A versatile Peruvian sauce recipe, this aji amarillo sauce is made with fresh aji peppers and brings a nice level of spice to fried or roasted vegetables and any grilled meats. It’s a wonderful table sauce.
Earlier today I posted a recipe for Aji Amarillo Chili Paste, which is an essential ingredient in Peruvian cooking. As mentioned there, I grew Aji Amarillo peppers in my garden this year and the harvest was quite bountiful.
Aji Amarillo peppers have a good level of heat – in the 30,000 – 50,000 Scoville Heat Units range. That’s about 6-10 times hotter than your average jalapeno pepper. Not bad! Learn more about the Scoville Scale here.
The Ají Amarillo is grown in all areas of Peru. Used by the Incas, it is still the most common and popular pepper in that country.
Learn more about Aji Amarillo Chili Peppers.
If you’re a fan of Peruvian cuisine, you most likely need to purchase Aji Amarillo peppers in dried or paste form, which is totally great, but since I grew them, I got to make my own Aji Amarillo Paste from scratch, which is so much better. Fresher for sure.
It allowed me to make this popular Peruvian condiment – Aji Amarillo Sauce.
The Aji Amarillo paste is mixed with other ingredients, including mayo, crema, tomato paste and more to make a simple table or dipping sauce.
Let’s talk about how to make Aji Amarillo Sauce, shall we?
Aju Amarillo Sauce Ingredients
For the Aji Amarillo Paste
- Aji Amarillo Peppers. Chopped.
- Onion. Chopped.
- Garlic Clove. Chopped.
- Salt.
- Olive Oil.
For the Sauce
- Mayonnaise.
- Crema. Or use sour cream.
- Tomato Paste. Ketchup is a good substitute.
- Shallot. Minced.
- Lime Juice.
- Salt and Pepper.
How to Make Aji Amarillo Sauce – The Recipe Method
Make the chili paste first by adding the following ingredients to a food processor – 2 chopped aji amarillo peppers, a tablespoon chopped onion, 1 chopped garlic clove, pinch of salt and a tablespoon of olive oil.
Process the mixture until a thick paste forms.
You can thin it out a bit with water or a bit more oil if you need to, but it is best nice and thick as you’ll be using it as a flavoring component. See my recipe for Aji Amarillo Chili Paste here with more discussion.
To make the sauce, add the following to a mixing bowl – ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup crema (or use sour cream), 1 tablespoon tomato paste (ketchup is a good substitute), 1 small minced shallot, a tablespoon of lime juice, and a bit of salt and pepper to taste.
Like so.
Mix it up with a whisk or a fork.
Boom! Done!
Super easy, isn’t it?
Serving Suggestions for Aji Amarillo Sauce
Consider creamy Aji Amarillo Sauce as a dipper for French Fries. It’s crazy delicious as a dipper.
Dip any roasted or fried veggies into it for a flavor blast. Spoon it over grilled meats, particularly chicken, like Peruvian Chicken. It’s also used over this Peruvian dish of Salchipapa (French Fry and Sausages). It is traditionally served over Tiradito, a Peruvian crudo or ceviche.
I also love to serve it as a salad dressing or use it as the creamy element in a homemade spicy coleslaw recipe.
That’s it, my friends! I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Variations and Pepper Substitutions. I used FRESH aji peppers, here, though you can pan cook them or roast them first for a different flavor.
- You can also try other peppers, such as other aji peppers, or consider the yellow bell pepper for a no heat version. If you do want some heat, use a mix of peppers, such as a yellow bell along with part of or a whole habanero or Scotch Bonnet.
- Purchase Aji Amarillo Paste Online at Amazon (Affiliate link, my friends).
Storage & Leftovers
Storing your Aji Amarillo Sauce in an airtight container in the fridge may allow to keep it for up to 1-2 weeks. To maximize the storage life, make sure to refrigerate your sauce promptly.
Try Some of My Other Popular Sauce Recipes
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! — Mike H.
Aji Amarillo Sauce – Recipe
A versatile Peruvian sauce recipe, this aji amarillo sauce is made with fresh aji peppers and brings a nice level of spice to fried or roasted vegetables and any grilled meats. It’s a wonderful table sauce.
Servings: 8
Tap or hover to scale
Ingredients
FOR THE AJI AMARILLO PASTE
- 2 aji amarillo peppers chopped
- 1 tablespoon chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove chopped
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
FOR THE SAUCE
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup crema or use sour cream
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste (ketchup is a good substitute)
- 1 small shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
For the paste, add all of the ingredients to a food processor and process until nice a thick paste forms.
-
For the sauce, mix in the remaining ingredients. You can either mix by hand or use the processor for a thinner consistency.
-
Adjust for salt and pepper and serve!
Nutrition Information
Calories: 130kcal Carbohydrates: 2g Fat: 13g Saturated Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 9mg Sodium: 135mg Potassium: 38mg Sugar: 1g Vitamin A: 95IU Vitamin C: 5mg Calcium: 12mg Iron: 0.1mg
