American diners need no introduction to the flavor charms of salsa. They made fast friends with the chunky chile-and-tomato sauce from Mexico nearly a century ago, and they continue to demonstrate their loyalty across demographics today. Research finds that salsa consumers are almost evenly split between men and women. Baby Boomers and Gen Zers embrace salsa in fairly equal numbers (although it’s especially beloved by Millennials) and salsa’s appeal crosses all income brackets. White and Hispanic/Latino populations demonstrate the greatest affinity, by far, but salsa does hold sway with diners from other ethnic backgrounds, as well.¹

But with salsa showing little year-over-year movement in both menu item and operator penetration change², operators and consumers alike may have grown a bit complacent in their expectations. How can menu developers fire up renewed interest in salsa, building on its baseline popularity? (Hint: The secret is in the question.)

Both Mexican abuelas and professional chefs know what it takes to make a good salsa a great salsa: char. Charring is a go-to technique in Mexican kitchens, producing an intense concentration of flavors and smokiness from ingredients cooked over a flame. This depth of flavor takes salsa to the next level, lending it a more mature, complex profile.

Charred salsa is bold and exciting, whether used as a conventional dipping sauce for chips or as the hero ingredient in an unexpected entrée choice. But producing charred salsa from scratch is a heavy lift, especially in high-volume foodservice kitchens. Operators can turn to HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsas from MegaMex Foodservice.

Each of the four flavor varieties found in this premium product line features a blend of perfectly charred tomatoes, tomatillos and peppers.

• Salsa Roja spotlights charred tomato, poblano and jalapeño, with the added complexity of ancho and guajillo peppers, producing a mild heat level.
• Salsa Verde puts charred tomatillo forward, along with tomato and poblano to produce a balanced, complex flavor profile that skews mild.
• Salsa Poblano, another mild option, blends charred poblano pepper, tomato and tomatillo with Chile de Arbol.
• Salsa Chipotle leans on deeply charred tomatoes, coupled with chipotle, poblano and ancho peppers to produce a smoky flavor with medium heat.

All four varieties deliver complex flavor and texture attributes that convey their authentic inspiration, complete with charred specs visible throughout the product.

In this twist on classic Chiles Rellenos, HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Poblano provides a flavor-forward base, delivering the bold taste of charred tomato, tomatillo and poblano, along with hints of Chile de Arbol.

THE CHARGE OF CHAR

A brief overview of salsa’s origins and development throughout Mexico provides valuable context for developing modern menu applications that will resonate with diners. Dan Burrows, consulting chef for MegaMex Foods, offers this primer. “Salsa is the Spanish word for sauce, and it comes in many forms from different areas of Mexico,” says Burrows. “In Jalisco, for instance, most salsas are chunky, charred and ground by hand, while central Mexico, salsa tend to be puréed and made with dried chiles, like guajillo. In the coastal regions of the Yucatan or Veracruz, you see greater use of tropical ingredients like the habanero pepper, mango, pineapple and avocado.”

Almost all salsas throughout Mexico start with chiles, notes Burrows, and these provide the base for the three main types of salsas: raw, cooked and hot. “Most raw salsas (fresca) start with jalapeño or Serrano and typically include tomato, onion, garlic and cilantro. In general, raw salsas offer a freshness and tang and add freshness to fatty, slow-cooked preparations like barbacoa or carnitas,” he says.

Cooked salsas, says Burrows, feature ingredients that have been boiled, roasted or charred. “These tend to be more balanced in flavor and are made specifically to enhance almost anything, from topping grilled preparations to finishing a soup,” he explains.

As chefs know, charring brings out the more complex flavors that come from the caramelization of the vegetables. These include umami, sweetness and smoky notes. Burrows further breaks down the impact of the charring process: “First, when exposed to the high heat of the flame, the essential oils in chiles, onions and garlic are released, which intensifies their flavor. Also, the process concentrates the natural glutamates in vegetables like tomatoes, producing extra umami or savory notes. In addition, charring the ingredients lends them a slightly smoky flavor. Finally, when all are mixed together and allowed to blend over time, you get a very complex layered flavor effect.”

