Tomate de Árbol Ají (Tamarillo Hot Sauce)

This bold, tangy Tomate de Árbol Ají (tamarillo hot sauce) is a staple in Ecuadorian kitchens—bright with lime, herby with cilantro, and spiked with just the right amount of heat. If you’ve ever been to Ecuador, chances are you’ve had a version of this sauce!

What is Tomate de Árbol Ají?

Tomate de árbol ají is a spicy Ecuadorian condiment made from tamarillos (tree tomato), a unique fruit native to the Andes with a tart, tangy flavor. Blended with fresh chili, lime juice, and cilantro, then mixed with red onion, this sauce adds a punch of acidity and heat to fried or grilled dishes—especially those involving potatoes, plantains, or yuca!

Ingredients

You just need a handful of ingredients to make this Ecuadorian tomate de árbol ají recipe. Here's what you'll need:

• Tamarillos (Tomate de Árbol / Tree Tomatoes): The star ingredient. Use fresh tamarillos when available, but frozen pulp works too.
• Red Chili Pepper: Adds heat without overpowering. Start with one deseeded pepper, and add more if you like it spicy.
• Red Onion: Thinly sliced and pickled in lime juice, it brings a subtle sweetness and crunch to the finished sauce.
• Lime Juice: Brightens the sauce and balances the tamarillo’s tartness—fresh is best!
• Salt: Essential for rounding out the flavors. If using table salt, start with 1.5 teaspoons and adjust to taste.
• Cilantro: Adds fresh, herbal depth. Use both leaves and tender stems.
• Olive Oil: Just a drizzle at the end gives the sauce a silky finish and ties everything together.

See recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Ecuadorian Tomate de Árbol Ají

1. Prep the Chili: Slice open the hot chili pepper and remove the seeds.
2. Boil: In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the chili pepper and tamarillos, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tamarillo skins begin to split. Remove the tamarillos and chili from the water and set them aside to cool slightly. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water.

3. Prep the Onions: While the tamarillos cool, place the thinly sliced red onion in a small bowl and cover with the lime juice. Let the onions pickle as you prepare the rest of the sauce.

4. Peel the Tamarillos: Once cool enough to handle, peel the tamarillos and remove the stems along with the firm white core just beneath the stem.

5. Add Ingredients to Food Processor: Add the peeled tamarillos, chili pepper, reserved cooking water, and cilantro to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

6. Combine with Pickled Onions: Pour the tamarillo mixture over the pickled onions. Stir in the salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime juice or salt, if needed.

7. Serve: Serve with empanadas, patacones, or llapingachos—and enjoy!

How to Make Tamarillo Hot Sauce with Frozen Pulp

If using frozen tamarillo pulp instead of fresh:

1. Thaw & Blend: Allow the pulp to thaw on the counter or in the fridge. Once thawed, place in the blender or food processor with the deseeded hot pepper and cilantro. Blend until smooth. 
2. Pickle the Onions: Place the thinly sliced onion in a bowl and allow them to soak in the lime juice. 
3. Simmer: After blending the tamarillo mixture, transfer to a skillet and cook on the stove for just a few minutes. This will round out the flavors and will allow you to store it longer. 
4. Cool & Mix: Allow the tamarillo mixture to cool a bit before mixing with the onion and lime juice mixture in the bowl. Add salt and olive oil and mix well. Chill until ready to use!

Tips for Success

Serving Suggestions

Tomate de árbol ají is a must-have on the Ecuadorian table. Try it with:

• Llapingachos – the creamy, cheesy potato patties pair perfectly with this tangy sauce.
• Grilled meats – spoon it on top or serve on the side for dipping. Try it with my cast iron chicken breast.
• Anything with plantains – especially empanadas de verde or patacones, where the sauce cuts through the richness.
• Yuca frita – hot sauce and crispy fried yuca (or my air fryer yuca fries) is an unbeatable combination.

More Recipes to Try

• Peach Mango Salsa
• Tomato and Onion Curtido
• Cevichocho
• Ecuadorian Bean Menestra
• Colombian Empanadas

Tomate de Arbol Ají (Tamarillo Hot Sauce) Recipe

This bold, tangy Tomate de Árbol Ají (tamarillo hot sauce) is a staple in Ecuadorian kitchens—bright with lime, herby with cilantro, and spiked with just the right amount of heat. If you’ve ever been to Ecuador, chances are you’ve had a version of this sauce!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Course sauce

Cuisine Ecuadorian

Servings 8 servings (about 1 cup)

Calories 12 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 tamarillos (tomates de arbol) or 7-8 oz of frozen pulp (see notes for directions)
• 1 red hot chili pepper deseeded, add more peppers for more heat
• 1 red onion sliced thin
• juice of 2 limes
• 2 teaspoon salt if using table salt, start with 1.5 tsp
• 5-6 cilantro sprigs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Instructions

 

• Slice open the hot chili pepper and remove the seeds.
• In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the chili pepper and tamarillos, then reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the tamarillo skins begin to split. Remove the tamarillos and chili from the water and set them aside to cool slightly. Reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water.
• While the tamarillos cool, place the thinly sliced red onion in a small bowl and cover with the lime juice. Let the onions pickle as you prepare the rest of the sauce.
• Once cool enough to handle, peel the tamarillos and remove the stems along with the firm white core just beneath the stem.
• Add the peeled tamarillos, chili pepper, reserved cooking water, and cilantro to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
• Pour the tamarillo mixture over the pickled onions. Stir in the salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime juice or salt, if needed.
• Serve with empanadas, patacones, or llapingachos—and enjoy!

Notes

If using frozen tamarillo pulp:

1. Allow the pulp to thaw on the counter or in the fridge. Once thawed, place in the blender or food processor with the deseeded hot pepper and cilantro. Blend until smooth. 
2. Place the thinly sliced onion in a bowl and allow them to soak in the lime juice. 
3. After blending the tamarillo mixture, transfer to a skillet and cook on the stove for just a few minutes. This will round out the flavors and will allow you to store it longer. 
4. Allow the tamarillo mixture to cool a bit before mixing with the onion and lime juice mixture in the bowl. Add salt and olive oil and mix well. Chill until ready to use!

Nutrition

Calories: 12kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 0.3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.4gSodium: 583mgPotassium: 45mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 138IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 0.1mg

Keyword tamarillo hot sauce, tomate de arbol ají

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