Learn how to make mojo rojo with this quick and easy recipe. In just a few minutes, you’ll be drizzling this flavorful and spicy red mojo sauce over all your favorite sides and mains or dipping bread, crackers or veggie sticks in it.
Have you ever heard of mojo rojo? It’s a traditional red sauce from the Canary Islands.
This flavorful and spicy sauce, also known as mojo canario or mojo picon, is made with red peppers, chili, garlic, cumin, red wine vinegar, salt, and olive oil.
It’s an essential part of Canarian cuisine and is used to enhance the flavor of many dishes.
I love it over Canarian potatoes, or papas arrugadas – this spicy sauce is undeniably moreish.
What Is Mojo Rojo?
Mojo rojo is a type of mojo sauce that originates from the Canary Islands, and it literally translates as red sauce.
You make this sauce with a few simple ingredients that deliver heat, spice, and intense flavor.
Why This Recipe Works
The combination of these ingredients creates a smoky and spicy flavor that adds color and heat to vegetables, potatoes, and proteins.
This mojo picon recipe also works really well as a dip for toasted flat breads or potatoes.
The red wine vinegar adds a subtle tangy freshness, and the red chili lets you make a mojo sauce spicy to taste.
It goes beautifully over salty Canarian potatoes, as a pasta sauce, or as a spicy dip for veggie sticks.
Is This Mojo Sauce Recipe Healthy?
In addition to its flavorful impact on your cooking, mojo rojo sauce can provide some health benefits due to its main ingredients.
Like my green harissa sauce and mojo verde, mojo picon is packed full of immune-boosting nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
Garlic is a natural source of antioxidants which may help reduce inflammation and improve immunity.
Cumin is rich in iron which helps support healthy blood levels while also aiding digestion.
The beta-carotene in red peppers may help protect against certain types of cancer as well as enhance skin health.
Olive oil helps to reduce high cholesterol levels, boost heart health, and can even assist with weight management.
With just a few simple ingredients this tasty sauce not only adds some extra spice and heat but can provide a range of potential health benefits too!
How to Make Mojo Rojo Sauce
Making mojo sauce is really easy (see this mojo rojo web story for a quick peak), with minimal prep time and just a few ingredients:
- Garlic
- Paprika
- Ground cumin
- Fresh red bell peppers
- Red wine vinegar
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt
- Slice of white bread
- Red chili peppers
First, roast the bell peppers and, once cooked, deseed them.
Then, put the cooked, deseeded fresh red peppers and all the other ingredients in a blender and pulse until well blended if you want it coarse or completely pureed if you like more smooth consistency.
Finally, add more sea salt or regular table salt to taste. Serve with bread, potatoes, veggies or protein of your choice. Enjoy!
How To Serve Red Mojo Sauce
Mojo roja makes an amazing dipping sauce or a dressing and can be served with many different dishes such as potatoes or breads.
You can also use it as an ingredient in sauces for pasta dishes, in place of pesto, or in soups for added flavor.
Additionally, you can use it as a marinade for tofu, mushroom steaks, or other proteins before grilling or baking them in the oven for extra flavor.
Mojo rojo is one of my favorite ways to dress my delicious easy baked potato wedges or beautiful, simple papas arrugadas.
Mojo sauce pairs really well with potatoes, lifting them and bringing real life and spice to the dish. Try it – you’ll be hooked!
Cook’s Tips
- Mojo rojo is flavorful and spicy Canarian red sauce that is perfect for bread, potatoes, veggie sticks or any kind of protein. This quick and easy recipe requires a few simple ingredients to make this delicious sauce that everyone will love.
- Add the olive oil slowly, and keep blending while you drizzle the oil in.
- If you use dried peppers instead of fresh, you’ll need to rehydrate them first. Just pop them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them sit in the hot water for about 15 to 20 minutes, then drain and add them to your blender.
- Add small amounts of chili at a time so you can control the heat of your mojo sauce.
- Store your mojo sauce in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- If you want to preserve your red sauce, just boil your jars in water for 15 minutes, then let them cool them. Pour in your completed sauce and add a tablespoon of olive oil on top. This preserves your sauce for up to 4 weeks when kept in the refrigerator.
