Every Pace Salsa, Ranked

There are plenty of incredible salsa recipes to make, and they can enhance just about any dish. I usually make mine in the blender, but you could use a molcajete or even finely chop your ingredients for a thicker salsa. However, you might not have the equipment or those fresh ingredients on hand, and don't want to venture to the grocery store solely for them. That's when that jarred salsa tucked away in your pantry starts calling your name. 

There are plenty of reasons people lean toward premade salsas, and there are certainly plenty of salsa brands available for purchase. I decided to test all the salsas available on Pace's product page — a classic salsa brand I've tried many times over the decades — to see how the options stack up. I ranked them by flavor, texture, and versatility. To find the best, I wanted a flavorful salsa that wasn't too runny and could be used for various occasions. You might be interested in the results, particularly if you host often or like the convenience of jarred salsa. 

Some recommendations are based on firsthand impressions of promotional materials and products provided by the manufacturer.

I love restaurant salsa, but Pace's version of Restaurant Style Mild is far too watery. Typically, this happens because of the tomato content, but it can be from any number of the add-ins. After looking at the ingredients, I'd wager it's from the diced tomatoes in tomato juice, along with the crushed tomatoes, which contain water, plus additional water as a separate ingredient. Basically, there is a lot of juice and water in here, and all of these ingredients yield a watery salsa. 

This salsa is more like a chunky juice than a salsa. It has meaty pieces of tomato and onion, sure, but the liquid is far too noticeable. The flavor is fine, but it tastes a bit sweet and tomatoey, kind of like ketchup. The jalapeño is minimal, as one would expect from a mild salsa; it's not a major issue, but it contributes to the lackluster taste. It could find some success if you blended it in a blender or with an immersion blender to make more of a puree. Ultimately, this just can't compete next to the rest of Pace's lineup.

The Restaurant Style Original salsa has the same textural issues as the mild version, which keeps it toward the bottom of the ranking. However, this time around, the salsa has a bit more of a kick, making it more flavorful and enticing to eat. It's labeled as a medium salsa, and that sounds about right based on taste. It's still mellow enough that even heat-averse people can handle it. And yet, it has a subtle hint of spice from jalapeño and chili pepper extract; the latter is an interesting addition. Additionally, the sweetness isn't as noticeable with a better balance of heat.

I'd say this is just a tad more compelling and flavorful to boost its ranking, but it's still too liquidy for me to enjoy. I can get pieces of the chunky tomato when I scoop with a chip, but the liquid just pours (not drips) off. It may be better suited to add on top of over-easy eggs or something that's already a bit messy and runny. 

If you like sheer heat, the Ghost Pepper Habanero salsa might be a good option. It is part of the Trailblazer line, which appears to offer more unique flavors. This option delivers an intense level of spice that lingers on the taste buds well after consumption. It's flavorful when paired with chips or other foods, since you can taste both the food and the tomato and chiles ... at first. But after a couple of bites, I notice it stays on the tongue and quickly builds heat as I eat more. It features extracts of ghost chili and habanero, along with cayenne and jalapeño for a multidimensional spice level. There's some salt, but I feel like you could still use a bit more. 

The heat is the dominant element, so the spice stays on the tongue, and then you get tomato notes. But other than that, the rest of the ingredients fall to the wayside. I feel like its intensity means you can stretch it if you want to add heat to beans or maybe to some chili; that way, the jar may last longer because you can enjoy it in smaller quantities. The texture is better as well and less liquid than the previous two. I wouldn't reach for this as often as other flavors, and I think a couple of other spicy options taste more interesting.

No, the Chunky Mild definitely doesn't have the most interesting flavors, but it has a great foundation. It has tomato (crushed and diced) and onion as the base with visible, somewhat large pieces of produce. You can clearly notice the chunkiness of the salsa, a stark contrast to the watery previous ones. I think that the Chunky Mild variety is the most versatile yet, thanks to its gentle, approachable tomato flavor and thicker consistency. 

