Huichol Hot Sauce is a classic red hot sauce, similar to Cholula. This is a well balanced, mild-to-medium hot sauce – think flavor-forward, not vinegar forward. You’ll feel the heat, but it dissipates fairly quickly, which makes this an everyday hot sauce that you can use on every bite, across a wide range of foods. So it’s a very usable sauce, but how well does its heat and flavor set it apart? Let’s break it all down.
- Eating Score (Flavor, Heat Balance, Usability): 4.7/5
- Total Score (+ Collectibility, X-Factor): 4.5/5
- Heat Level: Medium
Last update on 2024-09-12. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Video Review
Flavor
If you’re a fan of Cholula, you’ll be a fan of Salsa Huichol. They’re very similar hot sauces, but to me, Huichol’s overall flavor and heat balance are better.
The ingredients in Huichol Hot Sauce are chili peppers, spices, salt, and vinegar. This is the tasting order as well.
The pepper isn’t announced on the label, but it’s well-known that Huichol Hot Sauce uses cascabel peppers as its base. Cascabels are a mild to low-medium heat chili (1,000 to 3,000 Scoville heat units) with a delicious earthy and nutty flavor which just adds to Huichol Hot Sauce’s flavor profile. You’ll taste the smooth, earthy balance of the chilies on the first bite, then the smooth consistency of the spices (especially earthy cumin) hits.
The vinegar is so slight, which really allows you to enjoy the chilies and spice. Huichol also has to me just the right amount of sodium — just enough to skip any additional salting on the foods where I use it.
Heat Balance
This sauce is on the low-end of medium heat for a hot sauce. It’s well balanced with a decent enough kick to satisfy, while also allowing you to keep using it throughout your meal.
There’s a very smooth balance to this heat, with a kick that lingers ever so slightly on your tongue. This is not a back of the throat kick at all. This is an everyday kind of sauce that you will want to dash onto every bite. It never overtakes the taste of your food. Seriously, my entire burrito is covered head to toe in this without me needing milk to wash it all down.
Usability
This is one versatile, everyday hot sauce. I used Salsa Huichol on my sauteed vegetables and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to broccoli without this alongside it. It’s delicious with eggs and a great addition to a Bloody Mary. This is a sauce that you can put on everything and the flavor and heat won’t overpower.
And, of course, any Mexican food is made better with Salsa Huichol — burritos, beans, Mexican soups, and more all work. Don’t overlook it for seafood, too.
The bottle is just a thin plastic squeeze bottle with an opening that makes it great for larger drops or a strong drizzle. It’s super easy to squeeze out a good amount, which is perfect for hot sauce lovers like myself. They want you to use the sauce the way it should be used (which is quickly and in large quantities.) Buy the two-pack because this will live on your dinner table.
Collectibility
I like their classic label, which reminds you it’s a product of Mexico. It just looks like the real deal is waiting for you inside. Their labeling and bottling make it feel like this sauce should be used every single day and with vigor. That said — it’s not a look that’ll grab the eye immediately. But when it does, it just feels “authentic”.
I only wish it came in a larger bottle because I can tell you it’s not long before this bottle of Huichol is going to be empty.
The Score
Huichol Hot Sauce is a deliciously earthy, flavor-forward sauce with a mild to low-medium heat. Very versatile.
Last update on 2024-09-12. We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
| EATING SCORE (Flavor, Heat Balance, Usability) | 4.7 |
| TOTAL SCORE (+ Collectibility, X-Factor) | 4.5 |
| Overall Flavor | 5 |
| Heat Balance | 4.5 |
| Usability | 4.5 |
| Collectibility | 4 |
| X-Factor | 4.5 |
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