Salsa Finds: Arriba! Roasted Tomato Salsa

Bottom Line: Arriba! Roasted Tomato Salsa is a superior jarred salsa that delivers some heat and is a good deal for the price.

With so many salsas on store shelves these days, it’s often difficult to decide which one to add to your basket, especially with several running five or six bucks or more. Arriba! Foods roasted salsas and sauces have been around since 1988, and the company is known for making the first commercially produced fire-roasted salsa in the USA. Following is what they say about their products on their website:

Our fire-roasted salsas and cooking sauces celebrate the perfect fusion of vibrant, authentic Mexican cuisine and bold, Texan spirit. Each batch starts with farm-fresh ingredients chosen for their distinct character—all fire-roasted to unlock their deep, rich essence.

I had tried their salsas in the past, but it has been a while. So when I saw them on the shelf during a recent visit to Walmart, I picked up a jar of the Medium Heat Roasted Tomato Salsa.

This one has the good, rich taste of tomatoes with the expected tang but not too much acid. There is some sweetness there, but not too much, just enough to act as a good counterbalance to the richness and acid. The roasted taste does not dominate, but it is definitely there, and that gives the salsa a nice finish. The chunks of vegetables are noticeable, and the onions come through, adding a touch of sweetness (though no aftertaste). It has a nice peppery kick, and while the cilantro is not too noticeable, you get some hints of it in the background.

The heat is above Mild on my scale, and it does have a nice sting that seems to build up. It won’t set your mouth on fire, but you will know you ate something with a bite. Overall, this is a really good jarred salsa and a pretty good deal for the price, especially for a small-batch product.

At Walmart, the retail price is $3.98 in my area, but I seem to recall that it was on sale and I only paid around three bucks. I see that it goes as high as $5.99 retail, but if you can get this for four bucks or less, I would snatch it up. As jarred salsas go, this one is certainly a step above the rest and definitely worth it if you can find it on sale.

They have several other varieties as well, so I will be seeking those out in the coming weeks. And I also want to try the Hot version of the Roasted Tomato Salsa to see where it lands on my heat scale.

Nutrition Info:

Ingredients: Roasted Tomato, Tomato, Roasted Onion, Roasted Jalapeno Pepper, Roasted Garlic, Salt, Cilantro, Distilled Vinegar, Roasted Anaheim Pepper, Xanthan Gum. Product formulation and packaging may change. Please refer to the product label for the most accurate information.

Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
Calories: 5
Fat: 0g (0g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 0g
Carbs: 1g
Sodium: 200mg