You can pour it onto a fried egg or add it as a burger topping in place of a regular sliced tomato. It still has moisture, but it's nowhere near as runny. I really enjoy the thickness that makes it seem like it'll stick to your food or chip better. There is a light, natural sweetness, but the tomato's umami note, the vinegar's acidity, and the onion's slight sharpness work well together. I think all the chunky varieties (I tried three) have a buildable foundation that works with any number of dishes, but the mild has the most tepid base for adding anything you want. For example, you could add flavor to store-bought salsa with diced pineapple or chiles, or freshen it up with cilantro.

I think salt is a vital part of salsa, adding a layer of dimension that elevates it beyond merely chopped-up tomatoes. Still, I appreciate products like Chunky Lower Sodium. For example, the Chunky Mild salsa has 230 milligrams of sodium per serving, compared to 150 milligrams in the Chunky Lower Sodium Medium. It's not an enormous difference, but it can matter for those who want to keep an eye on their sodium intake, or perhaps for those planning to incorporate it into salted foods. 

The flavor of the base is much the same as the previous one, with an emphasis on tomato and vinegar, and a natural hint of sweetness. It's a hair spicier since it's a medium salsa option, which gives it a lead in the ranking. It's not that I can taste the lack of salt itself, but it merely seems like I can taste the other ingredients more. In that regard, it feels quite buildable, and the chunkiness also comes to its advantage. I might pick up the Chunky Lower Sodium over the Chunky Mild just because of all the ways I can use it or jazz it up.

The Balsamic Strawberry Jalapeño salsa is a fruity-forward Trailblazer option with an incredibly delicious taste. It really delivers on all aspects of its name, and it's the most flavorful and memorable out of anything else I've mentioned. The strawberry has the strongest flavor, and its aroma is noticeable as soon as I open the jar. The salsa has strawberry puree, strawberry juice concentrate, and natural flavors to deliver on its berry aspect. Balsamic comes in the form of white balsamic, which is a mix of wine vinegar, grape juice concentrate, and natural flavorings; it delivers a multidimensional sweet, tangy flavor that also contributes to the fruit taste. It is noticeably sweet, with 3 total grams of sugar (2 added grams) per serving (keep this in mind as I'll mention sugar content again in another salsa).

The strawberry gives way to tomato and the tangy-sweet notes of balsamic. I think it's rich and complex. I also like the texture — it's like a halfway point between the two main textures I've discussed. It's not as watery, but the tomato pieces are much smaller, resulting in a thicker but not chunky texture. This would be good in a fresh tomato and strawberry salad to further enrich the flavors and textures, but it makes for a fun chip-and-dip combo.

It definitely offers the most intrigue of anything thus far, earning it a mid-tier fifth place. However, it's that same depth of flavor that holds it back. I don't see myself or many customers using this as their go-to salsa flavor; it's more for special dishes or moments when you want to mix up the flavor from a basic tomato-centric dip.

My mother-in-law often uses chile de árbol in her cooking, so I was intrigued to see how Pace incorporated it into the salsa. It usually stands out because it has a slightly earthier, deeper, smokier flavor than jalapeño. The Restaurant Style Chile De Árbol salsa delivers on that complex note; it has a more unique, stand-out flavor than the others I've mentioned. The texture is better incorporated than in the other runny Restaurant Style varieties, thankfully. So, it has a lot going for it, which gives it a pretty high spot in the ranking. 

I'd like a little more smokiness and perhaps a touch of salt, but overall it's a great salsa. I'd suggest buying it when you want something different than plain ol' jalapeño-infused varieties. This forgoes jalapeño altogether and uses only dried chiles de árbol, some spice, and smoked paprika to give it a well-rounded flavor. It still tastes like tomato and vinegar salsa, but the spices and heat make it considerably more flavorful. This would be perfect served atop nachos, but it tastes fantastic with tortilla chips alone. I'd even say it lives up to the Restaurant Style name and seems like something I'd get from a local joint (I live in San Diego with Mexican restaurants aplenty). The next three salsas, though, are more versatile and have a flavorful foundation that makes them better choices for the average consumer.

Alright, we're getting somewhere. The Chunky Hot salsa is perfect for those who like a bit of spice in their lives. It's the hottest of the Chunky varieties, so some might find it more limiting than the less spicy versions. That heat level keeps it from ranking higher, but the more buildable tomato base makes it rank higher than the Restaurant Style Chile De Árbol. 

