Recipes for traditional Ecuadorian sauces, including savory, spicy and sweet sauces:
Aji criollo: Aji criollo is an Ecuadorian hot sauce made with hot peppers, cilantro, garlic, onion and lime
Aji de tomate de árbol: Tree tomato or tamarillo aji is a very tasty hot sauce made from tree tomatoes or tamarillos, hot peppers, onion, cilantro and lime juice.
Cebollas encurtidas: Cebollas encurtidas are Ecuadorian lime pickled red onions
Mayonesa casera: Recipe for homemade mayonnaise made with egg, cumin, onion, salt, sunflower oil and lemon juice
Mayonesa de cilantro: Cilantro, lime and garlic aioli or mayonnaise sauce
Salsa de queso con cilantro: Queso fresco and cilantro sauce
Salsa de mani: Salsa de mani or warm peanut sauce made with peanut butter, milk, onion, cumin, achiote, cilantro and hard-boiled egg (optional).
Salsa rosada: Salsa rosada, also known as salsa golf, is a mix of mayonnaise and ketchup. For a completely from scratch version try the salsa rosada that is served on my favorite salchipapas.
Miel de panela: Miel de panela or miel de caña is a sweet syrup made from panela or piloncillo. It is used as a sweetener for drinks and also in a variety of Ecuadorian desserts.
Salsa de ciruela: This sweet and sour prune sauce is made with prunes, red wine, port, shallots, and balsamic vinegar. This holiday sauce goes great with turkey, pork, chicken, duck and other meats.
Mermelada de piña: Homemade pineapple marmalade or jam infused with cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and lemon verbena.
I visited Quito Ecuador over the summer and I’m trying to figure out what this sauce was that they served with almost every dish. It almost looked pink but the Salsa de mani and Aji de tomate de árbol look very similar. Do these two sauces sometimes have a pink color to them?
Aji de tomate de árbol can have a pinkish look, the color of fruit sometimes varies. Do you remember the flavor? If it was fruity and mildly spicy it was probably aji de tomate de árbol.
I think I know what you are talking about. Try 3 tomato’s, 1 large or 2 small/medium onions quartered, 4 peppercini or pickled banana peppers, salt to taste, 1 table spoon of the pepper juice, and a bit of water about a 1/4 of a cup put all ingredients into a blender and puree. Make sure to remove seeds and stems from the peppers. Store in glass jar and put in fridge to chill before serving goes great over rice but just drizzle it on..
Can I use frozen tomate de arbol…which is what I have.
Thank you
Yes, you can.
This batch I am using thinly sliced red onions and chopped green. I will try it raw next time, thank you! :)
Hola Laylita, So happy I have found your recipe website. I have lived in Ecuador for a year and a half now and want to know how to make some of their tasty dishes.
“Aji de tomate de árbol: Tree tomato or tamarillo aji is a very tasty hot sauce made from tree tomatoes or tamarillos, hot peppers, onion, cilantro and lime juice.”
With this salsa…I assume I am to boil the tomates….whole or cut up and peeled? and for how long? I have all of the ingredients today :)
Gracias, Suzanne
Hi Suzanne – You can boil the tree tomatoes, whole and then peel them as you would regular tomatoes. You can also peel them first and blend them with the aji, and then cook the sauce. The sauce lasts longer if you boil or cook the tree tomatoes. However, if you’re going to eat the sauce in a 1-2 days, and you have fresh tree tomatoes, then it tastes so much better to make the sauce raw: peel the tree tomatoes (cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the flesh), blend them with an aji or hot pepper, a little bit of lemon juice, and some oil. Then add salt to taste, chopped green onions and chopped cilantro. It’s so good when completely fresh.
jaja…I made it just now and it’s delicious! gracias
first time I didn’t add enough salt I guess….3 yr later and determined paid off
I am so excited to find your website, I lived in Ecuador for 3 Years and I really
Miss the food! I can’t wait to make some of my favorite dishes!
How do you make the Salsa de mani? Is this the one I saw on Anthony Bourdain’s recent show in Ecuador? Thanks!
Hi Cynthia – It’s been a while since I watched that episode. The salsa de mani featured here is the one that you served on top of llapingachos (cheese stuffed potato patties), it’s also great on top of plain boiled potatoes or yuca. The recipe is here: https://www.laylita.com/recipes/2008/04/07/salsa-de-mani-or-peanut-sauce/