No Mexican meal is complete without a nice salsa picante sauce or dip to enjoy as a condiment. Where you buy your salsa sauce or picante sauce will determine what it’s made from and its consistency.
But what is the difference between salsa sauce and picante sauce?
Salsa is typically a chunky condiment made from chopped vegetables like tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, corn, squash, and chili peppers. Picante sauce has similar ingredients with the addition of finely chopped white onion, and in Mexico, it is blended into a thin pouring sauce. The main difference between salsa vs picante sauce is the consistency and the addition of white onions to picante.
Salsa is normally a chunky condiment served with Tex-Mex food and also Mediterranean food, but picante is usually bought in U.S. stores as a thinly sliced savory vegetable condiment, while cooks in Mexico process it to a thin pouring sauce.
Want to know more? Here’s a comprehensive picante sauce vs salsa guide.
What Is Picante Sauce?
Picante sauce is made with herbs, white onions, tomatoes, chili peppers, and vegetables like jalapeños, cilantro, green pepper, and garlic. These vegetables and herbs are finely diced, before being cooked for 15 to 30 minutes and then stored until use.
The consistency of picante sauce can be changed by adding more or less white vinegar or lemon juice.
When the sauce is a little warmer to the taste, it earns the true Mexican name of “hot sauce.” The addition of cayenne pepper, ghost pepper, or habaneros will raise the heat factor.
What Is Salsa?
Salsa is a chunky chili and savory vegetable condiment that is popularly served with enchiladas, tortillas, burritos, and tacos.
While salsa is a condiment, it can be a chunky dip or a thinner sauce. Salsa is made with jalapeño peppers, cilantro, chili peppers, tomatoes, and even corn.
You can add chopped onion to a salsa too.
While salsa can be served hot, it is usually served at room temperature, and it can be rough and chunky, or finer in texture and cooked.
The Difference Between Picante Sauce vs Salsa
There are a few core differences that will help you decide whether you have a salsa or a picante sauce on your plate.
The Texture of Vegetables
The main difference between the salsa-picante dilemma is the texture.
Salsa is typically sliced quite thinly, prepared fresh, and served at room temperature. The origins of salsa may hint at the reasons why the condiment is prepared so roughly and served immediately.
Salsa was originally said to have been a Mayan or Inca dish that was made with local vegetables. These were roughly sliced, spiced, and served with meals.
Picante, on the other hand, was a much later culinary development where the salsa ingredients are sliced more thinly (perhaps due to a European influence). Picante is also known to contain more onions, especially white onions.
The Sauciness
Unlike salsa, picante is made into a more saucy condiment by adding more vinegar and lime juice, and served as a soupy kind of dip sauce.
Salsa is often served with no additional fluid elements, with the addition of vinegar and lime juice being optional.
The Ingredients
Salsa is typically made from tomatoes and chili peppers with herbs and spices added to create a savory condiment that accompanies spicy meals. Additional ingredients may include cilantro, onions, peppers, salt, spices, and more.
Picante sauce is made with tomatoes, onions, chili peppers, cilantro, and spices. An important element is a fluid such as vinegar, lime juice, or olive oil. These additions help ensure picante sauce stays fresh.
The Flavor Profile
The taste of salsa and picante sauce is somewhat different, as the spicing can influence the heat factor, while the thinner picante sauce may also create a more fiery sensation on the tongue.
Salsa typically has a fresher taste, with more “green” flavoring due to the rough texture and because it is often not cooked. Picante sauce is often cooked or processed.
The Serving Suggestions
A significant difference between whether you will choose salsa or picante to complement your meal is what you are eating and how you are eating it.
Salsa is typically served as a side dish, as a filling in nachos, or with black beans. However, picante, which is pourable, is served as a dressing over handheld foods like tacos.
Can I Substitute Picante Sauce for Salsa?
So date night rolls around, and you decide to make some spicy food for your lover, but oh dear, you’ve run out of salsa.
You do, however, have a bottle of Mexican hot sauce #akaPicanteSauce in the fridge. Can you substitute picante sauce for salsa, you wonder?
Yes, you can!
If you are eating a sit-down meal, then substituting salsa with picante sauce will work fine.
However, if you are having a hand-held meal (#FingerFood) such as nachos or a burrito, then you may want to add some diced tomatoes or onions to the picante sauce to beef up the texture and prevent it dribbling all over your date.
Flavor-wise, your Tex-Mex meal or authentic Mexican meal will not suffer if you substitute salsa with picante sauce.
But what if you don’t need picante sauce but only have some freshly bought salsa?
You can definitely substitute salsa for picante sauce, and for a more authentic taste profile, just whip the salsa through the food processor for a few spins to get a finer texture and more juiciness. Give it a squeeze of lime and you’re ready to go.
My Last Foodie Thoughts
Who knew that traditional Mexican “hot sauce” is essentially salsa with an attitude?
Salsa and picante sauce (#HotSauce) have similar ingredients, and except for the fluidity of the two condiments and their texture, they are two sides of the same coin.
While you can use these two spicy condiments interchangeably, it’s best to stick to salsa for a side dish and as topping for nachos and then serve picante sauce over enchiladas and tacos.
Enjoy!
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