Sopes de Carnitas, a street food favorite, is completed with HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Roja, its flavors are a great complement to carnitas, pickled radish, carrots and onions.

FIRE IN THE BELLY

The time is right to seize the advantages of charred salsa on the menu. References to “quemada salsa” and “burnt salsa” exploded across social media conversations in 2023-24, report the analysts at Tastewise, a GenAI-powered consumer data platform for food and beverage brands, and mentions of “quemada” are also increasing on U.S. menus, according to 2024 research from Technomic.

HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsas offer chefs the freedom and creativity to play with a wide range of menu applications, both within a Mexican narrative and in adventurous pairings with unexpected cuisines and ingredients. Burrows offers some suggestions, using each of the four product varieties, starting with the Mexican pantry: “A drizzle of HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Roja over a simple black bean-and-chorizo sope elevates the flavor of these simple ingredients. Adding a little grilled pineapple to the HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Chipotle provides a nice fruity tropical heat to simple grilled seafood or al pastor pork. Slow cooking pork until tender in the HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Poblano delivers a complex profile in a green chile pork dish. Combine HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Verde with mashed ripe avocado to create an avocado salsa that simply kills it when it comes to flavor, especially when added to grilled seafood!”

Analysts at Technomic are seeing growth of salsa in “non-American” menu items, reflecting growing desire for “international fusion-based offerings, such as combinations between Indian and Mexican food.” In a year-over-year analysis of trending flavors and ingredients paired with salsa nationally, some of the greatest growth was seen combining salsa with sushi (110 percent), red rice (87.5 percent), peri peri (80 percent), broccolini (58.3 percent) and preserves (57.1 percent). A further breakdown by U.S. region saw salsa in ever-more audacious pairings, including clams (Midwest), miso (Northeast), coconut (South) and seafood dip (West).²

“The charred, spicy umami flavors of quemada salsas are perfect to enhance not just Mexican flavors, but to add flavor to any foods,” says Burrows. “Try the smoky HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Chipotle as a base sauce on pizza, top with Mexican queso and finish it with chorizo and strips of roasted poblanos. For a simple and delicious breakfast, simply put both a red (HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Roja) and green salsa (HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Poblano) on a plate. Top the salsa with three eggs cooked over-easy, plus a sprinkle of Cotija. Serve with warm tortillas. Use the HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsa Roja mixed with corn, chicken and black beans in a Mexican Egg Roll, paired with a dip of warm queso spiked with more of the salsa. Add one of the varieties to plain hummus for fantastic twist on this popular dip.”

Burrows advises against using HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsas as a dip for chips menu freebie starter—unless you add an upcharge to serve up a signature flight of salsas. Their premium profile should always be used to elevate and enhance the dining experience. “Try some unique presentations, such as wrapping a piece of fish, along with any of these salsas in a pocket of parchment paper, baking it and then performing the unwrapping at the table,” he offers. “The first whiff of the charred tomato and chile combination is unforgettable.”

If operators want to proceed more cautiously, Burrows suggests using the salsas in appetizers first. “Then, once you get them hooked on the flavor, you can start adding them to steaks and other entrées,” he says. “It’s all about building value through flavor and not cost. You want your customers to embrace the premium quality of these complex flavors and not dismiss them as a cheap condiment.”

HERDEZ^® Quemada Charred Salsas give operators of all types of cuisine concepts the culinary credibility to up their Mexican game, along with exciting cross-utilization opportunities in unexpected menu applications. It’s high time for salsa to catch fire on your menu.

¹ Technomic Ignite Consumer brand ratings data, Q1-2023-Q4-2023
² Technomic Ignite Menu national food trends data, Q4 2023

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