Cuban Mojo Sauce (typically just called “mojo”) is a classic condiment that is a must-have for so many different things.
Everything I know about Cuban cooking comes from Joseph’s side of the family. This recipe is straight out of his family cookbook/ trove of Cuban secrets (and his mind, as he’s been whipping it up his whole life). The only thing we’ve done to improve it is add measurements and type it up all nice.
The ingredient that makes Cuban Mojo stand out is the sour orange juice. This may be tough to find. I have had exactly zero luck finding sour oranges here in Denver and from what I understand, basically anywhere outside of Miami is going to be a problem. What I have taken to are sour orange marinades, widely available at any Hispanic market. You can find some more details about these here. If you can’t find these either, you can make a reasonable substitute out of equal parts orange juice and lime juice. But I highly suggest finding the sour orange!
Another pro-tip is to use high quality olive oil; in recipes such as this where olive oil is one of the main flavor components, I really can’t recommend it enough. The difference it makes is night and day.
And as my last piece of advice, don’t skip letting your sauce sit in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. Cuban Mojo only gets better with time, so give those flavors a chance to get to know each other.
This recipe makes a relatively small amount (1/2 cup) compared to how delicious it is, so you may wish to double it. Once you have it in your possession, it is excellent on many classic Cuban dishes; tostones (LINK), yuca fritters, Cuban Sandwiches, Cuban pork and mashed yuca to name a few. But it’s great on other things too! Try it on mashed potatoes, chicken, cauliflower, sweet potato fries, or zucchini noodles. Once you try it, you’ll find all kinds of excuses to put it to use.
Looking for more Cuban recipes? Try my Yuca Frita con Mojo, Cuban Papas Rellanas (LINK), and Fricassee (Cuban Chicken Stew) recipes!
Cuban Mojo Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 minced garlic cloves (1 packed tbsp)
- 1/4 cup sour orange juice
- 1/4 cup high quality olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- dash of pepper
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
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