Mojo Picón Sauce Recipe - Spanish Recipes
This easy and delicious mojo picón sauce is one of my favorite Spanish condiments!
- 1 large dried ñora pepper (or a dried red chili pepper)
- 2-5 dried cayenne peppers
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup sherry or red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt (to taste)
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 slices white bread
- Rehydrate the ñora pepper by rinsing and soaking it in hot water for about an hour.
- Fry the slices of bread in olive oil until golden on both sides, then let them drain on paper towels.
- Break up the fried bread and add it to a blender or food processor, then add the hydrated pepper and other remaining ingredients, except the olive oil. Blend until smooth.
- Keep the blender running and add the olive oil slowly until the sauce is smooth and emulsified. Adjust the salt to taste.
- Enjoy your homemade mojo picón sauce with papas arrugadas or barbecued meat.
This popular Canarian sauce has a slightly smokey, spicy flavor that perfectly complements the small, wrinkly Canarian potatoes called papas arrugadas. Learn how to make this simple recipe from scratch!
If you love Spanish dipping sauces, don't miss my recipes for bravas sauce and Canarian mojo verde.
Ingredients
With my secrets, you can make a mouthwatering mojo picón sauce with what you have available at home. Here's the key ingredients that you'll need!
- Ñora Pepper: This sweet, dried red pepper is great alternative to the native Canarian picona pepper, which is nearly impossible to find off of the islands. Any sweet dried red pepper will work here!
- White Bread: A few slices of white bread will be toasted to add flavor, and then will be blended with the other ingredients to thicken the sauce (like in salmorejo).
- Sherry Vinegar: This type of vinegar really adds a lovely mild flavor that complements the garlic and peppers beautifully. You can also use red wine vinegar, too.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Mojo Picón
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Hydrate the ñora pepper by soaking it in hot water for about an hour. (image 1)
- Fry the sliced bread in olive oil until golden on both sides, then drain on paper towel and let it cool briefly. (image 2)
- Tear the bread into smaller pieces and add it to a blender or food processor. Add the remaining ingredients, except the olive oil. (image 3)
- Blend until smooth, then slowly add the oil while the blender is running. (image 4)
Recipe FAQs
What is mojo picón made of? Mojo picón is a red sauce from the Canary Islands that's made from a mixture of dried peppers, garlic, toasted bread, and olive oil flavored with cumin, salt, and vinegar.
It can be puréed in a blender, or crushed in a mortar and pestle (which is the more traditional way). What to eat with mojo picón?
Mojo picón is traditionally served as a dipping sauce with papas arrugadas, which are Canarian small wrinkly potatoes crusted in salt. In addition, mojo picón's tangy, spicy, smoky flavor pairs beautifully with other vegetables or with barbecued meat.
Serve
In the Canary Islands, there is no doubt that the sauce of choice is the slightly spicy mojo picón--especially when paired with papas arrugadas. But if you can't find these wrinkly potatoes where you live, don't worry, the savory sauce pairs perfectly with barbecued meats as well.
Expert Tips
- Any type of sweet (not spicy) dried red pepper will work if you can't find a Canarian picona pepper or Spanish ñora pepper.
- Adjust the amount of dried cayenne peppers to taste!
- Instead of blending the sauce in a blender or a food processor, you can also use an immersion blender or even a mortar and pestle.
