Published: · Modified: by Nicola · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
If you've ever visited the Canary Islands and tried the local food, you've almost certainly had papas arrugadas con mojo. Or to put it in English, Canarian potatoes with mojo sauce. Red mojo and green mojo are iconic throughout the Canaries and make what would otherwise be rather plain salted boiled potatoes beyond delicious. You can recreate the classic Canarian dish at home with this mojo sauce recipe!
Although this mojo sauce recipe goes great with Canarian potatoes (here's my recipe to make your own!) you can use it on absolutely anything. It makes any meat, fish, seafood or vegetable dish taste gorgeous. Feel free to dollop it on everything in sight or just stick your spoon in the jar and enjoy!
A plate of Canarian potatoes with a duo of mojo sauces will set you back less than €5 in most Canarian restaurants. But a tiny jar of mojo sauce can easily cost upwards of that in a supermarket or at the airport. And there's no way a tiny jar of the amazing sauce is going to last more than a week. It definitely wouldn't in my house, anyway!
So what's the solution? Fly to the Canary Islands every week so you can satisfy your mojo sauce addiction? Pay a small fortune to buy mojo sauce online? Nope! The best way is to use this mojo sauce recipe to make your own at home whenever you feel like it. The ingredients are simple and cheap, the recipe is easy and fast, and the results are just as good (if not better!) than any mojo sauces you've tried in restaurants in the Canary Islands.
How do I know all this? Because I've lived in Tenerife for more than half my life. During this time, I've worked in plenty of restaurants where I've had the unique opportunity to peek behind the scenes and see exactly what makes homemade mojo sauce so flavoursome and moreish.
Before we go any further, I just want to say there isn't one definitive mojo sauce recipe. Each chef has their own favourite recipes and these ones are mine. So yes, they might be different to what you've had, but they're mouth-wateringly good, nonetheless!
Feel free to tweak the ingredients in this mojo sauce recipe to make them better suited to your tastes. The green mojo sauce is cool and smooth, while the red mojo sauce has just the right amount of heat. Don't worry if you don't like spicy food. Just leave the chillies out of the recipe and you'll be fine.
You can use any blender to make this mojo sauce recipe. But I've had much better results since I started using my Nutribullet
. This super-powerful blender breaks down the ingredients for these mojo sauces better than any blender I've ever used, resulting in really smooth and delicious mojo sauces in literally seconds. So if you plan on making your own mojo sauces at home on a regular basis, I'd definitely recommend you get one. It will pay for itself in no time!
📖 Recipe
Red and Green Canarian Mojo Sauces
4.94 from 16 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Canarian
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Ingredients
Green Mojo Sauce
- 2 large green bell peppers roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh chopped coriander or parsley
- 4 cloves of garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 slice of bread torn into small pieces
Red Mojo Sauce
- 2 large red bell peppers roughly chopped
- 6 cloves of garlic minced
- 4 small chillies chopped
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 slice of bread torn into small pieces
Instructions
Place all the ingredients for the green mojo sauce or red mojo sauce into your blender or Nutribullet and blend until everything is thoroughly broken down and you've got a thick sauce. If you're using a blender, you might have to give it a bit of a shake to move the ingredients around before they'll blend properly.
Pour the mojo sauce into a sterilised jar and keep in the fridge for up to two months.
More Healthy Dinner Recipes
- Creamy Carrot and Coriander Soup Recipe with Pepitas
- Turn Up the Heat with this Moroccan Vegan Burger Recipe
- 20 Delicious Healthy Summer Dinner Recipes
- Healthy Baked Sweet Potato with Easy and Delicious Homemade Chili
About Nicola
I’m Nicola, the face behind Happy Healthy Motivated – your go-to guide to becoming your best you!
Read my story
Reader Interactions
Comments
Angela at A Typical English Home
Oh yum, thanks for sharing the recipes. Pinning this post!
Reply
Samantha
I love canarian potatoes with mojo sauce, I eat them frequently when we are in lanzarote and as a vegan they are a go to starter. I never thought of making them at home, I thought I would be complicated until I found this recipe and gave it a bash. Oh my life this recipe is spot on and it makes so much sauce I had quite a bit left over so froze it (it was quickly unfrozen as my goddaughter pinched it!!) Give it a try you will not be disappointed x
Reply
Johnny
Lovely post...Love this blog
Reply
Anita Love
Love blog , ive stayed in las palmas with my daughters grandparents, ive watched how mojo sauce was made , i got told every family have there own way of making it. Your red pepper reciept needs a tweek lol . You havent added tomatos (skinned)...never saw bread put in it ??
