Quick DIY Achiote (Annatto) Paste
This quick DIY Achiote Paste is an easy way to add flavor and color to your favorite meat marinades, rice dishes, stews and more. Made with a blend of annatto seeds, whole spices, vinegar and fresh citrus, it’s a powerful secret weapon to keep in the fridge and use to spice up your life!
If you’ve ever cooked with sazon seasoning or achiote oil, you know the tasty flavor and color annatto seeds lend to savory dishes.
The small triangular shaped seeds have a subtle smokey and citrusy taste that’s a unique spice commonly used in Puerto Rican cuisine.
Achiote paste traditionally combines ground annatto seeds with other whole spices, garlic, and vinegar and/or orange juice. The result is a soft paste that’s excellent used as a base for marinades and building flavor in a variety of different ways.
You’ll find variations of this paste in accross Latin America, but the kind we’re making today leans more towards a Caribbean style, mostly because of the wetter texture of the paste and heavy use of garlic
I recommend trying achiote paste as a substitute for the spices in this easy pork chop (chuletas fritas) recipe and as a flavorful rub on this whole roasted chicken.
Grocery List
We’re using a blend of vinegar, orange and lime juice instead of sour orange juice as it’s easier to find!
2 Simple Steps
Tip: Add more orange juice and/or vinegar if you’d like a wetter/thinner consistency.
Where to Use Achiote Paste
This flavorful paste is most commonly used as a marinade, but can also be used to add flavor and color to a variety of different recipes. The spices and acidity it brings go great with chicken, pork, and even seafood.
Not to mention, the vinegar and citrus juice can help tenderize meat when left to marinate for an hour plus.
Here are some recipes that would go great with a spoonful of achiote oil added along with the other seasonings:
You can also use a spoonful in place of spices in rice dishes, breads, and stews.
Special Equipment
Listen, I’m usually the mortar & pestle’s number 1 fan (especially when it comes to grinding whole spices). But for this recipe I actually recommend skipping it in favor of a food processor.
Reason being, you end up with less dishes and the achiote paste will come together in even less time. Just pulse the whole spices in the processor, add in everything else, and blend to a paste!
More Tasty Latin Sauces & Marinades
Buen Provecho,
Quick DIY Achiote (Annatto) Paste
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: ½ cup 1x
- Category: Sauce, Paste, Marinade
- Method: Blended
- Cuisine: Latin
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This quick DIY Achiote Paste is an easy way to add flavor and color to your favorite meat marinades, rice dishes, stews and more. Made with a blend of annatto seeds, whole spices, vinegar and fresh citrus, it’s a powerful secret weapon to keep in the fridge and use to spice up your life!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup whole annatto seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp peppercorns
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 tsp salt
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
Instructions
- Grind the whole spices. In a mortar & pestle, food processor or spice grinder grind the annatto seeds, coriander, oregano, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and cloves until a semi-fine powder forms.
- Blend with remaining ingredients. Combine the ground spices with the salt, garlic, orange juice, lime juice, and vinegar in a food processor and process until a paste forms. Add more orange juice and/or vinegar if you’d like a wetter/thinner consistency. See notes for storage instructions.
Notes
Storage: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Usage ideas: Use as a marinade on meats, fish, veggies, etc. or to add color into starchy dishes like rice, empanada doughs and breads.