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!
Servings: 8 servings (about 1 cup)
Calories: 12kcal
Ingredients
- 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:
- 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.
- Place the thinly sliced onion in a bowl and allow them to soak in the lime juice.
- 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.
- 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!