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There is always great confusion about sauces, especially when it comes to identifying them, knowing the best one possible for your dishes, and differentiating them from each other. Our focus today is on Picante sauce vs taco sauce.
Picante sauce is a subset of modern Salsa made from Pace corporation. Taco sauce is more liquid, giving it a thinner and soupier texture. On the other hand, Taco sauce is made of a tomato base, vinegar, and sugar for flavor balance and dried spices. It has a thick yet smooth texture.
Let’s quickly analyze Picante sauce and taco sauce individually, identifying their characteristics, differences, and similarities.
What is Picante Sauce?
The word “Picante” is gotten from the Spanish word called “Picar,” which means “to sting.”
Picante is a sauce that is made from hot peppers.
That is why it bears the name Picante, which could mean spicy or hot in any case.
An excellent way to differentiate Picante sauce from other types of sauce or Salsa is by looking at its textural level. It usually comes in a semi-liquid form, and it is prepared by cooking the ingredients.
We can enjoy the heat of Picante sauce in our dishes today because a man called David E. Pace developed it. Picante is a food product, among others which the Pace corporation invented.
This man developed a mixture of tomatoes and hot peppers like jalapeños and onions.
This is why today, the Picante sauce is considered to be a modern modification of the salsa recipe, which was first developed by the Aztecs, Incas, and the Mayans.
David Pace developed it when he was experimenting with the ingredients with which Salsa was made. He used two varieties of jalapeños, the hot and mild ones, to make two flavors of the Picante sauce.
Picante sauce is made with tomatoes, onions, cilantro, jalapeño chili, clove, chili powder, salt, hot pepper sauce, lime juice, and lime zest.
All of these ingredients are blended into a smoothened mixture that is thick. You can use it as a sauce for fajitas, enchiladas, burritos, and tacos. Or simply as a dip for tortilla chips.
What is Taco Sauce?
It’s almost like every day Salsa out there; the taco sauce contains tomatoes, onions, sweet or hot peppers, or both. You can add some drops of vinegar or lemon juice to get the tart spiciness.
“Taco Sauce” is a general term or identification for smooth sauces made with tomatoes, chilies, and spices. A brand that has been making such a sauce is the La Victoria. It has been making the sauce since 1917.
Taco sauce is best when added to tacos. Still, it has gradually become an inclusive flavorer capable of bringing a delicious, smoky, and spicy Mexican flavor to several recipes.
It can also be used as a dipping sauce for your choice of chips, tater tots, or burritos, and it is excellent for drizzling over the top of a plate of delicious nachos.
The sauce is trendy, so much so that merely walking down the aisle of any grocery store will almost always have you seeing at least five different brands.
It is very easy to make at home, though, and the wonderful thing is that you can customize it to your taste.
Taco sauce is made primarily from a tomato sauce base; other ingredients are Cumin, Garlic, Paprika — preferably smoked, Oregano, Cayenne, Onion Powder. You can add Salt and pepper to your taste.
The beautiful thing is that you can equally add some sugar or even droplets of honey or maple syrup to taste if you would like a little sweetness in your spice.
Picante Sauce Vs Taco Sauce: Key Differences
The difference between Picante sauce and taco sauce is that the Picante is more liquid, which makes it most appropriate for soups, and the taco sauce is thicker in texture, making it more suitable for solid dishes.
The ingredients for Picante sauce are fresh and blended together and then cooked; taco sauce, on the other hand, requires more spices for ingredients with a tomato sauce for the base.
Can You Substitute Taco Sauce for Picante Sauce?
Having identified the various properties of each sauce, the big question pops up. Can you substitute one for the other? They both can be made in mild or hot forms; you can use them for your tacos, burritos, chips, and others.
The answer to this question boils down to personal preference. In other words, it depends on what you want and the kind of taste you want in your dish per time.
Aside from that, taco sauce and Picante sauce would taste great with any condiments they go with.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Picante sauce and taco sauce the same thing?
No, Picante sauce and taco sauce are not the same. With the meaning of the word ‘Picante’ in mind, this question is relatively easy to answer. A way to differentiate between Picante sauce and other types of Salsa is by checking out the texture. It comes in an almost liquid form, and it is prepared by cooking the ingredients together.
What can I substitute for Picante sauce?
There are many options. You can decide to use a mild salsa Roja or Salsa ranchero to replace it to get a similar texture, but it would be without the heat.
Is salsa and Picante sauce the same thing?
Picante is a variant of Salsa. A sauce that is smooth and puréed-like is the Picante; the semi-chunky texture of the same sauce is the Salsa.
What are the different taco sauces?
They come in diverse types and forms. They include Salsa de Chamoy, Pico de Gallo, Salsa Verde, Guacamole-Style Salsa Verde, Salsa Roja, Salsa de Chile de Árbol among others.
Is taco sauce and hot sauce the same thing?
Taco sauce and hot sauce are two different types of sauce. You see, the hot sauce adds heat to the dish. But taco sauce is that bright splash that pulls all the flavors together and elevates them.
Conclusion
So, which should you choose between Picante sauce vs Taco sauce?
It all depends on the flavor and textural consistency you want in your sauce.
Taco sauce is smoothly blended, having the consistency of thin ketchup. It is made from tomato paste instead of whole tomatoes. It doesn’t contain the seeds and pieces of vegetables that can be found in Picante sauce.
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