# Is there a nationally distributed salsa that ISN'T "thick and chunky"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 17, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787 "2014-08-17T22:50:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/1 "2014-08-17T22:50:15Z")
I love chops and salsa, and have it for dinner quite often. However, the problem is that I don’t like the chunks of crap that are in it. I don’t like pieces of tomato, or pepper, or onion, or anything…I just want salsa. Because of this I have a hard time finding good salsa to buy because everything is advertised as “thick and chunky” and I don’t want it that way. Is there a thin version? I went up and down the isle and couldn’t find anything. Does is exist and I’m just blind? Or am I literally the only person in the world who likes non-chunky salsa ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/2 "2014-08-17T22:58:05Z")
Blender. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/3 "2014-08-17T23:03:45Z")
Aren’t Herdez salsas all pretty thin? ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/4 "2014-08-17T23:04:17Z")
Kirkland brand (Costco) is more of a thinner, smooth salsa. Tasty to eat and good for cooking with. Pace also makes its Picante version, which is thinner. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/5 "2014-08-17T23:23:53Z")
That would just be tomato sauce, but I suppose running it through a blender or food processor would get you what you want. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/6 "2014-08-17T23:51:02Z")
\*\*Leaffan \*\*nailed it: Herdez. It still has some texture, but it’s more “taco sauce” than “pico de gallo,” if you get my drift. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/7 "2014-08-17T23:56:22Z")
Xochitl, IIRC, is more of the restaurant-style “puree” salsa, at least in the Hot version. (It’s also pretty damn tasty.) I assume it’s got national distro; I’ve had it in New York and Ohio, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Octarine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/22d042/32.png) [@Octarine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Octarine)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/8 "2014-08-17T23:57:55Z")
Trader Joe’s has some salsa that’s basically a thin, spicy sauce. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/9 "2014-08-18T01:22:08Z")
I’m right there with ya! I don’t like it chunky, I like it smooth. So I use my blender, on pulse, to get the perfect consistency. Just pour the whole bottle in, pulse, and pour it right back into the bottle. Couldn’t be easier! Rinse the blender and done! ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/10 "2014-08-18T01:58:13Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Aren’t Herdez salsas all pretty thin? > [@silenus](#): > > \*\*Leaffan \*\*nailed it: Herdez. It still has some texture, but it’s more “taco sauce” than “pico de gallo,” if you get my drift. I came in here to suggest Herdez, especially the little cans. They make a nice, flavorful-yet-thin salsa. Pretty much the only salsa I buy nowadays, given that I live in the Great White North where good salsa is hard to come by. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/11 "2014-08-18T02:01:25Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > I love chops and salsa, and have it for dinner quite often. However, the problem is that I don’t like the chunks of crap that are in it. I don’t like pieces of tomato, or pepper, or onion, or anything…I just want salsa. > > Because of this I have a hard time finding good salsa to buy because everything is advertised as “thick and chunky” and I don’t want it that way. Is there a thin version? I went up and down the isle and couldn’t find anything. Does is exist and I’m just blind? > > Or am I literally the only person in the world who likes non-chunky salsa I wish there was a smile for tears, to finally, finally know I’m not alone. Chunky salsa sucks. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/12 "2014-08-18T02:03:30Z")
Well, let’s not go overboard. Different strokes, and all that. Personally I love chunky salsa, the hotter the better. ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/13 "2014-08-18T02:12:12Z")
Get a stick blender… simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/14 "2014-08-18T02:14:39Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I came in here to suggest Herdez, especially the little cans. They make a nice, flavorful-yet-thin salsa. Pretty much the only salsa I buy nowadays, given that I live in the Great White North where good salsa is hard to come by. Yeah, try coming to this side of the boarder. Salsa is unbelievably bland, although I’ve started to find some exceptions after years of looking. Would you believe that Tostitos Hot is actually hot? I couldn’t believe it either. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/15 "2014-08-18T02:15:09Z")
