Mojito Garlic Dipping Sauce

By
Hector Rodriguez
Hector Rodriguez
A Puerto Rico native and former food service professional, Hector Rodriguez develops recipes inspired by the Caribbean and Latin America.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/7/22
Light green garlic dipping sauce in a bowl, served with plantain chips on a plate

The Spruce Eats

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 4 to 6 servings

This garlic dipping sauce recipe is known as a mojito sauce or mojo de ajo (garlic sauce) and is the recommended dipping sauce to serve with a Latin-Caribbean snack known as tostones (twice-fried green plantains) or arañitas (shredded green plantain fritters).

Most people are familiar with the Cuban drink known as a mojito (which comes from the Spanish word mojado which means "wet"), a classic highball made with mint, rum, confectioners' sugar, lime, and club soda. But this mojito is served in Puerto Rico and Cuba as a condiment for plantain chips and fritters.

Serve with freshly fried tostones, boiled or fried yuca (cassava), or use as a marinade for pork. While the sauce will keep for a few days in the fridge, the garlic and onion flavors will become stronger as it sits, so it is best to serve fresh.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup olive oil, warmed

  • 1 head garlic, peeled, crushed, and finely chopped

  • 1 small onion, finely diced

  • 3 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice

  • Salt, to taste

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for garlic dipping sauce recipe gathered

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  2. To a blender or food processor, add olive oil, garlic, onion, cilantro, lemon juice, lime juice, and salt.

    Food processor bowl with olive oil, garlic, onion, cilantro, and condiments

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  3. Process until all the ingredients are incorporated and the garlic and onion are thoroughly broken down.

    Smooth pureed garlic sauce in the food processor bowl

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  4. Transfer to a non-reactive bowl (a non-reactive bowl is one made of a material that does not react chemically with the citric acids in the lemon and lime, such as stainless steel, glass, or ceramic). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

    Garlic dipping sauce in square glass container

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  5. Serve with plantain chips or fritters.

    Light green garlic dipping sauce in a bowl, served with plantain chips on a plate

    The Spruce Eats

How to Use Mojito Sauce

  • Serve mojito sauce with tostones, plantain fritters, or plantain chips.
  • Serve as a dipping sauce for fried yuca.
  • Use to flavor boiled and/or mashed yuca, tossing with the cooked cassava while it is hot.
  • Use to marinate pork or chicken for an hour or more before cooking.

How to Store

  • Store mojito sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Note that the longer the sauce sits, the stronger the garlic and onion bite will be.
  • The sauce can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost in the fridge overnight before using. Defrosted mojito sauce is best used as a marinade since the texture may suffer from freezing.

What Is Mojo Sauce?

Mojo is the name given to a family of sauces originating in the Canary Islands. In Cuban cooking, the name mojo is any sauce that is made with oil or fat, garlic, and citrus juice. It is often used to marinate pork or to flavor cassava. When served as a dipping sauce for plantains or fried yuca, the sauce is called mojito.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
332 Calories
36g Fat
3g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 332
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 36g 46%
Saturated Fat 5g 25%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 197mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 4mg 22%
Calcium 13mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 51mg 1%
*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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)