Love that creamy, spicy avocado sauce that you get from your favorite Mexican restaurant? Then you’re going to want Herdez to have a permanent spot in your fridge. It has that comfort food factor mixed with a nice medium fiery punch. Let’s dive into the flavor, overall balance, and usability. But my guess: You’ll wonder why you’re not eating this hot sauce with every breakfast (full disclosure — I am!) and Mexican/Tex-Mex meal.
- Eating Score (Flavor, Heat Balance, Usability): 4.5/5
- Collectibility: 3/5
- Heat Level: Medium
Last update on 2025-10-04. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Ingredients and Flavor
Now, for all its tastiness, Herdez Avocado Sauce’s ingredient list is really quite long. The ingredients: water, tomatillos, soybean oil, green chili peppers, avocados, onions, cilantro, contains 2% or less of iodized salt (contains potassium iodate), acetic acid, dehydrated onion, lime juice concentrate, maltodextrin, natural and artificial Flavors, sugar, canola oil, calcium silicate, bakers yeast extract, modified corn starch, xanthan gum, ascorbic acid, citric acid, garlic powder, sodium benzoate (preservative), sodium bisulfite (preservative), sodium erythorbate, potassium sorbate, yellow 5, blue 1, yellow 6.
That’s a mouthful, with many ingredients here to protect flavor, acidify, and preserve. It may seem like a lot, but there’s one important thing to remember: This is an avocado hot sauce, and avocados go bad quicker than peppers and tomatoes (and turn color more dramatically in the process.) These acidifying ingredients, in particular, help keep the avocado from oxidizing (which is what creates the less attractive darker color that avocados take after the fruit is exposed to oxygen. So they help keep Herdez Avocado Hot Sauce looking consistently green (and tasting fresher) longer.
How does it all come together? Of course, that creamy, lightly nutty flavor of avocado is present throughout. You’ll get a citrusy zing right at the top from the lime and those sweet vegetal tomatillos, along with a light bright flavor from the green chili peppers. The taste of onions and garlic comes mid-bite, which goes perfectly with the avocado. The cilantro doesn’t come on too strong and adds just the right amount of cilantro flavor to round out this creamy sauce. Overall, it more than hints at classic guacamole (no tomatoes), just in a pourable form.
In terms of salt: The sodium sits at 35mg per teaspoon serving, so it’s a relatively low-sodium hot sauce. And even with the sodium being on the lower end of the scale it doesn’t taste that way. It’s surprisingly well balanced here, adding just enough to not have me reaching for the salt shaker.
Heat Balance
Herdez doesn’t announce the specific chili used in its hot sauce, instead positioning “green chili peppers”. But the sauce does have a notable low-medium kick, so I assume some grouping of green jalapeños, Fresnos, or serrano peppers is in the mix. If I was going to guess at the Scoville heat level, I’d place it in the 2,000 – 3,500 SHU range, about the same heat as a milder jalapeño pepper (2,500 to 8,000 SHU.)
The overall heat balance is close to perfect. It comes on quick, leaves quick, and never overpowers the subtle flavors you get in avocado. It complements the sauce; it doesn’t take it over. The spiciness hits in the front of the mouth and lessens dramatically after a few seconds. It’s relatively family-friendly, as long as your family loves spicy food to begin with, of course.
Usability
Overall, if you think of Herdez Avocado Hot Sauce as a guacamole sauce, you’re not far off. And that speaks to its usability. Really, anywhere where you’d use guacamole, this hot sauce is a viable alternative. Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes are obvious perfect choices. Tacos, burritos, and enchiladas all are made better with this hot sauce.
I’ve also found Herdez Avocado Hot Sauce to be my go-to for breakfast time. Mixing it into mashed avocado gives the typical avocado toast just a little more oomph. And it’s so good simply poured over eggs.
Don’t overlook, too, this avocado hot sauce as a salad dressing replacement. You could simply use it as-is, or thin it some with water or oil to get the consistency you prefer.
Herdez Avocado Hot Sauce is smooth with a medium thickness. The bottle opening is the size of a dime, so this hot sauce pours well. It doesn’t run so fast that you’re in jeopardy of over-pours, but Herdez knew the assignment. This is a hot sauce you use in bulk, not just a drop or two.
Collectibility
Herdez has been doing what it does best for generations, making salsa and other authentic Mexican condiments since 1914. When you reach for a bottle of this, you know you’re getting genuine ingredients, amazing flavor, and a bit of heritage as well. You really can’t lose. It has an authenticity that’s a terrific addition for any collection.
Is the bottle a show-stopper that grabs the eye? No. It’s practical — pointing to the ingredients inside and the brand name. And that’s all good in my book. This is a hot sauce you go to as a daily driver. It may not be quite as usable as a red sauce, but where it shines, it really shines.
The Score
Herdez Avocado Hot Sauce, with its guacamole-like flavor, is a perfect addition to Mexican and Tex-Mex meals. Its low-medium heat provides pop without overtaking the subtle avocado flavors. It’s well balanced and flavorful – an easy recommendation and a terrific family-friendly option for the table.
Last update on 2025-10-04. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
EATING SCORE (Flavor, Heat Balance, Usability) | 4.5 |
COLLECTIBILITY | 3.0 |
Overall Flavor | 4.5 |
Heat Balance | 4.7 |
Usability | 4.3 |
Related
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- Fiery Avocado Hummus: Don’t stop with DIY sauce. Hummus is simply delish with avocado in the mix.