of fat, 200 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 added sugar.

As mentioned, Great Value Medium Salsa Verde is worth the buy, especially if you're in the market for a tasty salsa at an affordable price. With its well-minced ingredients, this salsa verde has a texture that's hearty and thick. It's very flavorful, striking the perfect balance between bright citrus and deliciously earthy tomatillo savor. And while Great Value Medium Salsa Verde isn't super spicy, its medium-heat classification is fitting — this salsa packs a subtle kick that isn't too overpowering, which adds a nice touch to its already flavorful backdrop. Overall, I'd definitely recommend Great Value Medium Salsa Verde as a wonderful budget buy, especially if you prefer bright, citrusy salsa verde flavors over bold and earthy ones like I do.

Eh – LaVictoria Thick and Chunky Medium Salsa Verde is okay, I guess. I spotted this salsa verde at my local Pick 'n Save for $4.29 per 15.5-ounce jar. Each 2 tablespoon serving comes with 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 180 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of added sugar.

One thing I loved about this salsa was its texture — LaVictoria Thick and Chunky Medium Salsa Verde is truly thick and chunky as advertised. I could clearly see well-defined tomatillo pieces within the dip, and its overall consistency was far from soupy. Having said that, I found this salsa verde to be lacking in flavor — while I could definitely taste the tomatillos, there wasn't much else. There were no fun spices to savor or anything that would make this salsa remotely interesting. And though this salsa is truly medium in terms of heat, LaVictoria Thick and Chunky Medium Salsa Verde also has a watery flavor to it that I didn't notice with some of the higher-ranking salsa verde grabs. As such, though promising, LaVictoria Thick and Chunky Medium Salsa Verde proved more disappointing than I thought it would be.

While Kroger Mild Tomatillo Salsa Verde didn't quite cause me to gag, it still isn't the best salsa verde pick out there. The salsa can be found at some Kroger-owned stores, and I picked mine up at Pick n Save for $2.99 for a 16-ounce jar. Its ingredients looked minimal, with no high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, or other unusual additions lurking in the ingredients list. Per every 2 tablespoons, there are 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 160 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of added sugar.

As mentioned, Kroger Mild Tomatillo Salsa Verde is a subpar option that you probably won't find in my grocery cart again. Its consistency is similar to pickle relish, and it is one of the thicker salsa verde selections thus far. Despite its heartier texture, one thing I didn't love about Kroger Mild Tomatillo Salsa Verde was its barely-there taste. I could detect only a faint touch of Mexican spice, but even that was easily washed out by the salty flavor of store-bought tortilla chips. There was no heat or anything that stood to make this store-branded dip interesting. Thus, though a thicker salsa verde option, Kroger Mild Tomatillo Salsa Verde still manages to earn itself a lower rank on my list.

Casa Martinez Gourmet Medium Salsa Verde might have a higher price tag, but to me it's worth it. I found this salsa at Pick 'n Save, priced at $5.29 for a 16-ounce jar. It comes with 12 calories, 0.1 grams of fat, 172 milligrams of sodium, 2.4 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 added sugar per every 2 tablespoons. Other than the addition of cornstarch, Casa Martinez Gourmet Salsa Verde comes with minimal ingredients and does not include xanthan gum. It advertises itself as "gourmet" and "authentic" Mexican salsa, so needless to say I went in with high expectations.

Casa Martinez Gourmet Salsa Verde didn't disappoint. In fact, this was one of the many salsa verde options in my fridge that I kept returning to. It strikes a nice balance of flavor with tomatillo front and center supported by a medley of other delightful tastes like garlic and onion. Regarding heat, Casa Martinez Gourmet Salsa Verde is hot enough to bother my 5-year-old, but it isn't anything I think most adults would complain about. The texture is nice and smooth but not soupy. Overall, this is one of my top picks — if you want a "safe" salsa verde option that isn't too in-your-face but still high-quality, I highly suggest reaching for a jar of Casa Martinez Gourmet Salsa Verde.

Cholula Mild Salsa Verde is a strong contender in the world of green salsa, but you'll need to enjoy potent and earthy flavors to dig this one. Cholula Mild Salsa Verde can be found on Amazon or at Walmart for $3.28 for a 12-ounce jar. It contains 10 calories, 0 grams of fat, 260 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of added sugar per 2 tablespoons.

I won't lie — Cholula Mild Salsa Verde threw me off at first. Because I'm accustomed to traditional red salsa varieties (I'm a sucker for homemade red salsa), it can sometimes take a second for my taste buds to acclimate to the very distinct, albeit still delicious, tomatillo flavor of salsa verde. Nevertheless, I came to appreciate Cholula Mild Salsa Verde, especially when compared to other brands on the list. Its flavor, though strong, was so much more authentic than many of the others. Its well-balanced yet complex profile is quite tasty despite its boldness. Those who love tomatillo-forward flavor will likely fall head-over-heels for this one, especially those who love earthier notes. There's even a citrusy "lift" at the end that I found quite pleasing.

Overall, I think this is one of the best salsa verde options out there. Just be aware that Cholula packs more heat than most despite its "mild" designation, but considering the brand is also home to one of the tasty hot sauces found at Firehouse Subs, that shouldn't come as a surprise.

Late July Snacks Medium Salsa Verde might not please everyone's palate, but for me, it hits all the right notes. I found this salsa at Walmart priced at $4.84 for a 15.5-ounce jar. It contains 10 calories per 2 tablespoons, along with 0 grams of fat, 200 milligrams of sodium, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of added sugar. This product is non-GMO and though it isn't organic, it features quite a few organic ingredients, including organic garlic and vinegar.

I was super pleased with Late July Snacks Medium Salsa Verde's overall look, taste, and texture. It was well-minced with no strange mystery pieces floating in it. It also had a nice and thick texture, which is how I feel a high-quality salsa should be. When it comes to flavor, Late July Snacks Medium Salsa Verde gets it right. Its bright and citrusy flair combines harmoniously with the flavor of fresh garlic and onion, all of which are beautifully accented by the taste of fresh tomatillos. Is it the most potent tomatillo-forward salsa on the list? No — but I like that. This brand effectively delivers a universally delicious taste that I believe almost everyone will enjoy. And while I recommend Cholua as the best pick for those looking for potency, Late July is my go-to for bright and fresh salsa verde flavor — I'd definitely purchase this again.

Grocery store salsa verde brands were ranked from worst to best mainly on the basis of texture and flavor. While other components, like pricing and ingredients, were also mentioned, they played very little role in how a salsa was ultimately ranked.

Please note that I prefer light, bright, and citrusy notes in salsa verde, so earthier-flavored salsas weren't my prime choice. Even so, I did my best to remain as fair as possible in an effort to give you the most accurate depiction of each salsa as I could. As always, pricing and availability are subject to change.