Chamoy Sauce
Homemade chamoy sauce embodies all the incredible flavors of Mexican cuisine! This recipe features dried fruits, ancho chiles, lime juice, and flor de Jamaica. The spicy, tangy, sweet, and salty flavors work perfectly with fruit, drinks, and frozen desserts.
Making chamoy sauce at home is surprisingly straightforward, requiring just a handful of ingredients. If you’re interested in the vibrant flavors of chamoy, my easy mango chamoy recipe is the perfect variation to try next!
Why I love this recipe
If you’ve ever been to Mexico, you’ve likely encountered chamoy. This condiment is sold everywhere in one form or the other. However, store-bought options are full of high-fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, and additives.
This chamoy sauce recipe is so much healthier! It’s made with natural fruit and no artificial ingredients. It’s also vegan, gluten-free, and oil-free making it suitable for just about any dietary need or preference. Plus, it can easily be made without sugar.
I combine dried apricots and plums with chiles, lime, sugar, hibiscus flowers, and tamarind. The end result is spicy, tangy, salty, and sweet. Plus, the color is vibrant red-purple and so smooth. It’s like nothing you’ve ever experienced before!
“Such a great recipe! Easier to make than you might think and the flavors are so good. We served it over fruit and can’t wait to make it again.” — ANA
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Ingredient notes
You only need 10 ingredients for this chamoy sauce recipe. Find a full breakdown and suitable substitutes below!
Chiles
For spice, I use ancho chiles and cayenne powder. This combination is mild to moderately hot and adds a smoky, subtly sweet flavor.
Substitute: Guajillo peppers and pasilla peppers will provide similar heat levels with fruitier notes. Or, try arbol chiles for a spicier chamoy sauce.
Dried fruits
I use a mixture of dried apricots and plums for a balance of tartness and sweetness.
Substitute: Try dried peaches or mangos for an equally delicious flavor. If you can get your hands on some, you can even try ume plums.
Flor de Jamaica (hibiscus flowers)
Dried hibiscus flowers add a beautiful red color and tart, cranberry-like flavor. You should be able to find flor de Jamaica at any Mexican food market or online.
Tamarind paste
Provides a distinctively sour and tangy flavor. You’ll have the best luck finding tamarind paste at Mexican or Asian food markets. You can also order some online.
Substitute: Lime juice mixed with a bit of brown sugar will emulate tamarind’s sweet-sour profile.
Lime
For another tangy, acidic component, I use freshly squeezed lime juice. Do not use lime juice from concentrate here! It’s not the same.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to the recipe card.
How to make
Don’t be intimidated by making chamoy sauce, even if you’ve never tried it. Follow my step-by-step instructions for the perfect flavors and textures. Look for the tips in green throughout this section for consistent and successful results!
Cooking
Step 1
Stem and seed the ancho chiles. Add the chiles, dried fruit, flor de Jamaica, cane sugar, salt, and water to a medium saucepan. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce it to a simmer for about half an hour so the flavors release and meld together.
If you prefer an extra spicy sauce, you can leave the seeds in. Just note that the sauce won’t turn out as smoothly.
Step 2
Once the fruit has softened and the mixture looks ready, turn off the stove and let it cool. Transfer everything to a blender and mix the ingredients on high until the consistency is smooth.
Letting the mixture cool for a few minutes before transferring it to a blender will help prevent any kitchen accidents.
Step 3
Once blended, squeeze in fresh lime juice. Taste test and adjust any of the other seasonings to your preferences — more lime for tang, cane sugar for sweetness, or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
Step 4
Last, but certainly not least, add a pinch of cayenne powder for more heat. Serve your chamoy sauce right away, or transfer it to a mason jar or airtight container for storage. Happy eating!
The extra spice is optional, but I highly recommend it for a more authentic flavor.
Expert tip
Since this chamoy sauce recipe is not made with traditional pickled fruits, you need to have patience with the simmering. This slow process really helps to meld the flavors into a cohesive whole, so be patient here!
It’s also important to use good-quality fruit, chiles, and tamarind. This will dramatically improve the flavor of the chamoy sauce.
I suggest experimenting with the types and amounts of dried fruits and chiles to find out which combination you like best. And if you don’t own a high-powered blender, strain your sauce for the smoothest consistency possible!
Serving suggestions
Chamoy sauce is extremely easy to make and so versatile! I love it with fruits and veggies like mangoes, pineapple, papaya, watermelon, cucumber, and jicama.
You can use it as a marinade with tofu, as a dip with chips, to rim micheladas and Caesars with, or to drizzle on mangonadas. Another way to incorporate chamoy is in raspados (shaved ice) or paletas (popsicles).
Make dulces enchilados by covering vegan-friendly candies like skittles, gummy bears, or dried mangoes in chamoy and Tajin. Or, try your chamoy sauce atop chicharrones de harina or tostilocos.
Cooking tips
Add spice at the end: Taste the chamoy sauce once it’s blended, then add the cayenne to your preferred spice level. You can always add more, but you can’t take it away!
Adjust the consistency: I sometimes prefer a thicker sauce, and other times I thin it out. The great thing about making your own chamoy sauce is you get to decide on the final consistency!
Hold the lime: Don’t add lime juice while the ingredients are simmering. Squeeze the lime juice in once your chamoy is blended for the freshest flavor.
Stem and seed: I suggest stemming and seeding the chiles before blending them. Seeds can often taste bitter, so it’s better to add cayenne at the end for more spice.
Storage
Chamoy sauce is easy to make and both fridge and freezer-friendly. To prevent condensation, let it cool to room temperature before storing it.
Fridge
Chamoy sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1-2 months. For optimal freshness, keep it in an airtight glass jar or container. Glass doesn’t retain odors and is easy to clean, so it doesn’t affect the sauce’s taste.
Freezer
Freezing chamoy sauce is a great option for extending its shelf life. Pour the cooled sauce into ice cube trays. Once frozen, transfer the cubes to freezer-safe bags for up to 6 months. Just thaw the cubes on an individual basis when you need more.
Frequently asked questions
While this recipe calls for dried fruits because of their concentrated flavor, you can use fresh apricots and plums. Remember that the sauce may require additional simmering time to reduce and thicken.
Yes, you can adjust the sweetness by reducing or omitting the cane sugar. However, chamoy is known for its balance of sweet and spicy, so you may want tother elements to maintain balance.
The spiciness of chamoy sauce completely depends on the chiles that are added. This sauce is not very spicy at all, but you can add extra cayenne to give it a bit of a kick.
Watch how to make it
More recipes with chamoy
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Recipe
Best Chamoy Sauce
Equipment
- Kitchen shears
- Saucepan
- Blender
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 ancho chiles
- 1 cup dried apricots
- ½ cup dried plums, pitted
- 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
- ½ cup flor de Jamaica
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 4 cups water
- ¼ cup lime juice
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
Instructions
- Stem and seed the ancho chiles. Add the chiles, dried fruit, flor de Jamaica, cane sugar, salt, and water to a saucepan. Make sure there are no seeds in the tamarind paste, then add it as well.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool for ~10 minutes.
- Once cooled, transfer everything to a blender and squeeze in the lime juice. Mix on high until you reach a smooth consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding cayenne powder for spice, lime for tang, cane sugar for sweetness, or water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Serve your chamoy sauce with fruits, vegetables, drinks, or chips. Transfer the rest to a mason jar or airtight container for storage. Happy eating!
Notes
Nutrition
Note: I’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
Justine Drosdovech is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. She is a self-taught plant-based chef but uses her healthcare background to craft dishes that are both delicious and nourishing.