Salsa has surpassed ketchup as the number one condiment in the United States. The good news is that there are plenty of salsa options that will suit your gluten-free diet, ranging from basic mild, medium, and hot to more exotic varieties.
Generally speaking, salsa is made from non-gluten ingredients. But salsa can be subject to gluten cross-contamination in processing and some minor ingredients, such as spice blends or even a splash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce, actually can include gluten. Therefore, you still need to be careful with salsa when you're eating gluten-free.
Some salsas labeled "gluten-free" may be made in facilities or on equipment that's shared with products containing gluten grains (this is allowed as long as they contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten). Salsas that are certified gluten-free adhere to a stricter standard.
Gluten-Free Salsa List
Unless noted otherwise, the gluten-free salsas listed below are considered gluten-free to less than 20 parts per million, the current accepted U.S. standard.
Amy's Kitchen
Amy's, well-known for its gluten-free frozen pizza and other organic gluten-free products, makes four salsas:
- Mild
- Medium
- Black Bean & Corn
- Chipotle
All are considered gluten-free, according to the company, and are made with mainly organic ingredients. They're also dairy-free, soy-free, lactose-free, tree nut-free, and vegan. The Black Bean and Corn variety contains distilled vinegar, which may be derived from gluten grains.
Chi-Chi's
Chi-Chi's, the product of MegaMex Foods, L.L.C. (a joint venture between U.S. food giant Hormel Inc. and Mexican food company Herdez del Fuerte), makes a variety of different salsa products, including these that it considers gluten-free:
- Thick and Chunky Salsa (Mild, Medium, Hot)
- Restaurant Style Salsa (Mild, Medium)
- Salsa Con Queso
If there's no gluten grain listed, the product includes no gluten ingredients (although it might still be at risk for gluten cross-contamination from other products made nearby or on the same equipment). The vinegar used is derived from grains, including gluten grains.
Desert Pepper Trading Co
Desert Pepper makes 15 different salsas, including:
- Salsa Divino (mild)
- Salsa Del Rio (medium green)
- Salsa Diablo (hot)
- Cantina (medium, hot green )
- Cantina (mild, medium, hot)
- Tequila Salsa (medium)
- XXX Habanero Salsa (extra hot)
- Peach Mango Salsa (medium)
- Pineapple Salsa (medium)
- Roasted Tomato Chipotle Corn Salsa (medium)
- Corn Black Bean Red Pepper Salsa (medium)
- 2 Olive Roasted Garlic Salsa (medium)
The company also makes two bean dips. You should note that they may be produced onshared equipment that does process gluten ingredients. Desert Pepper's vinegars can include gluten grain-based distilled vinegars.
Frontera
Frontera, a specialty food company that specializes in Mexican products, makes several different types of salsa in three different lines: Gourmet Mexican Salsa, Salsa Mexicana, and Limited Edition Seasonal Salsa. It's salsas marked gluten-free are:
- Roasted Tomato (Gourmet Mexican Salsa)
- Jalapeño Cilantro (Gourmet Mexican Salsa)
- Chipotle (Gourmet Mexican Salsa)
- Mild and Medium (Salsa Mexicana)
The Salsa Mexicana products include distilled white vinegar. The seasonal salsas are manufactured in a shared facility and are not marked gluten-free, so steer clear of those.
Green Mountain Gringo
Green Mountain Gringo salsa options that are certified gluten-free by the Gluten-Free Certification organization, which requires products to meet a stricter standard of less than 10 parts per million of gluten, include:
- Hot, medium, and mild
- Roasted Chile Pepper
- Roasted Garlic
The salsas are made from mainly fresh vegetables and spices. Green Mountain Gringo does not make any gluten-containing products. In addition, all the salsas use apple cider vinegar, not distilled white vinegar.
Newman's Own
Socially responsible Newman's Own (all profits go to charity) makes 7 different types of salsa, including:
- Mango
- Black Bean & Corn
- Peach
None contains gluten, according to the company's Frequently Asked Questions page. However, all contain distilled white vinegar. Note that many Newman's Own products do contain gluten, raising the potential for gluten cross-contamination in processing.
