The best hot salsa is not just spicy, but flavorful! It should fill your mouth with flavor and make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up from the spice. Spicy salsa can be red or green, roasted or fresh. It can be made with a variety of peppers. It can be in the refrigerated section of your grocery store or it can be shelf stable. What I’m saying is, the best store bought spicy salsa can be anything.
I love spicy salsa—the spicier the better. And it’s always been that way. When I was a child, people would run over to our table to stop me, a baby, from dunking a tortilla chip into the hottest salsa on the table. My parents would reassure them it was fine, but they didn’t believe it until they watched me eat it and reach for more. At this point, I’m about 70% spicy salsa. Trust me when I say that this is a list of the absolute best hot salsa you can buy, hot green salsa and spicy red salsa included.
- Pace Thick & Chunky Hot Salsa
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Pace salsa tastes good and is affordable. Plus, you can buy it almost anywhere. I’ve literally purchased Pace salsa at a gas station before. That rules! Who doesn’t love an accessible product? We already included Pace’s restaurant style salsa in our favorite store bought salsa ranking, and their hot salsa deserves to join the list, as well.l. And yes, we tried the Ghost Pepper Pace. That one is hotter, but this one is better. If you’re a fan of the nostalgic taste of Pace but craving more heat, this is the best hot salsa for you.
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- Trader Joe’s Extra Hot Habanero Ghost Pepper Salsa
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I have a controversial take on refrigerated salsas: They’re typically not very good. They can be super watery. Trader Joe’s Extra Hot Habanero Ghost Pepper Salsa isn’t watery at all, though. It has great heat and you get the flavors of both fruity habanero and ghost pepper. Trader Joe’s salsas don’t always hit, but this spicy red salsa is great and you should buy it.
Credit: Merc / Trader Joe’s
- Patricia Quintana Authentic Mexican Chile de Arbol Salsa
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I loved multiple of Patricia Quintana’s salsas. They’re so tasty. This chile de arbol salsa is labeled as “extremely spicy.” While I don’t agree with that, I do think it has a nice kick and is super delicious. The guajillo chili peppers give it a smoky flavor and the cilantro adds freshness. I wish the jar was 100% times bigger because this spicy red salsa is great and I wanted more of it.
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- Herdez Guacamole Salsa Medium
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Not only is it our best avocado salsa and now the best hot green salsa, it’s one of our favorite spicy salsas in general. This hot salsa verde is great with chips, but my favorite way to enjoy this is to air fry a frozen burrito and then smother it in this spicy green salsa (wet burrito style!). This stuff is creamy, herby, citrusy, and spicy, of course. You can buy it in a two-pack at Costco and I recommend you do exactly that. You will definitely want two bottles of this spicy avocado salsa.
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- Mrs. Renfro’s Ghost Pepper Salsa
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Mrs. Renfro’s Ghost Pepper Salsa is, first and foremost, a delicious salsa. It has the perfect level of chunkiness and seasoning. The best part is the heat, though. This spicy red salsa is one of the best hot salsa options for anyone who can handle heat. It’s really spicy and that shot it to the top of our list. I love it. I would absolutely buy this again.
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- Mateo’s Hot Gourmet Salsa
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Mateo’s literally never misses. We love their products. Their spicy salsa is the best store bought spicy salsa because it is actually spicy but also flavorful. It’s fresh. It’s acidic. There is nothing wrong with this salsa. The first two ingredients on the ingredient list are tomatoes and jalapeños and you really get that. There are no weird additives or preservatives. If you are looking for the best spicy salsa, or any delicious salsa in general, Mateo’s will always be a safe bet. They really are top tier.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
Best Budget
Best Refrigerated
Best Smoky
Best Verde
Best XXX
Best of the Best
Other Products We Tried:
Sprouts Hot Salsa, Lucky Habanero Hot, Desert Pepper Hot, Casa Sanchez Hot, Patricia Quintana Authentic Mexican Roasted Tomato & Jalapeño Salsa, Green Mountain Gringo, O Organics, 365, La Mexicana Hot, Casa Martinez Habanero
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