Qdoba Mexican Grill is known for their delicious burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and other Mexican favorites. One of the things that sets Qdoba apart is their wide variety of salsas and hot sauces that customers can add to customize their meals.
Diablo Sauce
One of Qdoba’s hottest salsa options is the Diablo Sauce. This salsa gets its kick from a blend of habanero and ghost peppers, two of the hottest peppers in the world. The Diablo Sauce ranks at around 250,000 Scoville heat units on the Scoville scale, which measures the pungency of chili peppers and hot sauces.
In addition to the habanero and ghost peppers, the Diablo Sauce contains tomato puree, onions, garlic, salt, and spices. It has a bright reddish-orange color and a smooth, slightly thick texture. The flavor is predominantly spicy and hot, with subtle fruity and smoky undertones from the peppers. The heat builds slowly but surely, bringing intense spice that will make your mouth burn.
The Diablo Sauce lives up to its name – it packs quite an intense punch of heat. Just a spoonful or two is enough to add serious spiciness to any Qdoba meal. It’s not for the faint of heart – this salsa should be approached with caution and is best-suited for hardcore spice lovers.
Habanero Salsa
Another very spicy salsa option available at Qdoba is the Habanero Salsa. As the name suggests, habanero peppers are the starring ingredient. Habaneros are an extremely hot variety of chili pepper, rating 100,000-350,000 Scoville heat units.
In addition to habaneros, Qdoba’s Habanero Salsa is made with vinegar, onions, carrots, tomato paste, salt, garlic, and spices. It has a bright reddish-orange color and a smooth, slightly thick consistency. The flavor profile balances the intense heat from the habaneros with tangy, slightly sweet notes. You get the pungent, fruity flavor of the habaneros up front, followed by a strong kick of lasting heat.
Although not quite as hot as the Diablo Sauce, the Habanero Salsa definitely brings the spice. It packs a mighty punch of heat thatbuilds gradually. This salsa is recommended for those who really love spicy food and want to break a sweat.
Fire-Roasted Chile Pequin Salsa
For another hot option with milder heat, Qdoba has their Fire-Roasted Chile Pequin Salsa. This salsa gets its heat from pequin peppers, which rate around 50,000-100,000 Scoville units. Pequins bring a bright, acidic heat that comes on quickly.
In addition to pequin peppers, the Fire-Roasted Chile Pequin Salsa contains fire-roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, and cilantro. It has a coarse texture with chunks of tomatoes and peppers. The flavor profile balances the upfront heat from the pequins with tangy tomato, lime, and onion notes. The heat level is strong but manageable, landing more in the medium range.
For those who want some kick but don’t enjoy extreme spice, the Fire-Roasted Chile Pequin Salsa makes a good choice. It brings a solid punch of heat while still allowing the other tasty flavors to shine.
Conclusion
When it comes to spicy hot salsas at Qdoba Mexican Grill, there are a few stand-out options. The Diablo Sauce is the hottest of the hot, packing intense habanero and ghost pepper spice. Habanero Salsa also brings serious heat thanks to its namesake pepper. For medium heat, the Fire-Roasted Chile Pequin Salsa offers a manageable kick from pequins. So for Qdoba fans craving spicy salsas to spice up burritos, bowls, and more, these fiery options are sure to satisfy.