Chamoy sauce is a Mexican condiment that has the perfect mix of tangy, sweet, and spicy flavors. Made with a blend of dried fruits, chiles, citrus, and hibiscus, it’s a staple in Mexican cuisine and a tasty way to add flavor to both sweet and savory foods.
What is Chamoy Sauce?
This simultaneously sweet and savory sauce is a blend of fruits like prunes and apricots with spicy chiles and zesty lime juice. It also incorporates hibiscus, which imparts floral undertones.
Chamoy is a popular condiment in Mexico where it’s sprinkled onto anything from sliced fruit to savory street foods like tacos or nachos. It’s also used to make a sweet and tangy candy.
Food historians have different theories on the origins of chamoy. Some say that chamoy was likely first created by a Japanese immigrant in Mexico in the early 1920’s while others believe that Chinese immigrants are responsible for first producing the sauce somewhere between the 16th and 19th centuries.
What You’ll Need
Most of these chamoy sauce ingredients are easy to find at the grocery store, but if your local grocer doesn’t carry them, you can always find them online. A full list of ingredients with measurements for this recipe is available in the printable recipe card below.
- Water
- Dried red chiles
- Dried apricots
- Dried prunes
- Dried hibiscus flowers
- Raisins
- Sugar
- Coarse Kosher salt
- Fresh lime juice
Perfect Pairings
You can serve chamoy sauce on all sorts of sweet and savory foods. Use it as a dipping sauce for your favorite fruit, veggie sticks, or tortilla chips. You can also add a few dashes to a homemade fruit salad or jazz up store-bought fruit cups.
We also like to splash some onto nachos, tacos, or street corn salad or toss it with chicken wings. It’s also a simple way to upgrade your daily smoothie — or a bowl of ice cream.
And don’t sleep on using it to rim cocktail glasses — dip it into tajin seasoning, too, for a truly elevated martini or margarita.
- Salt – I like to use coarse kosher salt to help bring out the flavors of the other ingredients. If using another type, keep in mind that all salts measure differently.
- Seasonings – Spice it up (or tone it down) by adjusting the amount of chile peppers you use. You can also add chili powder. Use fresh herbs from your garden, like basil or mint, to change the sauce up. Add a touch of smoked paprika or liquid smoke for a smoky-flavored sauce.
- Swaps – Instead of cane sugar, use brown sugar or honey to sweeten the sauce. Try mixing up the fruits. Incorporate different fruit flavors like fresh mango or watermelon.
- Senses – Chamoy sauce tingles your tongue with a bold mix of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. It smells tangy and fruity, coats everything in a sticky red sheen, and delivers a lip-puckering zing with every bite.
Chamoy Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups water
- 3-5 dried red chiles
- 3/4 cup dried apricots
- 3/4 cup dried prunes
- 1/2 cup dried hibiscus flor de Jamaica
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Instructions
- Add the water, chiles, apricots, prunes, hibiscus, raisons, sugar and salt to a medium saucepan. Bring to a low boil making sure all of the dried chiles are submerged in order to reconstitute. Simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Transfer the whole mixture to a high powered blender (you might have to work in batches) or a food processor. Blend until large pieces are pureed, but the sauce still has good body and texture. It will not be fully smooth and should be thick.
- Use hot, warm or room temperature.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings!
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 2 months.
Yes! Freeze chamoy in a freezer-safe container or a freezer-safe bag for up to 6 months. You can also store it in ice cube trays for single-size servings.
Commonly Asked Questions
No, although the two sauces are used in the same manner, they have different base ingredients, and tajin is sometimes even used in chamoy sauce recipes. Chamoy has the base of dried fruits, while tajin is chile and lime.
Chamoy is a complex sauce that has a combination of sweet and salty flavors, with a slight spiciness and a touch of tanginess.
Chamoy is a condiment that’s often used on fresh fruit and veggies. Melons, pineapples, apples, and jicama are all popular pairings.
Chamoy is also used to make candy, and it’s spooned onto savory foods, as well.
Other Savory Sauces
If you know me, you know how much I love a good homemade sauce. Here are some of my favorites.
I’m pretty sure my local store doesn’t carry Chamoy Sauce. But regardless, it’s so awesome to be able to make it myself, especially since it has such a long shelf life. It’s so unique – thanks for a new culinary adventure!!
I have been missing out on this chamoy sauce all my life. It looks and sounds fantastic. I can’t wait to put it on everything!
This was such a unique and unexpected that does not disappoint! Love the balance of flavors with the fruit and the chiles; easily, a new favorite sauce!
Oooh, such a delicious homemade sauce! I love all those flavors and it looks amazing paired with the corn.
This chamoy is perfect on my mangoes. I loved the kick of sweet heat. Making my own was way better than the storebought ones.