SOMOS is a US-based Mexican brand that offers tasty flavored rice, beans, and salsas in pouches and jars. The company just launched a line of simmer sauces made in Mexico to capture the country’s authentic flavors. Founded by three Mexican American friends — Miguel Leal, Rodrigo Zuloaga, and Daniel Lubetzky (the founder of Kind Snacks) — Somos (which means “we are” in Spanish) uses recipes with the same ingredients their abuelas used when cooking from scratch. The sauces taste fresh, are made with quality ingredients, and have a nice texture from bits of tomatoes and veggies. The taco sauce has a subtle kick, especially from cumin, while the fajita sauce gets a gentle heat from chipotle, ancho, and guajillo peppers. There are two enchilada sauces — red and green — both with a hint of smokiness from fire-roasted tomatoes and tomatillos. A standout is the Al Pastor taco sauce, a traditional Mexican sauce used for marinated pork roasted on a spit. It’s dark, rich, mildly spiced, with a sweet note from pineapple. These sauces make it super easy to whip up classic Mexican dishes or use them as marinades for grilling meats ($4.99 for 12-ounces). Available at Whole Foods Market locations.
Ann Trieger Kurland can be reached at anntrieger@gmail.com.