Macho Nacho $2 Pistol salsa jar

Macho Nacho at Madeline's

Macho Nacho is a small, family-run salsa company started by siblings Payton McKinnon Dean, Cole McKinnon, and Dylan McKinnon. It began as a traveling food cart selling nachos, tacos, and lemonade at fairs and festivals across western Illinois and northeast Missouri, then moved its salsa into jars for retail in 2022.

The recipe came out of a long stretch of taste-testing dozens of versions before the owners settled on the final one, which is now produced at an FDA-approved kitchen in Virginia, Illinois. The whole lineup shares the same tomato base, with each jar dialed to a different spot on the heat scale.

That makes the range easy to read as a heat ladder: the Original is a no-heat classic tomato salsa, the Sweet swaps in a noticeably sweet tomato flavor, the Spicy adds Serrano for a light-to-medium kick, the $2 Pistol brings medium heat with a smoky undertone, and Liquid Lava is the hottest, built for a real, lingering burn. Every flavor comes in a 16 oz jar.

Macho Nacho products at Madeline's

Every item below is live and in stock at Madeline's. Click any product to see full details, weights, and ordering.

  • Macho Nacho Original salsa jar

    Original Salsa 16 oz ($9.99). A no-heat, classic tomato salsa in a 16 oz jar. Clean tomato flavor with zero spice, a reliable everyday choice for kids, heat-sensitive eaters, and guests who want salsa without the burn.

  • Macho Nacho Sweet salsa jar

    Sweet Salsa 16 oz ($9.99). A heat-free, sweet tomato salsa in a 16 oz jar. It swaps the usual savory profile for a noticeably sweet flavor, useful for fruit pairings, brunch tables, and guests who avoid spice entirely.

  • Macho Nacho Spicy salsa jar

    Spicy Salsa 16 oz ($9.99). A classic tomato base with Serrano pepper heat in a 16 oz jar. It sits in the light-to-medium range, more heat than the Original but well short of Liquid Lava, an approachable everyday spicy salsa.

  • Macho Nacho $2 Pistol salsa jar

    $2 Pistol Salsa 16 oz ($9.99). Medium spice with a signature smoky undertone in a 16 oz jar. The most flavor-complex option in the lineup, good for scooping with chips or cooking into a smoky base for stews and marinades.

  • Macho Nacho Liquid Lava salsa jar

    Liquid Lava 16 oz ($9.99). The hottest salsa in the lineup, in a 16 oz jar. It delivers a serious, building burn that lingers, built for heat-seekers who want real fire rather than a polite tingle.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I buy Macho Nacho salsa?

You can buy Macho Nacho salsa online at Madeline's (madelines.co), which carries the full heat ladder: Original, Sweet, Spicy, $2 Pistol, and Liquid Lava, each in a 16 oz jar. The products listed above are live and in stock.

What is Macho Nacho?

Macho Nacho is a small, family-run salsa company started by the McKinnon siblings. It began as a traveling food cart at fairs and festivals in western Illinois and northeast Missouri before moving its salsa into jars for retail in 2022.

Which Macho Nacho salsa is the hottest?

Liquid Lava is the hottest in the lineup, with a serious, lingering burn. The heat scale runs from no-heat Original and Sweet, up through the light-to-medium Spicy (Serrano) and the medium, smoky $2 Pistol, to Liquid Lava at the top.

Is there a no-heat option?

Yes. Both the Original and the Sweet salsas have zero heat. The Original is a clean, classic tomato salsa, and the Sweet leans into a noticeably sweet tomato flavor, so both work for kids and heat-sensitive eaters.

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