Mojo Rojo (Canarian Red Sauce)
Have a wonderful taste of the Canary Islands through this mojo rojo sauce! Spicy, versatile, and super flavorful, it’s sure to bring a vibrant kick to everything it touches. It’s the perfect addition to your repertoire of sauces!
If you’ve been browsing my site long enough, then you know that I LOVE all things spicy (and I am an absolute condiment fiend!). Something about the heat makes food more enjoyable! But with this mojo sauce, you won’t just get spicy — there’s also a hint of smokiness and tanginess there, too. Trust me when I say this red mojo is so good you’ll be using it on every dish imaginable. Happy eating!
Why You’ll Love This Versatile Red Sauce
- It’s so easy to make! The blender or food processor does most of the work for you.
- It takes less than ten ingredients to make mojo rojo. You might even have most of them in the pantry already.
- It’s super versatile! Use this tasty sauce to flavor various veggies or as a dipping sauce for fries or bread. Check out our suggestions below for more ideas!
- It’s unbelievably flavorful. Every time you use it, you’ll get spicy, savory, and tangy notes.
- This mojo sauce is made with fresh ingredients and free of chemicals or preservatives.
- This recipe is vegan and vegetarian — perfect to serve guests with dietary restrictions.
What is Mojo Rojo?
Mojo rojo means “red sauce.” It’s a sauce from the Canary Islands commonly used to flavor their dishes. It’s typically made from red peppers, garlic, olive oil, red wine vinegar, paprika, and salt. It’s popularly paired with papas arrugadas (wrinkly small potatoes), another Canary Island specialty, but it can also be used to give many other various dishes a flavor boost.
Ingredient Notes
Mild Dried Red Chiles: Act as the backbone of the sauce, giving it its signature red color and rich flavor. While ñora peppers are traditionally used, I like to use guajillo or ancho chiles for this recipe (and they are more easily sourced!).
Garlic Cloves: Imparts pungent and savory flavors to the sauce.
Smoked Paprika: Provides smoky undertones to the mojo rojo.
Cumin Seeds: Add a warm, earthy flavor to the sauce mixture. Seeds give the most flavor in my opinion, but in a pinch, you can use a quarter a teaspoon of ground cumin instead.
Red Wine Vinegar: Provides the sauce with a sharp and tangy kick, which helps balance the overall flavors. If you do not have red wine, apple cider vinegar can be used with similar results.
Olive Oil: Helps blend and emulsify the ingredients, giving you a smooth and creamy sauce.
Water: Can be used to adjust the consistency of the sauce to suit your preferences.
Salt: Enhances the taste of the other ingredients.
How to Make Mojo Rojo
- Soak the dried peppers in warm water for 30 minutes, then remove seeds and stems.
- Blend the soaked peppers, garlic, paprika, cumin seeds, vinegar, olive oil, and salt until smooth, adding water as needed for a thick but pourable consistency.
- Taste, adjust salt, and enjoy!
Variations
- Add roasted red bell peppers or chipotle chiles for a deeper, smokier flavor.
- Blend in toasted nuts like almonds or hazelnuts for a nutty twist.
- Add herbs like cilantro or parsley to achieve fresh undertones.
- Use dried hot peppers like habanero to give it a more intense heat.
- Add a dollop of Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, or sour cream for added creaminess. This makes a great dip!
How to Use Mojo Rojo
- As a dipping sauce for crusty bread, grilled vegetables, roasted potatoes, or fresh veggie sticks.
- As a dipping sauce for a bowl of sweet potato fries.
- As a topping for baked potatoes or oven-baked sweet potato slices.
- As a marinade for veggies (like tofu or mushroom steak) before baking, grilling, or roasting them.
- As a spread on sandwich bread, wraps, or burgers.
- Drizzled on toast or breakfast burritos.
- Added in soups, casseroles, salads, and pasta to give them extra flavor.
- Drizzled on roasted cabbage steaks.
Storage
Store mojo rojo in an airtight container (like jars or resealable containers) in the refrigerator. It can last for up to five days.
More Delicious Sauce Recipes You Might Love
Lemon Ginger Coconut Milk Sauce
Mojo Rojo Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 mild dried red chiles ñora peppers are traditionally used, I like to use guajillo or ancho chiles
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Water as needed, for consistency, I usually need around 5 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Rehydrate the dried peppers by soaking them in warm water for about 30 minutes, then remove the seeds and stems.
- Place the soaked peppers, garlic, paprika, cumin seeds, vinegar, olive oil, and a pinch of salt in a blender or food processor.
- Blend until smooth, adding a tablespoon of water at a time to achieve the desired consistency. The sauce should be thick but pourable.
- Taste and adjust salt to suit preferences.
- Enjoy!