This Texas Secret Makes Your Salsa Taste ‘So Freaking Good’

Anyone who frequents a Tex-Mex restaurant knows the best part is the bottomless chips and salsa you get at the beginning of the meal. It might just be the Texan in me, but I’d be pretty content if my meal consisted of only this starter. 

When I explain Tex-Mex food to my friends who didn’t grow up in the Lone Star State, there are a couple of things I emphasize. First, don’t mess with Texans when it comes to their Tex-Mex. Secondly, Tex-Mex is very different from Mexican cuisine, and it takes a lot of liberties when it comes to traditional recipes, some of which might lead to an eyebrow raise or two.

One of these liberties is an East Texas tradition that I have some mixed feelings about. While some might say “no civilized Texans” engage in this flavor combo, others insist it is “the best” and only way to eat salsa.

The East Texas Tradition of Adding Butter or Margarine to Salsa

According to some Texans on Reddit, adding butter or margarine to salsa before dipping a tortilla chip is the only way to go. While my family enjoys butter on our tortillas when we go out for a comforting Tex-Mex meal, this combination was something I hadn’t seen before.

It seems the trend isn't only found on Reddit. Someone posted on TikTok about adding margarine to salsa, noting in the caption that this particular combination is “the best.” A commenter agreed, adding that it's “so freaking good.”

Others aren’t so sure about the idea. On another TikTok, some people said this is “not Texan behavior.” One Texan commented, “I am from TX, we do not claim this! Butter goes on biscuits!”

While it has mixed reviews, Tex-Mex lovers tend to agree that this practice is most commonly seen in East Texas. Fans of adding butter to salsa claim it cuts the heat and adds a unique flavor. However, it seems the tradition has not reached Dallas, where I am from, which explains why I hadn’t heard of it before. 

While researching this Tex-Mex trend, I learned that many East Texans also call salsa “hot sauce,” which, according to the comments, is another quirk specific to the region. I love hearing about how this beloved cuisine takes different forms all around Texas. It is a big state, after all, so it makes sense that each region has its own different approaches.

There is also a discrepancy over which kind of butter is best for salsa. While some fans call it butter, many say it's margarine. From what I have seen, many people have commented that this treat is best when the butter or margarine comes from a squirt bottle. For dire circumstances, pads of butter might be acceptable but they aren’t quite the same. 

I have to confess that I’m not against adding butter to salsa. This might be surprising given that I grew up in a region where this isn’t usually practiced, and Texans are pretty loyal to how their Tex-Mex is prepared. My favorite way to eat salsa is probably even more controversial, so I am not one to talk. What's my secret? I enjoy salsa with either ranch dressing or sour cream. In that sense, butter doesn’t seem too strange to me.

My opinions might upset my fellow Tex-Mex enthusiasts. But, as a native Dallasite, I’ve averaged about one Tex-Mex dinner a week pretty much since I was born. When you eat something so frequently, sometimes you need to switch it up. So, I’ll let the East Texans do their thing with this one. It might not be my favorite way to enjoy salsa, but who knows? Maybe one day I’ll change my mind.