13 Ingredients To Elevate That Jar Of Store-Bought Salsa

Salsa is one of the tastiest condiments out there. Its popularity among Americans has been spreading like wildfire for decades. As far back as 1992, the food surpassed ketchup in number of annual sales. 

It's easy to see why people love it. Salsa offers a powerful punch of flavor with just a handful of simple ingredients. Even though it's somewhat easy to make, we don't always have the time to make a fresh batch. There's no doubt that it's much easier to pick up one of your favorite jarred salsas at the grocery store. While there's nothing wrong with cashing in on its undeniable convenience, the reality is that jarred salsa often leaves some room for improvement. 

Luckily, we have a few tricks to help you transform these pre-made products into something truly mouthwatering. Even adding just one extra ingredient can tremendously improve the flavor of jarred salsa. Thankfully, most of these ingredients are things that you probably already have on hand. You won't even need to make another trip to the supermarket. Here are 13 ways to elevate that jar of store-bought salsa.

If mango isn't one of those fresh fruits that you usually have at home, it might be time to make a change. Mango has a deliciously tropical flavor that can suit a wide variety of dishes, including smoothies, salads, and baked goods. Another wise use of mango is in salsa. But rather than having to make the whole batch from scratch, you can simply dice some up and mix it into store-bought, jarred salsa.

Much like lime juice, it's a good idea to be mindful of how much mango you're adding to the salsa. The fruit can be very sweet, so adding too much has the potential to give your salsa an overly sweet flavor. You want to add just enough mango so that the fruit's presence feels more like a tasty surprise rather than a dominating addition. When you dice the fruit, cut it into bite-sized cubes, since bigger chunks will be awkward to chew.

Once you've upgraded your jarred salsa with mango, there are some great foods to enjoy it with. Eating mango salsa with crispy tortilla chips is deliciously rewarding, due to the tasty contrast between salty chips and sweet fruit. The condiment's fruity and tropical taste also makes it useful in seafood dishes. Try spooning some mango salsa over fish tacos, seared tuna, or shrimp kebabs. It also works wonders with fire-grilled chicken. 

Like other pre-made foods, jarred salsa tends to be salty. Don't get us wrong, salt has its place in a good batch of salsa. But when this condiment is not whipped up from scratch, the level of sodium is a bit heavy-handed. To solve this issue, we recommend adding a little drizzle of agave syrup. It combats saltiness, providing your jarred salsa with a more balanced flavor.

Agave syrup — also referred to as agave nectar — comes in a few different varieties. These categories include light, amber, dark, and raw agave. Lighter agave syrups tend to have a more neutral flavor, while darker varieties contain a richer taste that's reminiscent of caramel. In this application, we'd recommend using light agave syrup. You don't want your jarred salsa to taste like candy. All you're trying to do is add a little sweetness and cut through that salt. First try adding a little drizzle of syrup, stir the salsa well, and then adjust according to taste.

Pineapple is another ingredient you can use to upgrade jarred salsa. Because the fruit has a distinctively sweet-yet-tart taste, it's an effective way to balance this spicy condiment. You can always use a fresh one for this hack. However, we recognize that most people probably don't have a whole pineapple lying around. Instead, you can simply pick up a package of pre-cut fruit from the grocery store. That way, you won't have to do the messy work of getting through the pineapple's spiny exterior. Additionally, you can use the canned kind. While this product tends to be cheaper, it may also be less fresh. 

Preparing pre-cut pineapple for this recipe couldn't be more simple. All you have to do is take those bigger chunks and dice them into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Then, you can mix them into your store-bought salsa. This sweeter version of jarred salsa works well with recipes like chorizo tacos or tacos al pastor. 

If you like spice, you might find yourself disappointed with your store-bought salsa. Most of the major jarred salsa brands don't offer serious heat, which is appealing to some people. But for those of us who happen to enjoy spicy foods, adding hot peppers to jarred salsa is a way of life. 

You can do this by using a jar of pickled jalapeños. Pickled jalapeños have a long shelf life and a tangy flavor thanks to the brine they're packed in. Pluck a few out, give them a rough chop, and stir them into your salsa. Taste while doing so until you've reached your desired level of spiciness. Feel free to also add a few spoons of jalapeño brine. This will add even more flavor and heat.

If that's not enough spice for you, try habaneros. Habanero peppers are much spicier than jalapeños. They also have a different flavor profile, which is more citrusy and floral. These days, you can often find canned habaneros in the same part of the grocery store as pickled jalapeños. 

Peaches have a delicious flavor and juicy flesh. Both qualities can add some major "oomph" to your jarred salsa. While using a fresh peach is the tastiest option for this hack, there's also nothing wrong with using canned peaches. If you do, we'd recommend getting peaches canned in water. Avoid the kind packed in syrup. This syrup adds a lot of extra sugar which isn't helpful in this application. When attempting to upgrade your salsa this way, be sure to dice your peaches into smaller bits. 

A diced peach can take your jarred salsa from boring to breathtaking in no time. Peach salsa has a lovely complexity to it. Fruity peaches and tangy tomatoes are known for being a killer combination. You'll often see people enjoying these summer fruits together in salads. This produce pairing also shines in salsa. You can use peach salsa in additional recipes like grilled chicken tacos. 

One of the easiest ways to add some major flavor to your jarred salsa is hot sauce. Hot sauce has a briny spiciness that's guaranteed to give your store-bought condiment a special sparkle of heat. The real dilemma here is deciding what kind of hot sauce you'd like to add. Luckily, there are plenty of delicious ones to choose from.

One tasty and mild option is the brand Cholula's Chipotle Hot Sauce. This condiment brings a smokiness to the table that's bound to give your jarred salsa a boost in complexity. If you like your hot sauces even spicier, you could try Secret Aardvark's Habanero Hot Sauce. This brand's hot sauce is mostly made with roasted tomatoes, habaneros, carrots, and vinegar. Its creamy texture, as well as its tomato base, helps the sauce to easily blend into whatever store-bought salsa that you have on hand. Many other hot sauces will work as well. Try this hack yourself to find your favorite.