- You can also freeze mojo sauce for up to 3 months.
Mojo Rojo Recipe Variations
- You can use canned roasted peppers to save time.
- Switch out fresh garlic for garlic powder. You can also dial down on the garlic if you prefer.
- Switch fresh chili peppers for dried peppers if that’s all you have (see notes on that above).
- Use smoked paprika for an extra smoky hit.
- You can skip the ground cumin if you don’t like it.
- Replace olive oil with avocado oil or other neutral oils of your choice.
- Replace the olive oil with a nut oil if you want a nutty undertone.
- Switch the red wine vinegar for organic apple cider vinegar with the mother for an extra healthy boost.
Recipes similar to mojo roja
- mojo verde
- green harissa
- vegan pesto
- avocado dressing
- buddha bowl dressing
- tkemali Georgian plum sauce
If you like this recipe, leave your feedback in the comments below, along with the star rating! It would be great if you shared the recipe with your family and friends 🙂
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Mojo Rojo: Canarian Red Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 large red bell peppers
- 1 red chili pepper with or without seeds, depending on how hot you like it
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 slice white bread
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup or 85 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
- First, preheat the oven to 400F or 200C. Place the bell peppers on the baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, giving them a half turn midway. Once cooked and cooled, deseed them. Alternatively, deseed them beforehald and place on the tray with the cut side down.
- Then, put the cooked, deseeded fresh red peppers and all the other ingredients in a blender and pulse until well blended if you want it coarse or completely pureed if you like more smooth consistency.
- Finally, add more sea salt or regular table salt to taste. Serve with bread, potatoes, veggies or protein of your choice. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook's Tips
- Mojo rojo (along with mojo verde) is flavorful and spicy Canarian red sauce that is perfect for bread, Canarian potatoes, veggie sticks or any kind of protein. This quick and easy recipe requires a few simple ingredients to make this delicious sauce that everyone will love.
- Add the olive oil slowly, and keep blending while you drizzle the oil in.
- If you use dried peppers instead of fresh, you'll need to rehydrate them first. Just pop them in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them sit in the hot water for about 15 to 20 minutes, then drain and add them to your blender.
- Add small amounts of chili at a time so you can control the heat of your mojo sauce.
- Store your mojo sauce in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- If you want to preserve your red sauce, just boil your jars in water for 15 minutes, then let them cool them. Pour in your completed sauce and add a tablespoon of olive oil on top. This preserves your sauce for up to 4 weeks when kept in the refrigerator.
- You can also freeze mojo sauce for up to 3 months.
Mojo Rojo Recipe Variations
- You can use canned roasted peppers to save time.
- Switch out fresh garlic for garlic powder. You can also dial down on the garlic if you prefer.
- Switch fresh chili peppers for dried peppers if that's all you have (see notes on that above).
- Use smoked paprika for an extra smoky hit.
- You can skip the ground cumin if you don’t like it.
- Replace olive oil with avocado oil or other neutral oils of your choice.
- Replace the olive oil with a nut oil if you want a nutty undertone.
- Switch the red wine vinegar for organic apple cider vinegar with the mother for an extra healthy boost.
Annastasia
Saturday 14th of September 2024
Loved it! I just came from Fuertuventura where i discovered this sauce. I really loved it. They told me the name and i went looking for a recipe and found this one. Amazing, almost alike! Unfortunately i was out of Olive oil but i had sesame oil so i tried this one and it came out perfect! But im not a nut person so i will try with normal oil next time. But it is a real recommendation if you like nuts!
Thanks for sharing this recipe! I will always have some in my fridge!! 💙
Maria
Saturday 4th of May 2024
Great recipe. Nice and fresh alternative to chimichurri.
Elena Szeliga
Sunday 5th of May 2024
Happy to hear you enjoyed it, Maria!
Anastasia
Tuesday 3rd of October 2023
Such a tasty recipe! We loved the balance of all the flavors. And perfectly vinegary for our liking.
Thank you, congrats on a great recipe
Elena Szeliga
Wednesday 4th of October 2023
So happy you like the recipe! Thank you for your kind feedback, Anastasia!