When we first heard from Tom Pfleider that the Art of Chipotle was going to be coming out with some new salsas, we were pretty excited to try those. When we reviewed the original Art of Chipotle line of products back in 2005, those became instant faves at home…so much so that we’ve seldom been without a bottle of something from them at all times.

I gravitated to this salsa first because its base is the Smokey Red Sensation, which was my favorite of the original line of Art of Chipotle sauces. My comment was that “it is spiciest of their sauces, but palatable on a wide range of foods” and “the taste of the jalapeno peppers is a little more evident since it is somewhat less sweet.” While those comments may not sound so glowing out of context, the base of this salsa is truly a special sauce, but not necessarily a spicy-hot one. The description from their site says:

Distinctive black bean and corn salsa based on our award winning Smokey Red Sensation sauce. All natural, nutritionally clean, & gluten free.

Ingredients: tomatoes, water, onions, black beans, corn, chipotle paste (dried and smoked jalapeno peppers, tomato paste, water, vinegar, salt, citric acid), apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, cilantro, chili powder, cumin, lime puree, salt, xanthan gum

Now that’s a great list of ingredients, with nary a bad one in the bunch.

I also wanted to try this one because I have been a little disenchanted with black bean and corn salsas in general, as I’ve found few that can balance heat and flavor to my liking. I knew this one wouldn’t be all that hot, but would the flavor and heat be paired up well? Linda is normally our resident chipotle expert, but she allowed me a chance to give this one a try and I’ll do my best to report my findings.

First impression: Same good label graphics as their other products, which provides nice consumer appeal for them. The aroma is mellow and very bean-heavy (is that a real word?), almost like a cross between baked beans and a spicy chili. Here’s the view from the top of the jar:

It’s moderately thick and pours fairly easily from the jar. Corn and black beans are easily visible, and this salsa manages to keep the ratio the way I think it should be. That is, more typical salsa ingredients (tomatoes, onions, etc) than the beans and corn. Overall, a rather appealing salsa in both aroma and appearance.

Taste: What I can say is that this salsa had a surprisingly different sorta taste. Although it’s labeled as a “medium” salsa, I’d go so far as to say it’s mild-to-medium at best. The taste is more mellow than that of the Smokey Red Sensation it’s based on, without that same element of jalapeno bite that I tasted previously. Here’s a closer look at a spoonful out of the jar:

Kinda chunky and a little starchy (the beans again), you taste just hint of the spices used in this salsa, but the overall profile is pure chipotle. Very much a smokey, earthy sort of taste to be sure. One interesting thing I noticed during a few tasting was that I liked this salsa better at room temperature rather than right out of the fridge, as I believe the flavor mellows a little more as it warms up a bit.

The chip-and-dip use of this salsa is there, but I liked it better with other foods than by itself. It’s an absolutely perfect side dish to about ANY Mexican entree you can imagine, a possible quick chili fixin’, and also delightful as topping for huevos rancheros. The great thing about this salsa is that it compliments most foods’ taste rather than overwhelm them with its own flavor. An uncommon quality.

Overall recommendation: Art of Chipotle makes a solid entry into the salsa market with their line of salsa, and this one aims to please. Mellow & mild, this one is accessible to even chilehead newbies and those looking for flavor rather than heat. What it lack in pure snacking potential it makes up in its utility in other aspects of your cooking. Chipotle lovers need to make this one a must-try due to its earthy, smokey-ish taste as well. A good salsa from great people, give this one a try for yourself. Enjoy!

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