What about just using taco sauce? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/16 "2014-08-18T02:15:56Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Well, let’s not go overboard. Different strokes, and all that. Personally I love chunky salsa, the hotter the better. Yeah, for me it depends. For chips? It has to be chunky, otherwise, I can never get enough salsa to stay on the chip. (My favorite is xnipec, which is basically like a habanero version of pico de gallo). For use as a condiment with meat or on tacos or whatnot, I generally prefer the blended salsas. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/17 "2014-08-18T02:20:38Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Yeah, try coming to this side of the boarder. Salsa is unbelievably bland, although I’ve started to find some exceptions after years of looking. > > Would you believe that Tostitos Hot is actually hot? I couldn’t believe it either. I’m in Wisconsin, I don’t know about the rest of the country, but around here nearly everything that says Habanero just means “extra hot” and looking at the label it just has jalapenos in it\*. One of the habanero jarred salsas we carry from a local Mexican store got dropped and the lid lost it’s vacuum. We decided to just eat it in back. Holy Crap was it spicy. Hottest salsa I’ve ever had in a jar. I couldn’t eat more that a bite or two. \*My favorite one is Mean Jean’s 3 Pepper hot sauce. We carry it with our label, but you’ll usually see it in your small store with their label. I checked out the ingredients one day to see what the three peppers were. One of them is green bell pepper :smack:. There’s also green food coloring in it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/18 "2014-08-18T02:24:06Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’m in Wisconsin, I don’t know about the rest of the country, but around here nearly everything that says Habanero just means “extra hot” and looking at the label it just has jalapenos in it\*. That’s weird. Are you sure about that? I’d be surprised if something can be called “habanero” and not contain habanero or habanero flavoring in it. It’s a very distinct pepper flavor that is quite different from jalapeno. Anyhow, I’m next door in Illinois, and anything called “habanero” has habanero in it, so far as I can tell. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/19 "2014-08-18T02:28:24Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > That’s weird. Are you sure about that? I’d be surprised if something can be called “habanero” and not contain habanero or habanero flavoring in it. It’s a very distinct pepper flavor that is quite different from jalapeno. I could be wrong, I’m not one of those “I have to have the hottest thing I can find OMG” so I don’t tend to look at things that say habanero. I have noticed that many chipotle things are just (regular, unsmoked) jalapenos, sometimes with some added somkey flavoring. When they use real chipotles it makes a world of difference. Things may have changed in the last 5-10 years since I was paying attention to it though. Habanero stuff has become much more popular so the peppers are probably much more widely available to manufactures that want to use them (and cheaper too). Which means, it’s easier to use them instead of just using more jalapenos. Also, people know what they should taste like and some people may have been smacked by the FDA for truth in labeling laws…but I really don’t know, I just know that I’ve seen things that say habanero this or that and have jalapenos listed in the ingredient label. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787/20 "2014-08-18T02:32:35Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I could be wrong, I’m not one of those “I have to have the hottest thing I can find OMG” so I don’t tend to look at things that say habanero. > I have noticed that many chipotle things are just (regular, unsmoked) jalapenos, sometimes with some added somkey flavoring. When they use real chipotles it makes a world of difference. The chipotle one I could believe. > [@](#): > > I just know that I’ve seen things that say habanero this or that and have jalapenos listed in the ingredient label. I guess I’d just be curious what those brands are. It just seems really weird to me. I don’t see why you would use “habanero” as a synonym for “extra hot,” instead of just saying “extra hot.” “Habanero” is also a particular flavor, and you’d have a lot of pissed off consumers, I’d think, if you advertised something as habanero that didn’t have any of the habanero flavor in it. Maybe I could see someone using jalapenos for the heat, and then “habanero flavor” or “habanero powder” or whatever to bring the habanero flavor out. I guess that would make some sense. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-nationally-distributed-salsa-that-isnt-thick-and-chunky/695787.md?page=2)