We Asked 7 Pro Chefs For Their Favorite Jarred Salsas

When a crispy, salty tortilla chip finds its way into a bowl of salsa, it's hard to argue that it's anything but a magically snackable moment. It's a mixture of flavor and texture that's hard to beat — that crunchy chip combined with the cool, deeply flavored salsa is the textbook definition of the perfect bite. In the simplest of terms, salsa is a spicy tomato sauce. But there's so much more nuance, so much more versatility in the category, that this definition just barely scratches the surface.

We as home cooks and food lovers alike may have our go-to brand or style of salsa that we buy from the grocery store, but what about professional chefs? They make food for a living, so are they going to their local grocery store or farmer's market to buy a jar of premade salsa, just like us? You bet they are.

We asked seven professional chefs for their favorite jarred salsas, and in true professional chef fashion, their picks are some of the best salsa options on store shelves and in refrigerator sections today. These salsas always meet the snackable moment, but they also happen to be fantastic for using in home recipes too, from scrambled eggs and roasted chicken to spicy quesadillas and even a few sweet desserts. You should always have a jar of salsa in the pantry, so check out what these chefs are snacking on and cooking with at home, get to your local grocery store, and start snacking like the pros do.

There's something to be said for any product that can get high praise from a chef while carrying the name of the store that makes it. When it comes to keeping store-bought salsa in the refrigerator at home, chef Andres Kaifer of Customshop and Marina's Tapas is reaching for a Whole Foods original: Mango Salsa. As a Miami native, Kaifer has always loved mango and mango salsa, and Whole Foods' version delivers just the right amount of subtle sweetness.

Whole Foods Mango Salsa is simple, but it combines a lot of fresh, exciting ingredients to create a deeply flavorful salsa, including tomatoes, pineapple juice, hatch green chiles, red bell peppers, habanero puree, smoked paprika, and, of course, mango and mango puree. In addition to enjoying this salsa on its own, Kaifer likes to use it to create a more innovative dip for chips. "Oftentimes, I'll combine salsa with sour cream, mayo, and crumbled cotija cheese to make a tasty dip. It's almost like combining a lot of the ingredients you would see on nachos, but into a dip, so each chip is like a mini nacho plate," he tells us.

"I'm usually not big on the whole jarred salsa scene, but this one's different," notes Gen Sato, chef at BANDIT Edit. He's talking about his preferred store-bought salsa of choice, which isn't really much of a salsa at all: Desert Pepper Trading Co. All Natural Spicy Black Bean Dip. The smoky, rich flavor is hard to stop eating after one bite, and the beans give it a wonderfully creamy texture that, for Sato, is "like salsa decided to put its fancy pants on."

Desert Pepper Trading Co. uses just a handful of ingredients — black beans, tomatoes, green bell peppers, and jalapeños are the main four — in its Spicy Black Bean Dip, but each one delivers intense flavor and spice for a memorable final product. In addition to enjoying it with a bag of tortilla chips and not much else, Sato likes to get creative with this spicy salsa and zhuzh up his standard afternoon snacks. "Toss this into a tortilla with a little jack cheese and bam, you've got yourself a quesadilla that hits all the right notes," he advises. "It's got that after-school snack nostalgia, but dressed up just enough to feel like an upgrade."

While Marisel Salazar, chef and author of "Latin-ish: More Than 100 Recipes Celebrating American Latino Cuisine," prefers to make her salsa macha at home, she can and will just as easily go to her local Whole Foods or Target and pick up a jar of SOMOS Foods Mexican Chili Crisp. Made in the style of salsa macha, SOMOS Foods Mexican Chili Crisp uses avocado oil, roasted sesame seeds, roasted pumpkin seeds, roasted sliced almonds, garlic, guajillo peppers, sea salt, and arbol peppers to create a spicy, crunchy, and deeply flavored condiment. Salazar describes it as nutty, crispy, and smoky, and nearly impossible to stop eating once she's started.

"This salsa comes from Mexico. There are some fruity and fun variations of this nut and oil-based salsa by region, some that include dried fruit like dried pineapple," notes Salazar. "It's not immediately what jumps to mind when you think of 'salsa,' which is largely seen as tomato-based, but definitely one that you should try to expand your condiment palate."

