Mojo Sauce

As a marinade, baste, or dip, this pungent, acidic sauce packs a massive amount of flavor.

Updated August 21, 2024

A small dish of mojo sauce next to some tostones. — Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Why It Works

Sour orange juice (or a mix of orange and lemon or lime juice) serve as a tart base for this sauce.
Oregano and cumin add spice and earthiness.

Ever since discovering mojo sauce is the "secret" ingredient in one of my favorite rotisserie chickens, I've been all over this stuff. As a marinade, baste, or dip, this pungent, acidic sauce packs a massive amount of flavor.

There are many varieties of mojo, but it's the Cuban version that's stolen my heart. Sour orange juice serves as the tart base, with a hefty amount of garlic adding a strong bite. Add oil along with oregano and cumin, which gives it an earthy background.

While my recipe has not changed much from my first batch, finding a local source for sour oranges has definitely made a difference, for the better. Prior to that I was using an equal mix of orange and lime or lemon juice, which is a decent approximation but if you want to go for gold, seek out those sour oranges!

June 2011

Recipe Details

Mojo Sauce Recipe

Prep 5 mins

Active 15 mins

Total 5 mins

Makes 1 cup

Ingredients

8 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2/3 cup fresh sour orange juice, or 1/3 cup of fresh orange juice and 1/3 cup of fresh lime juice (see notes)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Directions

Place garlic in mortar and pestle. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and work into a smooth paste.
Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel
In a small bowl, whisk together garlic, sour orange juice, oil, oregano, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serious Eats / Joshua Bousel

Notes

If you don't have access to sour oranges, using an equal mix of orange and lime or lemon juice will work as an adequate substitute.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
746	Calories
72g	Fat
26g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories	746
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 72g	92%
Saturated Fat 10g	50%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1267mg	55%
Total Carbohydrate 26g	10%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 91mg	453%
Calcium 84mg	6%
Iron 2mg	12%
Potassium 457mg	10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.