On the Border
This brand, a spinoff from the restaurant that bears the same name, makes several different types of salsa including:
- Mild, medium, and hot
- Mild chunky
- Medium chunky
- Cantina-style
According to the company, all are gluten-free (as are all other On the Border products): "Our products must pass finished goods testing to meet FDA requirements for gluten-free labeling, and we prominently state “Gluten Free” on our packaging," the company says in a statement.
Pace
Pace is owned by the Campbell Soup Co., which includes the following Pace products on its gluten-free product list:
- Chunky Salsa (mild, medium, hot)
- Original Recipe Restaurant-Style Salsa
- Four Chile Pepper Salsa
- Fire Roasted Poblano 'N' Corn Salsa
- Honey Chipotle Salsa
- Mango Habanero Salsa
- Peach Mango Jalapeño Salsa
- Salsa Verde
- Organic Salsa
Pace products use distilled white vinegar that can be made from gluten grains.
Note that some of these salsas—while considered gluten-free—contain distilled white vinegar, which can be made fromgluten grains and some people react to this type of vinegar. If you're one of those people, steer clear of those salsas.
Non-Gluten-Free Salsa Brands
Although it's unusual for salsa to contain gluten ingredients, many companies decline to label their products "gluten-free." The following salsa brands and flavors are not considered to meet gluten-free standards.
Herdez
These salsas are produced by the same Hormel-Herdez del Fuerte MegaMex joint venture that makes Chi-Chi's salsa products. Again, Hormel will call out any gluten-containing ingredients (wheat, barley, rye, and oats) by name on the label.
If a Herdez product doesn't include any mention of those grains, then it's considered to have no gluten ingredients (although it still could be subject to gluten cross-contamination in manufacturing). The salsas do include distilled white vinegar that can be derived from gluten grains.
La Victoria
This is yet another MegaMex brand, and La Victoria salsa products will clearly label any gluten ingredients. The products include distilled white vinegar, potentially from gluten grains.
Old El Paso
This brand of salsa is produced by General Mills, which makes such gluten-free staples as Chex cereal and Betty Crocker gluten-free mixes. However, Old El Paso products are not considered gluten-free (despite safe-sounding ingredients lists), likely because of potential gluten cross-contamination at the factory.
Ortega
Ortega, made by parent company B&G Foods Inc., no longer has a gluten-free list. It makes a variety of different salsas but no longer calls any of them "gluten-free."
Taco Bell
The Kraft Heinz Company, which will call out any gluten-containing ingredients on its label, makes Taco Bell salsa products for grocery store sales under license from the Taco Bell fast food company. The products don't contain any gluten ingredients, but can be subject to gluten cross-contamination in processing.
Tostitos
Frito-Lay North America, Inc. makes a variety of salsas under the Tostitos brand. These salsas do not include any ingredients from wheat, barley, rye, or oats, according to Frito-Lay's gluten-free list.
However, the company hasn't tested them for gluten and they may be manufactured on the same lines as gluten-containing ingredients, so Frito-Lay does not consider them to be gluten-free.
Salsa Nutrition
Salsa adds a giant, flavorful, nutritious punch to your food without adding any fat or many calories. Most salsa is fat-free and two tablespoons of salsa may contain just 10 or 20 calories, depending on the brand.
Tomato-based salsas contain plenty of vitamin C, and salsa usually contains a bit of fiber from the tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables it includes.
Note that many manufacturers sweeten their salsa either with fruit (such as mango or pineapple) or with sugar. If you're trying to cut down on sugar, choose a brand that doesn't include an added sweetener.
A Word from Verywell
Most people think of salsa as something that pairs well with their gluten-free tortilla or multigrain chips. But salsa has myriad other uses.
Try using it instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich (both to spice up the sandwich and cut out calories and fat) or dip your fries into it. Salsa can spice up a vegetable omelet and even adds a bit of a bite to tomato soup.
