Get Zesty with the 5 Best Salsa Verdes

Salsa verde is one of the most delicious foods on the planet. It has a tart, herby, savory flavor that is just perfect. Whether you’re eating it with tortilla chips or putting it on enchiladas, nothing beats green salsa (including red salsa, I’m sorry!).

We tried all the most popular salsa verde brands on the market—canned, jarred, and refrigerated—to find which are the best for your upcoming chilaquiles brunch or taco night. Not all salsa verdes are created equal, and these are the best you can buy at your local grocery store.

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Best of the Best

Casa Sanchez Medium Roasted Salsa Verde

If you like chunky, rustic salsa verde, grab a container of Casa Sanchez Roasted Salsa Verde from the refrigerator aisle. The big pieces of garlic, springs of cilantro, and whole pepper seeds make it seem homemade. The flavor is bright, garlicky, and tart. It would be wonderful with chips or incorporated into a burrito. I could eat a whole container of this in one sitting. I’m not joking. It is that delicious.

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

best salsa verde

Best for Cooking

Embasa Salsa Verde Medium

Embasa’s can of salsa verde is my personal favorite. I’m giving it the title of “best for cooking” because I think it would be great for topping a wet burrito or enchiladas, but I also love dipping chips into this for a snack. It’s a little creamy and super tangy. It has one of the highest spice levels out of any of the salsa verdes we tried. Plus, the tiny can is just adorable. Why wouldn’t you want a precious little can of spicy salsa verde?!

Credit: Merc / Instacart

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

best salsa verde

Best Restaurant-Style

Chi Chi’s Mild Salsa Verde

Y’all got on me about not trying Chi Chi’s red salsa as part of our red salsa taste test. You win! I get it now! Chi Chi’s makes good salsa. Are you happy?! I loved Chi Chi’s Mild Salsa Verde. It was the perfect balance of liquidy and chunky. It reminded me of what I typically get when I order salsa verde at a restaurant. This makes sense because Chi Chi’s is, in fact, a restaurant. If you’re looking for a tasty, standard salsa verde that isn’t spicy, this is for you.

Credit: Merc /

Rating:

9/10

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best salsa verde

Best Chunky

La Victoria Thick ‘n Chunky Medium Salsa Verde

La Victoria’s Thick ‘n Chunky Salsa Verde delivers on its promise of thickness and chunkiness. It has big pieces of onion and bits of cilantro stem. This feels like a salsa that was hand chopped rather than made in a blender. When it comes to flavor, it’s fresh and light. While it purports to be medium in terms of spice level, it is definitely mild. If you’re hoping for something that packs flavor without heat, this is a good option.

Credit: Sarah Demonteverde /

Rating:

9/10

Sporks

best salsa verde

Best Budget

Pace Medium Salsa Verde

What. The. Hell?! Pace’s Salsa Verde is actually…delicious? I was shocked, to say the least. I like Pace’s red salsa, but more for the nostalgia factor than the taste. Their salsa verde, on the other hand, is actually super tasty. It’s a little smoky. It’s super tangy. The tomatillos are definitely the star. Forget the regular Pace salsa you’ve been buying for Super Bowl parties and office potlucks. Start buying their salsa verde instead!

Credit: Merc / Walmart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Other Products We Tried: Stonewall Kitchen, Late July, Xochil, Foddy, Good & Gather Roasted Salsa Verde, Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde, Herdez Mild Salsa Verde, Casa Martinez, Green Mile, Chica’s Salsa, Whole Foods 365, Guy Fieri Green & Mean Salsa Verde, Herdez Roasted Salsa Verde Medium

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About the Author

Jordan Myrick

Jordan is an L.A.-based writer and comedian who believes all food should come with extra sauce. When they're not writing for Sporked, Jordan is at the movies or sharing an order of french fries with their elderly chihuahua.

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  • The real question is what keeps a zesty salsa verde from being the preferred wake-up spoon of flavor. Is it because it’s TOO palatable on its own?

    Reply
  • As someone who prefers salsa verde over regular salsa, my go-to is Mrs. Renfro’s.

    Reply