Reply
Steve Lees
My friend (whom is a 73 year old Canarian burst out laughing when he read your comments. He always includes bread and never includes tomatoes. He showed me several canarian recipes non of which do.
Reply
Carolyn
Those look delicious. I can't wait to try them.
Reply
Lacey
I am totally pinning these for later. They look sooooo yummy. I bet they make great dips not just for potatoes, but other veggies as well!
Reply
Trish @ Uncommon
They both look incredible! Thanks for sharing with us this week at Monday Funday!
Take care,
Trish
Reply
Bex
Just flown home and I'm already missing my mojo haha.....the jarred ones just aren't the same! Trying this tonight thank you!
Reply
Bex
I had to comment again after trying the green. It's really is the best I've ever tried! And I've tried some serious mojo! Muchas gracias 🙂
Reply
Steve
Hi Guys,
Just a quick one - if i make up a batch of this, how long would it last before it went off in the fridge thanks
Reply
Nicola Quinn
Hi Steve,
I've kept these sauces in the fridge for up to one month and they've been great 🙂Thanks,
NickyReply
Thea
hi I've been craving these sauces since i came back in October.
quick question, red or green chilies for the red or sauce? x
Thea xNicola Quinn
Hi Thea!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂
I used red chillies in the red mojo sauce.Reply
Nigel Davies
Can you freeze these sauces?
Reply
Nicola Quinn
Hi Nigel,
Thanks for stopping by.
I've never tried to freeze the sauces myself, but I don't see why not.Nicky
Reply
Nigel Davies
Will give it a try,let you know what happens
Reply
Blotchie
Just back from tenerife and having mojo with-drawals. Are tomatoes part ot the mix for the red version? Thanks Blo'tchie
Reply
Nicola Quinn
Hi Blotchie,
Hope you enjoyed your holiday in Tenerife and glad you got to try some local food! 🙂Some people use tomatoes in the red mojo, but I never have. I'd suggest making the recipe as it is above and if you think it needs more of a tomato flavour, throw it back into the blender with 1 medium-sized tomato cut into pieces with the seeds remove. Blend until the mojo is smooth and try that out.
Hope this helps and thanks for stopping by,
NickyReply
Michael King
Hi,
I was recently in Tenerife and loved both sauces when eating my dinner. I bought a jar of each at the airport. Is it only potatoes that the sauces go with or are there other foods you can have them with? Also, can you use the sauces while cooking foods such as steaks?
Thanks
Michael
Reply
Nicola Quinn
Hi Michael,
Thanks for stopping by!
The mojo sauces go with absolutely everything and anything - from vegetables to meat and fish!
I can't say I've ever tried cooking with them, but I imagine if you brushed some of the sauce onto the steaks and then cooked them in a frying pan, they would work out wonderfully and taste amazing.Reply
Bob barbour
Hi Nicky,
Just back from Tenerife, as my siter lives their so freebie holidays are a must. Got to say i may consider buying your book in the future as my wife and i just love it there. Just about to get the ingriedients to make mojo sauce to your recipe. Will let yo know how i get on.
Thanking you.Bob
Reply
Nicola Quinn
Hi Bob,
I wouldn't pass up a freebie holiday myself, either!
I hope you love the sauces as much as I do and thanks so much for the interest of the book! 🙂Reply
Scott Hatwood
As Gary Barlow would say "Absolutely fan-tas-tic". I'm able to relive my recent holiday in Fuertaventura! Just made a batch of both red (for potatoes) and the green (for fish etc..). I did a couple of minor adjustments. Only one tblspoon of red wine vinegar, and one less clove of garlic in each and a pinch of sugar. I found that the red sauce needed half a slice of bread more to thicken it up. But.... this is a very cheap receipt that is fun to produce, easy and tasty. In fact, my sauce is now almost as hot as you are Nicola! lols. Thanks for this, will be making it regularly I can see from now on.
Reply
Nicola Quinn
So glad you liked my recipe, Scott! I normally change the ingredient quantities according to what I have on hand - good job on changing it to suit your personal tastes, too. 🙂 Glad I could help you relive your recent Fuerteventura holiday!
