Picante Sauce - like Pace

Pace Salsa is expensive. So is the picante sauce. And to be honest, they are nearly the same to me. Salsa happens to be just a little bit chunkier but flavor wise, it's the same. Why the price difference? WHY?!? Anyway, being the cheapskate I am, I decided to give making salsa/picante sauce a try.

The original recipe came from who knows where and again, I've changed it to suit my taste. It's nearly identical to Pace mild Picante and has much less salt (like all my other recipes...surprise, surprise!). Be forewarned though that when you make this, it WILL smell up your house with vinegar and jalapenos. It goes away after awhile but the payoff is worth it.

Picante Sauce - like Pace

14 oz can petit cut tomatoes
14 oz can tomato sauce
14 oz water
3 jalapenos, seeded and minced
1 yellow onion, minced
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 Tbsp dried onion flakes
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt

Put everything into a large sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn down heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Let cool and jar it up.


This makes about 48 oz of sauce and I usually divide the sauce up into 2 large cottage cheese containers. I use one and freeze the other as this freezes very well. Also, if you really like your picante chunky (then it would be called salsa, right?), substitute another 14 oz can petite diced tomatoes for the tomato sauce. If you like a hotter sauce, leave the seeds of the jalapenos in and/or add Tobasco to taste.