Chamoy sauce will add a unique and zesty twist to various dishes and snacks. It can be made at home and enjoyed not only in Mexico but also by people around the world who appreciate its distinctive and delicious taste.
Chamoy is a type of Mexican condiment or sauce that is known for its sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors. It is typically made from a combination of dried fruit, chili peppers, lime juice, and salt.
Chamoy is commonly used as a topping or dip for various snacks, such as pepinos con chile, vegetables, chips, or candies. It adds a tangy, spicy, and savory kick to the food it accompanies.
In addition to its use as a condiment, chamoy is also used as a flavoring for beverages, such as micheladas, and fruit-based drinks like mangonadas.
The taste of chamoy can vary depending on the fruits used, but it generally has a balance of sweet and sour notes from the tropical fruit, a spicy kick from the chili peppers, and a hint of saltiness.
Ingredients
Dried Fruit: We are using prunes and apricots in this recipe, but other dried fruits like mangos, raisins, and peaches work too.
Dried Hibiscus Flowers: Known in Spanish as flores de jamaica, this ingredient adds not only texture and color but also a particular tarty flavor.
Chili Powder: To keep things simple, we recommend using a blend of your favorite chili powder and adjusting the spiciness to your liking. If chili powder is not available, use dried chilies like chile de arbol, cayenne, guajillo, or any other red hot pepper.
Sugar: We like the bold flavor of cane sugar, but feel free to use muscovado or regular granulated sugar.
Lime Juice: It adds a tangy and tart touch to the sauce. You can sub with bottled lemon juice or with lemon powder.
Water: How much water you add will depend on the texture you would like to achieve. If you want to make chamoy paste, use less water than the recipe calls for.
How To Make Chamoy
Place all ingredients, besides the lime juice, in a saucepan. Set heat to medium and bring to a boil.
TOP TIP: Do not add the lime juice at the start or it will make the mixture acquire a bitter taste.
As soon as the water starts to boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer all ingredients for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time. Do not cover the pan.
Once 30 minutes have passed, remove the pan from the heat and place it in a cool spot, so it will cool down quickly.
You can also transfer the mixture to a bowl so it will cool down faster.
Once the mixture has cooled down, transfer everything to a blender or food processor, add the lime juice, and then blend until you will have a smooth sauce.
I blended it at high speed for 4 minutes, remember, the longer you blend, the smoother your sauce will be.
Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. You can add more salt, chili powder, lime juice, or sugar.
Last, adjust the sauce consistency by adding more water if you prefer. Then transfer the sauce to a bowl or store as suggested below.
Expert Tips
- Balance the flavors: This Mexican sauce is known for its balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors. Adjust the ingredients to achieve the desired balance.
- Blend well: To achieve a smooth and uniform texture, blend all the ingredients together until you have a thick, paste-like consistency. Make sure there are no lumps or chunks in the sauce.
- Customize it: You can personalize this recipe with additional ingredients. Some variations include adding a touch of vinegar for tanginess, garlic for extra flavor, or a dash of Maggi sauce for depth. Be creative and adjust the recipe to your liking.
How To Eat
This delicious particular sauce can be paired with so many foods, here are a few ideas for you:
Fresh Vegetables: Try this pepinos locos recipe or drizzle over jicama, celery, cucumber, carrots, or any other crunchy vegetable.
Fresh Fruit: Make our super fun Sandia Loca (crazy watermelon), or just add it to chunks of apples, mangos, papaya, peaches, watermelon, or pineapple to make vasos de fruta.
Chips: Drizzle it over your favorite chips, or make our recipe for chicharrones de harina (wheel chips). Want more fun? Serve those Tostilocos at your party!
Glaze: You could also use it to glaze pork chops, chicken wings, or meatball appetizers.
Drinks: Use it to prepare some mangonadas, or to rim mango michelada and tamarind margaritas, the sweet and spicy flavors add a nice kick to those drinks!
Storage
Transfer the chamoy sauce to a jar and store it in the fridge for up to 2 months. Make sure to always use a clean spoon for taking the sauce, preferably transfer the quantity needed to a bowl and eat it all, and never return leftovers to the jar.
In the freezer, this sauce will last about 4 months. To store it we recommend using small resealable bags or ice cube trays. Thaw overnight in the fridge and use it as needed.
FAQ
What is chamoy sauce made of?
Chamoy sauce is made of dried fruits (mango, apricots, and plumps), chili powder, hibiscus flowers, brown sugar, salt, and lime juice.
Is chamoy the same as TajÃn?
No, chamoy and TajÃn are not the same thing, although they are often used together in Mexican cuisine.
Chamoy is a type of sauce with a dense texture. It combines sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
TajÃn, on the other hand, is a popular Mexican seasoning made from a blend of chili peppers, lime, and salt. It is often sold as a powdered spice mixture and is known for its tangy and slightly spicy flavor.
While chamoy and TajÃn can be used together to enhance the flavor of certain foods, they are distinct products with their own unique characteristics and flavors.
It is vegan?
Yes, chamoy is typically vegan as it is made from fruit, chili peppers, lime juice, and salt. These ingredients are plant-based and do not involve any animal products.
More Sauce Recipes
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Video
Chamoy
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried apricots
- ½ cup prunes (pitted)
- ½ cup dried hibiscus flowers
- â…“ cup chili powder (read notes)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups water
Instructions
- Transfer all ingredients, besides the lime juice, to a saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes over low heat mixing from time to time.
- Allow the mixture to cool down completely.
- Transfer everything to a blender and add the lime juice.
- Blend for 4-5 minutes or until you will have a smooth sauce.
- Adjust salt, lime juice, sugar, and spicy to taste.
- Transfer to a jar and enjoy it or store for up to 2 months in the fridge and up to 4 months in the freezer.
Notes
- Chili powder spiciness can vary from brand to brand (or recipe), we recommend you start with a couple of tablespoons and adjust from there.Â
- You can also use dried chilies instead of chili powder, any red, dried, and spicy pepper can work, so use whatever you have available.
Chamoy sauce is a personal favorite! I love its zesty kick. It’s a game-changer for my snacks. It goes so well with mango! Simple, unique, and always satisfying!
This recipe is the best! Chamoy is one my favorite sauces but I am always afraid of eating so much processed food and the store-bought version is just not my first choice. This is how I like to make my chamoy at home, with a few tweaks like adding chile de arbol to cook along with the fruit and then blending, instead of the chili powder. Thank you for the recipe AND the video, it really helps to see the texture and the step-by-step process.
I made the recipe some days ago to serve it for a party and it was a HIT! even kids loved it lol! I was afraid it will be too spicy for them but it was not, and I added the exact amount of chili powder.
Adults enjoyed this chamoy sauce with salty snacks and some adventurous made micheladas with it ^^ kids placed some sauce on their plates and dipped their fruit and some snacks, they were so happy and loved every single bit.
Thank you so much, I didn’t know you could make chamoy at home and be so easy! I will never go back to the store bought.