Reply
Sue
Wow at last mojo at home bit hit and miss with the first try added a bit extra spice hey presto muy bien xx
Reply
Nicola Quinn
Glad your second try worked out well for you, Sue! 🙂
Reply
Mira Herman
just spending my last few days in Tenerife and have been searching for a recipe for mojo sauce. So grateful to find you post. Thank you! Can't wait to make it at home! Would it work with gluten free bread?
Reply
Nicola Quinn
Although I've never tried it with gluten-free bread myself, Mira, I'm sure the recipe would work out just the same. 🙂
Reply
Pam
Hi Nicola
Have just returned from La Gomera and like your other followers, want to make mojo! I'm curious about the bread though. Do you mean to add this to the ingredients or to dip in it and eat? In La Gomera, it always arrived with bread as a starter.Reply
Nicola Quinn
Hi Pam! The bread in the ingredients list should be thrown into the blender along with everything else - it's what thickens up the mojo 🙂
Reply
Christine
Thank you for posting this recipe! I lived on Gran Canaria for several years and I love love love the red mojo. The only thing I was missing was the 2 red bell peppers on my recipe so I haven't made it in a very long time. Thanks again for filling in the blanks for me!
Reply
Coral89
Reading your website gave me a lot of interesting informations , it deserves to go viral,
you need some initial traffic only. How to get initial traffic?Search for: masitsu's effective method
Reply
Alison
Hi I have tried your red and green mojo sauce recipe and come back on to make some more but the recipe is not coming up please could you send it me
Reply
Nicola
Hi Alison, thank you so much for your comment. Loads of my recipes weren't showing and I had no idea until you told me! I've sorted it out now, so if you visit the page (https://happyhealthymotivated.com/red-and-green-canarian-mojo-sauces/) and scroll to the bottom, you'll find the recipe as usual. Thanks so much again!
Reply
Alison
Thank you so much for that this is the best mojo sauce I have tasted I will look forward to trying some of your other recipes.
Reply
Nicola
I'm so happy to hear you love it! 🙂
Reply
Nicola ward
Hi what can I use as a vinegar substitute? I'm unable to have vinegar or alcohol in my diet
Reply
Nicola
Hi Nicola! You could try using lemon or lime juice instead.
Reply
Kevin
I have visited Tenrife on many occasions as my parents had a timeshare in Fanabe, so it was just a cheap flight down there. Sadly I haven't been since 2013 for various reasons.
I found myself missing the red mojo sauce which I fondly remembered from most places on the island but particularly from Otelo on the beach and also on top of the hill in Adeje.
This recipe has brought it all flooding back, frequent trips up the mountain, walking the shoreline, watching the crazy dudes paragliding off the hills, being quite convinced that La Gomera moves and having a sing a long at the Moonlight bar.
Thank you for bringing it all back with this simple and versatile recipe which goes with anything and everything and is the best mojo I have ever tasted.Reply
Nicola
It sounds like you've got such wonderful memories of Tenerife, Kevin! So happy my recipe could bring them back. You'll have to re-visit the island and re-live all your memories again soon 🙂
Reply
Cindy Gordon
Wow, these sauces look amazing! This flavor profile is exactly what my husband and I LOVE in our recipes! Can't wait to try!
Reply
Nicola
Thanks, Cindy! I'm sure you'll love them 🙂
Reply
Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine
I love healthy flavorful sauces like these-- and it does look so simple to make. Pinning to try!
Reply
Nicola
They really are super easy. Throw everything into a blender and you're done!
Reply
Jeni
Can I just use tomatoes instead of bread for the red one a d can you use any bread like the ones with olives or sun-dried tomatoes..I want to make them at weekend
Reply
Nicola
Hi Jeni! The bread is used to thicken the sauce up. You can skip it, it just means the sauce will be thinner. And yep, you can use any kind of bread 🙂
Reply
Camilla Hawkins
I've never come across these mojo sauces before so would really like to try:-)
Reply
Nicola
I'm sure you'll love them, Camilla!
Reply
Tara
Yum! I have never been to the Canary Islands, but definitely want to go now just to try this sauce! Will definitely need to try this soon.
Reply
Nicola
You can totally bring a taste of the islands to your own home with these recipes! 😀
Reply
Michael
Made both of these with superb results, thanks. I added a teaspoon of sugar to the green sauce as it was slightly sharp initially. Thanks again!
Reply
Nicola
I'm so glad you enjoyed them Michael! 🙂
Reply
Stine
Oh, This is good stuff. I just made a batch and just want to eat it with a spoon... buuuuuut I have to wait until my canary potatoes are done.
