Suggestions
🖨️

Salsa Lizano

Chop Rating
chopchopchopchopchop
Sign in to review
Not yet rated
sauces & condiments•salsa•costa rican•vegan, gluten-free
55 minutes•about 2.5 cups•

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 cup carrot – sliced (~2 medium carrots)
  • 1/2 cup cauliflower florets – chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion – chopped (~0.5 medium onions)
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper – chopped (~0.5 medium green bell peppers)
  • 3 cloves garlic – sliced
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar
  • 3 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup water – as needed to adjust consistency
Salsa lizano

Instructions

  1. 1.

    Combine 1.5 cups water, carrot, cauliflower, onion, green bell pepper, garlic, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the vegetables are very soft, 20–25 minutes.

  2. 2.

    Transfer the vegetables and all their cooking liquid to a blender. Add the white vinegar, dark brown sugar, yellow mustard, tamarind paste, ground cumin, ground turmeric, and ground black pepper. Blend until completely smooth and velvety, 1–2 minutes, adding up to 0.5 cup additional water to reach a pourable, steak-sauce-like consistency.

  3. 3.

    (Optional for extra-smooth texture) Pass the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve back into the saucepan, pressing on the solids; discard any fibrous bits.

  4. 4.

    Return the sauce to a low simmer, stirring often, until glossy and the flavors have melded, 10–15 minutes. The sauce is done when it coats the back of a spoon and drips in a slow ribbon.

  5. 5.

    Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a clean bottle or jar. Refrigerate at least 12 hours before using for best flavor. Store refrigerated for up to 4 weeks.

Salsa Lizano is a tangy, gently sweet, and savory table sauce beloved across Costa Rica. Pourable like steak sauce yet lighter on the palate, it balances bright vinegar and tamarind with mellow vegetable body and a warm backbone of mustard, cumin, and turmeric. Its flavor is assertive but not hot, making it at home on everything from rice and beans to eggs, grilled meats, and vegetables.

Created in Costa Rica in the early 20th century, Salsa Lizano became a national pantry staple and a fixture on the tables of neighborhood sodas (diners). The original bottled sauce, first produced in 1920, spread from home kitchens to restaurants and roadside stands, finding a place in dishes like gallo pinto and casados. While the commercial brand remains iconic, home cooks often prepare a from-scratch version that captures its hallmark balance of tang, sweetness, and gentle spice.