Recipe

Roasted ají cachucha sauce

Name: Roasted ají cachucha sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 300 g sweet ají cachucha; 60 g peeled onion, cut into wedges; 3 medium garlic cloves, with skin for roasting; 30 ml olive oil (2 tablespoons), divided; 30 ml sour orange juice (2 tablespoons); Up to 30 ml drinking water (2 tablespoons), only if needed; 2.5 g fine salt (approximately ½ teaspoon), or to taste

A contemporary Cuban sauce of roasted ají cachucha, garlic, and sour orange, thick and aromatic to accompany root vegetables and plantains, fish, or pork.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

Image generated with AI.CiberCuba

Preparation10 min
Cooking25 min
Total time40 min
ServingsAbout 300 ml of sauce; 6 servings of approximately 50 ml
DifficultyEasy

The ají cachucha lends all its aroma to this Cuban-flavored sauce. Roasted with onion and garlic, it transforms into a soft and slightly toasted base that is balanced with sour orange.

This is a contemporary proposal to serve with root vegetables and plantains, fish, or fried pork chunks. Choose sweet and aromatic cachuchas; their small, lobed shape helps distinguish them from other peppers.

Ingredients

Check off the ingredients you have.

300 g sweet ají cachucha
60 g peeled onion, cut into wedges
3 medium garlic cloves, with skin for roasting
30 ml olive oil (2 tablespoons), divided
30 ml sour orange juice (2 tablespoons)
Up to 30 ml drinking water (2 tablespoons), only if needed
2.5 g fine salt (approximately ½ teaspoon), or to taste

Method

Preheat the oven to 200 °C with top and bottom heat. Wash and dry the cachuchas, cut them in half, and remove stems and seeds. Do not substitute them with spicy habaneros if you want to preserve the mild flavor of this sauce.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
Distribute the cachuchas and onion on a baking sheet. Mix with 15 ml of oil, leaving the other 15 ml for blending. Place the garlic cloves with skin in a small aluminum foil packet next to the vegetables.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring the onion halfway through. The peppers should be tender and show some toasted spots, without carbonizing their pulp. Check the garlic at 20 minutes and remove it if it is already soft.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
Let cool for 5 minutes. Peel the roasted garlic and remove any completely black areas from the peppers. Keep the pulp and juices from the tray.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
Blend the peppers, onion, and garlic with the reserved 15 ml of oil, 15 ml of sour orange juice, and salt. Add the rest of the juice little by little, tasting the acidity. If it is too thick, incorporate the water one tablespoon at a time until you obtain a thick sauce that can be poured.
Image generated with AI.CiberCuba
Serve the sauce warm or cold with root vegetables and plantains, fish, or pork. To store it, transfer to a clean container, let it lose its heat, and refrigerate. Do not keep the garlic and sauce in oil at room temperature.