Reply
Nicola
I'm so glad you like it, Stine! 😀
Reply
Jacqui
Wow! Just tried the red mojo sauce- it tastes EXACTLY the same as I enjoyed in Lanzarote! Had it with sea bass, Canarian potatoes and roasted veg- mmmmm! Will the green next time. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes 🙂
Reply
Nicola
Thanks so much for your kind words, Jacqui! I'm so glad I was able to help you relive your delicious memories of Lanzarote! 🙂
Reply
Josephine Smith
I've made these several times using this fab recipe, thanks so much!
Reply
Nicola
Hi Josephine,
I'm so happy you like my mojo recipes! Thanks for stopping by 🙂Reply
Jane
I made both of these mojo dips exactly as described in the recipe. They were both absolutely amazing and really are authentic in taste. Thank you for sharing.
Reply
Graham
Well, it's nearly 2 years into Covid lockdown and not being able to travel freely and easily from the UK. I do miss my annual pre-Xmas trip to Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife and I really miss mojo!!
Anyway, I've just followed the recipe for the green one and have to say it's great and really does taste lovely. I had to tweak a bit as my green bell peppers were on the small side so I used three. On the other hand, my garlic cloves were very large so I used 2 of those. Everything else was exactly as per the recipe. I don't have a nutri-blend type gadget so threw everything into a food processor for a few mins to get the initial fine chopping done and then put it all in a traditional upright blender to do the smooth blend. Made a bit of washing up to do but well worth it.
I'm not worried about the mojo keeping for up to 2 months - it tastes so nice it will most likely all be used within 2 weeks (if not sooner).
And then I can make the red version...
Reply
Nicola
I'm so glad you liked my recipe, Graham! Maybe this year you'll get to do your pre-Christmas trip 🙂
Reply
Dale
I stayed in Tenerife a month years ago with my kids. I've tried sooo many recipes this was perfect. I made a jar last night it's gone already. Thee best version I've come across. Thank you thank you!! Making more tonight!
Reply
Nicola
Thank you so much for your kind words, Dale! I'm so glad you like it 🙂
Reply
Andrew
Made these for a BBQ yesterday. Love both sauces after visiting Lanzarote pretty frequently.
This recipe is absolute class! Thank you so much. I took some artistic licence and roasted the peppers and a whole head of garlic prior to blending...it was delicious. Might try raw next time and see how different it is. The bread really works!!
Thanks for sharing this one 🙂
Reply
Nicola
Roasting the peppers and garlic? That sounds incredible! I'm definitely going to do that myself next time, too!
Reply
Stephen K
Having been on annual holidays to the canaries most of our lives I can confirm that this recipe is amazing! My brother in law said he could happily eat this with every meal! I'm making a batch this morning to take to a bbq for fathers day.
Reply
James Law
Frequent visitor to Tenerife love these sauces love this recipe very authentic prepared this many times at home great every time
Reply
Stephanie
I lived in the Canaries for a year (Gran Canaria) and have tried different mojo recipes (red). This recipe is GREAT. I made happy noises when I ate it. I roasted the garlic and red peppers, skipped the chiles, put only 1 tsp (not 2) of kosher salt, only 1 TBS (not 2) of red wine vinegar (it's always such a strong taste, I figure I can add more if needed), and only 1/2 tsp (not 1 tsp) of cumin. It was DELICIOUS. My wife thought it was still too salty so I added a small/medium tomato in it and it remained delicious! Wife said it was still a little too salty, but she still kept spooning it into her mouth. Thank you! I bookmarked the recipe!
Reply
Stephanie
Whoops, forgot to put a rating on it. I gave it 5 stars because it's such a good base recipe for people to tweak it according to their tastes...
Reply
Olga
I followed this recipe twice, it’s great every time! Thank you!
Reply
Fiona
We have just returned from Lanzarote and really enjoyed this sauce on our holiday. Made both today and both are delicious.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!Reply
Fiona
5 ⭐️
Reply
Jem
I just wanted to say that this has been my and my husband’s go-to recipe for mojo for years, one that we’ve made for ourselves, for parties and to gift to friends and family and it always turns out great!
Thank you!
Jem
Reply
Vic
Hey! Thanks for the recipe, I’ve tried it and it feels like it tastes a lot of raw garlic which the ones we tried in Canary Islands didn’t, am I doing something wrong? Thanks!!
Reply
