Mojo Picón (Spicy Red Pepper Sauce)

Mojo picón dip or sauce is ready in minutes to save any bland meal from a tasteless fate! With its rustic, spicy, bold blend of garlic, peppers, and spices, it's so good you might start putting it on everything.

While it's commonly served as a dip alongside the Canary Islands' famous wrinkly potatoes (papas arrugadas), this spicy red pepper sauce also works wonders as a marinade or as a flavorful drizzle over vegetables.

I modified the traditional mojo sauce recipe for convenience, swapping in jarred roasted red peppers instead of using dried red peppers that must be soaked first. This little shortcut keeps things simple but still nails that rich, authentic mojo taste.

I like to keep it old-school and a bit rough around the edges by using a mortar and pestle like in my Cuban mojo criollo recipe. Crushing and mixing everything by hand adds that special rustic something you just can't get from a machine.

At my house, we serve it up as an appetizer, with slices of crusty French bread or tangy sourdough.

What Is Mojo Picón?

Mojo picón is a flavorful dipping sauce from the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of Africa's northwest coast and where my father's family originates.

There are many variations of this dip throughout Spain and beyond.

'Mojo' means sauce or marinade in Spanish. The term 'picón' in the context of Mojo Picón, translates to "spicy" or "pungent" in English. When you see 'picón' attached to 'mojo,' it's a heads-up that you're in for a spicy treat.

Mojo picón is the spicier version of mojo rojo (red mojo) and is traditionally made with a base of oil, vinegar, spices, and dried red peppers. The peppers are usually a variety called "pimiento choricero," which are small and slightly sweet, although other peppers can also be used.

This sauce is similar to Salsa Romesco (Easy Romesco Sauce), a delicious Spanish recipe that also has red peppers but includes tomatoes and almonds.

Ingredients

With a handful of easy-to-find ingredients, you can have an appetizer ready to go in minutes. See the recipe card for quantities.

• Red Chili Peppers - I use 2 Calabrian chili peppers from a jar, but you can adjust for your heat preference. You can substitute them with any other type of chili peppers.
• Roasted red peppers - I use jarred roasted red peppers.
• Red wine vinegar - white wine vinegar, balsamic, or sherry vinegar are good substitutes.
• Olive oil - use extra virgin olive oil if available
• Roasting Your Own Red Peppers - You can roast an oiled and salted red pepper in a 400° F oven until charred, about 25 minutes. When they cool, remove the skin, which is ready for use.

Variations

• Incorporate a slice of day-old bread torn into pieces (or bread crumbs). Mash it up with all the other ingredients in the mortar until it's mixed in really well.
• Add a bit of grated orange or lemon zest for a citrusy twist that brightens the flavors. This is especially lovely in the summer.
• Opt for toasted cumin seeds over ground cumin, crushing them in the mortar.

How To Make An Easy Mojo Picon

Here is a preview of this quick and easy recipe for those who like to see what they'll be doing. For more details, check out the recipe post at the bottom of this post.

Step 1: Crush the garlic with salt and a splash of olive oil in a mortar until you get a fine paste.

Step 2: Mix in 2-3 chili peppers, cumin, and paprika.

Step 3: Gradually crush a chopped jarred pepper, working in batches for small mortars.

Step 4: Add a couple of tablespoons or more of olive oil - up to 4 tablespoons.

Step 5: Add a tablespoon of red wine vinegar and mix until well incorporated.

Step 6: Taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Serve at room temperature.

Top Tips

• A mortar and pestle has been a kitchen staple for centuries, transforming garlic and spices into flavor-packed essentials by releasing their natural oils. Recipes like this shine when you use one, elevating the taste and texture. If you don’t already own one, it’s worth the investment—you’ll find yourself using it often for this rustic dip or seasoning blends like Creole Seasoning Recipe, Adobo Spice Blend, or these 20 Seasoning Blends.
• With all that said, I don't recommend using a food processor as it will change the texture and consistency of this recipe.
• Add a tiny bit of oil when crushing the garlic with the salt.
• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil first and mix. Decide if you want to add one or two more until it reaches your desired consistency.
• If you like making sauces, dips, and dressings at home as much as I do, I have a quick and easy method you can learn about in How to Make Homemade Vegan Sauces.

Serving Suggestions

• Grilled or Roasted Vegetables: Marinate your favorite vegetables, such as zucchini, potatoes, eggplant, portobello mushrooms, and bell peppers, in mojo picón for a few hours before grilling them. The spicy sauce will infuse the veggies with a delicious smoky flavor. Serve it with Sheet Pan Oven Roasted Vegetables.
• Serve it alongside Vegan Spanish Omelet (Spanish Tortilla).
• Quinoa Salad: Drizzle mojo picón over a quinoa salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, and fresh cilantro for a delicious and nutritious plant-based meal.
• Vegan Burgers: Move over ketchup. For an extra layer of flavor, spread mojo picón on your favorite vegan burger, like a chipotle black bean burger.
• Sandwiches/wraps: Spread a little of this sauce on a sandwich or wrap for extra flavor. It is delicious in this Vegan Falafel Wrap.
• Dipping Sauce: Serve mojo picón as a dipping sauce for crusty bread, fries or vegetable crudités. It's a great addition to any appetizer platter.

FAQS

More Vegan Spanish-Inspired Recipes