The chunkiness is appealing, too, since the large pieces stick nicely to a chip. You can scoop up whole pieces of tomato and onion, along with much smaller pieces of green jalapeño. I prefer the thickness and heat level, so I found myself choosing it over the Chile De Árbol, which was good but seemed to need a touch of salt or a squeeze of lime to liven it up. That said, if you don't like the sheer chunkiness of the ingredients, you can quickly mash them up with a fork or something so they're better incorporated. The lowest-ranking salsas have more water; the Chunky Hot only has water in the crushed tomatoes. I really enjoyed this salsa, but would likely buy the next one more frequently.

I can't really say much about the Chunky Medium salsa other than what I've already said about the Hot version. This time around, it's simply not as spicy. As its name implies, it's the middle heat level, so it doesn't read as tomato sauce-like as a mild version. It has an approachable tomato, onion, vinegar base with a whiff of jalapeño that keeps it from being boring. The chunkiness is buildable if you want to leave it as is or blend it further. It hits the qualities I was looking for and is ideal for serving guests; there's some piquancy to make it interesting, and I can taste a lick of heat on the tongue. 

But I can appreciate that it's not so intense that you need to wash it down with a cup of ice water. This is ideal to serve along with other vegan appetizers for a sports-watching party since it's so easy to eat; pair it with guacamole, chips, or even gluten-free garlic and herb crackers. Not to mention, it works well in dishes like seven-layer dip, where you need a bunch of ingredients to work together without overpowering each other. If you prefer a mellower flavor, go with my No. 2 and 3 picks, but if you like something that brings whimsy and dimension, you should buy my top-dog salsa.

While the Chunky Medium salsa has a good baseline flavor, its versatility further elevates its ranking to second place. However, Hot Honey Habanero – the final option in the Trailblazer lineup — has craveability on its side. It's delicious and intriguing to start. I tried it and then ate it again, letting the flavors swirl on the tongue as I attempted to comprehend its tasting notes. It has familiar favorites of tomato, vinegar, and onions. But then we see some new shining stars: honey and red peppers make their debut, but it also has habanero peppers and natural flavorings. The honey brings a complex sweetness that's more well-rounded than it might be if Pace merely added sugar.

It's slightly sweet, which is a major part of the flavor dimension. But luckily, it's not exceedingly sugary. For reference, it has 2 grams of total sugar (1 gram of added sugar from the honey) per 2-tablespoon serving, compared to the Chunky Medium's 1 gram of total sugar (no added sugar). It has a honeyed touch, but it's not quite as sweet as the Trailblazer Balsamic Strawberry Jalapeño, either.

The addition of habanero is more intense and obvious than the jalapeño salsas, so it seems an appropriate match for the honey. It's equal parts heat and sweet, but after swallowing, the heat stays on the tongue, and I can catch more of the tomato and onion. I like the taste, chunkiness, and versatility that give it the edge among all the Pace salsas. You can't go wrong with the Trailblazer Hot Honey Habanero in your pantry.

I went to multiple stores — Albertsons, Target, and Food 4 Less — to find all these Pace salsa options, since no single store carried every variety. One option was out of stock and not available near me, so I received it as a promotional sample. I tried all the salsas on the same day, one after another; I ate them both on their own and with blue corn tortilla chips to create my ranking. Flavor and texture were both equally important. Typically, texture is a secondary factor in many of my taste tests, but it was clear that certain consistencies made for a more enjoyable salsa. I mention sugar and sodium only where relevant to the context of the ranking to explain its flavor profile.

The best salsas had a thicker consistency, were rich in tomato flavors, and had a touch of salt and a kick of spice. I also factored in versatility and how frequently someone could or would use a certain flavor. Lower-ranking salsas were far too runny or had overpowering or underwhelming flavors. I have a lot of experience making salsa, having learned from my mother-in-law. So, I use my knowledge in some of my review insights. Ultimately, I think this ranking will vary person to person based on how thick or spicy you like your salsa. No matter which one you get, make sure to reuse the salsa jars; they work well on a bar cart.