by Bottom Line: The Mi Tienda brand from HEB offers some tasty, authentic Mexican salsas that can deliver a kick.
For those in Texas who shop at HEB on a regular basis, you have certainly noticed the Mi Tienda brand throughout the store. Some may think of it as just one of several store brands, but it actually got its start as a store designed to serve the Hispanic community of Houston. The products available with that name are designed to celebrate the traditional Mexican flavors and dishes that many people across Texas have learned to love. My local HEB was promoting the Mi Tienda line just recently with several coupons, and I decided to take the opportunity to sample their salsas. I know that I have had at least one of these, if not more, in the past, but I never wrote down my thoughts on them. Here are the results of my recent review of these sauces:
Salsa Taquera (Medium): This is a fresh salsa that you will find in the refrigerated aisle. It has an immediate tang from the fire-roasted tomatillos, followed by an earthiness from the pasilla chilis. Then you get a hint of smokiness that comes from the chipotle chilis. There is also some notable garlic in there, but not to the point that it dominates the flavor. Note that this is a very salty-tasting salsa, even though the sodium level is not too high according to the label. I believe the other flavors balance that out, but some may find it too high on the salt scale. As for the heat, it builds up the more you eat and gets to right around Medium on my scale. I have also tried the hot version of this, and it definitely gets up to Hot on my scale. I enjoyed this salsa and would definitely get it again, but just be warned about the punch of salt it delivers.
Habanero Salsa Taquera: They call this a salsa, but it is more of a hot sauce, and you find it in a squeeze bottle on the shelf with the other sauces. You immediately taste the apple cider vinegar, and it delivers a strong tang. Some may not care for that, but I happen to be a pretty big fan of that type of vinegar in hot sauce. It also has some creaminess, perhaps from the canola oil, and a hint of sweetness (that likely comes from the carrots). The taste of habanero is not prominent, but it is there in the background. Guajillo chilis are used as well, but they seem to get lost in the mix. This sauce does not seem to have much heat at first, but it creeps up on you as you eat more of it and it goes beyond Medium on my scale but not quite to Hot. I really enjoyed this and have started using it as a spicy (and lower-calorie) alternative to mayonnaise.
Roja Salsa Taquera: This one is also in the squeeze bottle, and you will find it next to the Habanero sauce. It is very much a taco sauce along the lines of what you get at Taco Bell in little packets but with a little more tang and more flavor. You detect some of the acidity of the tomatoes, but the slight sweetness cuts that to a degree. And there is an earthiness and slight smokiness, likely from the Guajillo, though not too much. It has decent heat, approaching Medium, and I quickly found myself putting this on quite a few items. It goes particularly well with breakfast tacos because it brings a nice kick but does not set your mouth on fire (I don’t usually want too much heat with my morning coffee).
The Habanero and Roja salsas have now become go-to sauces for me, and I plan on trying several of the other flavors they have in the squeeze bottles. They sell for around four bucks each, and be sure to keep your eye out for coupons and specials (I had a coupon for a dollar off per bottle). The fresh salsa sells for around three bucks, which is a really good deal at that price. I will definitely be paying more attention to the Mi Tienda brand going forward, and will report back here on the spicy items that I find.
Nutrition Info:
Salsa Taquera
Ingredients: Fire-Roasted Tomatillos, Water, Fire-Roasted Onions, Pasilla Peppers, Sunflower Oil, Garlic, Salt, Chipotle Peppers, Spice
Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
Calories: 15
Fat: 1g (0g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 0g
Carbs: 2g
Sodium: 220mg
Habanero Salsa Taquera
Ingredients: Vinegar, Carrots, Onion, Apple Cider Vinegar, Water, Canola Oil, Habanero Pepper, Salt, Guajillo Pepper, Xanthan Gum.
Serving Size: 1 Tsp
Calories: 0
Fat: 0g (0g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 0g
Carbs: 0g
Sodium: 35mg
Rojo Salsa Taquera
Ingredients: Red Jalapeño Peppers, Tomatoes (Tomatoes, Tomato Puree, Salt), Vinegar, Water, Onion, Cilantro, Guajillo Pepper, Morita Pepper, Salt, Xanthan Gum.
Serving Size: 1 Tsp
Calories: 0
Fat: 0g (0g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 0g
Carbs: 0g
Sodium: 20mg