For a salsa with this much depth of flavor, there's really no limit to how it can be used in a home kitchen. Salazar recommends drizzling it over eggs, dipping thick, crusty bread in it, using it to top a creamy soup or polenta, adding it to a cheese quesadilla, spooning it over baked salmon or chicken, and much more. And for those with a sweet tooth, take note: a drizzle of this smoky salsa macha over creamy vanilla ice cream is a can't-miss treat.

For Derricka Clayton of Chef Derricka Culinary Concepts, salsa isn't just a dip to accompany chips. It's a way to add some "razzle-dazzle" to a dish, which is why her go-to jarred salsa is Herdez Salsa Verde. Herdez uses just a few ingredients to deliver on a seriously delicious salsa, including tomatillos, green chile peppers, onions, and cilantro. That's it. And the best part? It's available at major grocery stores such as Kroger and Whole Foods, as well as online.

"The flavor is perfectly balanced — tangy, slightly smoky, with just the right amount of heat," notes chef Clayton. "It tastes fresh, authentic, and vibrant, almost like homemade salsa, and it elevates any dish it touches."

Chef Clayton uses this salsa in a variety of recipes at home, from adding it to marinades for grilled chicken and shrimp to using it as a flavorful topping for scrambled eggs, tacos, or roasted veggies. One of her favorite ways to enjoy it? Mix it with sour cream or Greek yogurt for a creamy, flavorful topping for tacos, nachos, fish, or baked potatoes.

Like so many professional chefs, Ricardo Zarate of Hummingbird Ceviche House loves to make his own salsa at home. But, like so many professional chefs, he's not above buying a jar of salsa from the grocery store in a pinch, and when the mood strikes, he goes for Xilli Salsa Taquera. Made with charred tomatillos and toasted smoked chipotles, this salsa is described as a quintessential everyday "taco sauce," but it's pretty indispensable; Xilli's website notes that its Salsa Taquera is really meant for any of your favorite foods, Mexican or not.

"I enjoy the smokiness of the chilies and the tang of fire-roasted tomatillos," says chef Zarate. "You can add it to tacos, meats, or vegetables for a moderately spicy kick." In addition to the tomatillos and smoked chipotles, the salsa uses Xilli's mystery spice blend, which is made with dry chiles, herbs, and spices for a smoky and tangy sauce with a sufficient hit of spice.

Just like Marisel Salazar, chef Jesus Medina of the Four Seasons Beverly Hills loves a salsa macha as his go-to jarred salsa, and Xilli Salsa Macha is his jar of choice. Made with canola oil, chipotle morita, peanuts, and sea salt, Xilli Salsa Macha is incredibly simple, while being full of memorably nutty, smoky, and spicy flavor. Xilli's website describes it as "vigorous, fierce, and courageous" — a "macha for machos."

"As a chef and someone who was born and raised in Mexico, what I love about Xilli is how they honor tradition while still elevating it," says chef Medina. "Each of their products really captures the nostalgic flavors of Mexico's kitchens with authentic, hand-crafted salsas, moles, escabeches, and adobos made using fresh ingredients and time-honored techniques."

While this salsa macha would be the perfect companion to a bowl of freshly fried tortilla chips, there's more in store if you want to get creative. Chef Medina uses the salsa macha to create aiolis, mixing it with mayonnaise to add a smoky heat and depth to elevate a simple taco or tostada. He also uses it as a finishing sauce, drizzling it over hot quesadillas or enchiladas right before serving.

Not all salsas are created the same, and for George Duran, chef and author of "Take This Dish and Twist It," there's something to be said for a refrigerated salsa — a salsa that, in his words, "has actually seen a vegetable in its lifetime." To satiate his craving for salsa with an emphasis on freshness, he goes for Fresh Cravings Restaurant Style Salsa. Available in mild, medium, and hot, Fresh Cravings uses freshly cut vegetables, including tomato, onion, anaheim chili pepper, and jalapeño, along with cilantro, salt, and sugar to deliver a flavorful salsa with a chunky-but-not-too-chunky texture that was born to live on a chip.

"You can find Fresh Cravings salsa right where it belongs, chilling in the refrigerated produce section," says Duran. "That's your first clue it's the real deal. ... If your salsa is hanging out next to the ketchup and mustard, you've already lost."

In addition to enjoying it with tortilla chips, Duran likes to use Fresh Cravings Restaurant Style Salsa in a variety of home-cooked dishes. He's turning standard scrambled eggs into huevos rancheros. He's adding a few tablespoons of it on top of cooked salmon — or any protein, really — for a fresh hit of flavor without the added prep time.