I bought a jar of Trader Joe’s has a Salsa Verde, made with fresh tomatillos and jalapenos and gave it a try. I am a big fan of salsa verde but haven’t come across many decent ones since we moved away from Texas.
My quick review is, “Trader Joe’s Salsa Verde is a thin, extremely mild salsa. The salsa tastes predominantly like tomatillos and is not very interesting.”
Nutrition
You get 12 ounces of salsa per jar. One serving is two tablespoons and there are about 11 servings per jar.
The nutritional facts for a single serving are:
- Calories: 10
- Fat: 0g (0% DV)
- Cholesterol: 0mg (0% DV)
- Sodium: 290mg (13% DV)
- Carbohydrates: 2g (1% DV)
- Protein: 0g
Ingredient List
The Salsa Verde has the following ingredients:
- Tomatillos
- Green chili
- Water
- Salt
- Onion
- Jalapeno
- Garlic
The back of the label indicates that this sauce is “Mild”.
Taste Test
I’ll give this salsa a solid “meh” and place it below Trader Joe’s Salsa Autentica.
This was another case of me falling for a “bait and switch” at Trader Joe’s.
The front of the labels mentions “Fresh Jalapenos”. The entire border of the label shows jalapeno after jalapeno after jalapeno. I expected this salsa to have a lot of jalapeno flavor and I do not think that is unreasonable.
But, nope. This is an absolutely mild salsa with just a hint of jalapeno. This is the same stunt Trader Joe’s pulled with their Ghost Pepper Chips and Chipotle Black Bean Dip.
We tried the salsa with Trader Joe’s Elote Corn Dippers and it was just okay. This is pretty much just a watery tomatillo sauce with a hint of a few other flavors floating around.
I ended up salvaging the salsa and making it interesting by hitting it with a few big slugs of Trader Joe’s Green Dragon Hot Sauce.
If you want a really good salsa then leave this stuff alone and pick up a jar of Trader Joe’s Pineapple Salsa or head over to Costco to pick up a two pack of Kirkland Salsa.
Usage Ideas
I think the best way to use the salsa is as an ingredient in another dish as it lacks enough flavor to stand on its own.
You could pour the sauce over some pork chops and cook them in a slow cooker for a couple hours.
You could also use the sauce as a base for a pot of White Chicken Chili. Here is a link to a White Chicken Chili recipe from Delish to get you started!
Another idea is to use the salsa to marinade some boneless, skinless chicken thighs before grilling. I would let the chicken soak in the salsa for at least four hours.
Storage
The salsa verde is shelf stable as long it is unopened and has a “Best By” date that is about six months from your date of purchase.
After the salsa has been opened it must be stored in the refrigerator where it will last about a month.
If you have any of the salsa left after a month go ahead and toss it in the trash. Don’t worry…you wont miss it.
I just tried this and then decided to look up reviews, as it was so bland as to be non-existent. And up popped yours! Rather than try to salvage it, I’m just returning it.