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Papalote: Secret Weapon Salsa

Pssst… Contributor C.C.’s got a salsa secret…

There are secret recipes and then there are secret weapons.

There is salsa and then there is the one salsa.

Papalote Roasted Tomato Salsa.

papalote salsa

CHOW magazine, upon discovering the salsa, sent a sample to France in attempts to deconstruct the recipe. And most famously, it knocked down Iron Chef Bobby Flay on Throwdown’s burrito episode. In his words, “The salsa is the secret weapon.”

According to the Papalote website, the salsa is the culmination of 50 years of tradition. It is described as “inarguably distinctive, delivering an unmistakable burst of flavor when accompanying a single tortilla chip, while complementing Miguel’s dishes without overpowering the complex and sometimes subtle characteristics of his marinades and sauces.”

It is described by C.C. and B.F. simply as “crack.” When they first get a jar, it is guaranteed that the next three dinners will consist of nachos, which enables C.C. to flex the extent of her culinary skills in all their microwaveable glory. But never mind, the salsa raises the dish to a fine art.

It is insanely good. You can put it on pretty much anything: meat, fish, skewers, eggs…. C.C. secretly hopes that B.F. will update his Anglo ketchup addiction with something more appropriately Californian.

papalote salsa
And C.C. is ecstatic to discover that the salsa fits she and B.F.’s Paleo diet requirements (just not including the salt). Because it is so creamy and delicious, C.C. can’t believe it’s not enhanced somehow with a dab of cream or a slice of butter—she’s aware that butter is not a traditional salsa ingredient, thank you very much. But it’s just that yummy!

Until recently, you could only obtain a jar of the fiery red goodness in San Francisco, at the two not-so-secret Papalote locations tucked away in the Mission (the original Papalote Mexican Grill) or on Fulton Street. But since November 2010, Papalote has begun offering their salsa at fine stores in the Bay Area and, best of all, online.

Yes, you too can discover Weapons of Mass Gustation.

Disclaimer: C.C. is in no way affiliated with Papalote, apart from the likelihood of a dribble permanently on her chin. Yum!

FTC Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Good Food Stories LLC receives a minuscule commission on all purchases made through Amazon links in our posts.

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7 Comments

  1. Are you sure she isn’t the P.R. rep for the salsa?! (Kidding.) If this is from the Bay Area I’m sold. Will have to get it online since I’m down in L.A. Always love to learn about a new salsa!

  2. Papalote Salsa has dethroned sriracha as the king of the culinary accoutrement in my kitchen. It’s so much more than a salsa, it’s a sauce as versatile as ranch dressing. It’s pretty amazing.

    1. As versatile as ranch dressing? Back the truck up! That’s a big statement, but we GFS editors can attest that the salsa is in fact THAT GOOD.

  3. RANCH DRESSING:
    Fries, Burgers, Hot Dogs, Chips, Salad, Baked Potatoes, etc..etc…

    vs.

    PAPALOTE SALSA
    Fries, burgers, Hot Dogs, ANY MEXICAN food, eggs, use it as a base for an amazing salad dressing (I like spicy salads), chips,pizza, lumpia, nuggets, I use it as a base for my pate & crackers, too!

    And as a bonus, Papalote Salsa doesn’t have the FAT like ranch dressing!

  4. There’s a great Salsa we buy that is out of Sonoma, Ca. La Casa Fresh Salsa. Its available in some Whole Foods and Raleys. I’m sure at other places. We’ve been eating it for years and nothing compares.

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