Annatto
Also known as: achiote, roucou, atsuete, urucum
The small, triangular, rust-red seeds of the achiote tree, annatto brings a mild, earthy, and peppery flavor with warm, nutty, and floral undertones, prized across Latin American, Caribbean, and Filipino cooking for its vibrant golden-red color and gentle, aromatic warmth, used to season rice, stews, sauces, marinades, and cheeses, where it adds a sunny hue and a soft, savory depth.
Mild, earthy, and peppery with warm, nutty, and floral undertones...
Bixa orellana
spice
Pairs Well With
Annatto is the small, triangular, rust-red seed of the achiote tree. It delivers a mild, earthy, and peppery flavor with warm, nutty, and floral undertones, prized across Latin American, Caribbean, and Filipino cooking for its vibrant golden-red color and gentle, aromatic warmth, used to season rice, stews, sauces, marinades, and cheeses, and prized for its antioxidant-rich carotenoid bixin.
Annatto's mild, earthy, and peppery character comes primarily from the apocarotenoids bixin and norbixin, which give the seeds their vibrant golden-red color and gentle, nutty aroma, while a mix of volatile terpenes adds warm, floral, and peppery notes. The balance of vibrant color and gentle aroma gives annatto its soft, savory warmth, and the color deepens when the seeds are steeped in warm oil.
ANNATTO
BIXIN
colorful | earthy | nutty
The dominant apocarotenoid; gives annatto its vibrant golden-red color and its gentle, earthy, nutty aroma.
NORBIXIN
colorful | warm | earthy
A related carotenoid that deepens the color and adds a warm, earthy, aromatic note, especially in water-based preparations.
ALPHA-PINENE
piney | fresh | peppery
Adds a piney, fresh, peppery note that lifts the heavier, earthy aromas.
LINALOOL
floral | warm | sweet
Provides a warm, floral, sweet note that softens the sharper, peppery aromas.
CARYOPHYLLENE
peppery | woody | warm
Contributes a peppery, woody, warm note that adds a gentle, savory depth.
Steep in Warm Oil
Steep whole annatto seeds in warm oil over low heat until the oil turns a deep golden-red, then strain and use the infused oil for rice, stews, and marinades.
Grind into a Paste
Grind whole seeds with garlic, citrus, and spices into a paste for marinades and rubs, where the color and earthy warmth permeate the dish.
Strain Out the Seeds
Strain out whole annatto seeds before serving, as the seeds themselves are not eaten; they are used to infuse color and aroma into oil and sauces.
Rice and grains
Infused into oil and simmered into rice and grains for a vibrant golden-red hue and a gentle, earthy warmth.
Stews and braises
Steeped into stews and braises for a sunny color and a soft, savory, aromatic depth.
Marinades and rubs
Ground into marinades and rubs for pork, chicken, and fish for a vibrant color and a mild, earthy, peppery warmth.
Sauces and moles
Blended into sauces and moles for a deep golden-red color and a gentle, aromatic, nutty depth.
Cheese and dairy
Used as a natural coloring for cheese and butter, lending a warm, golden hue and a faint, earthy note.
Powder
Ground annatto is convenient for spice pastes, marinades, and coloring but loses its vibrant color and earthy aroma within months; buy in small quantities and use quickly for the brightest hue.
Whole
Whole annatto seeds hold their vibrant color and earthy aroma for up to two years when stored airtight; steep in warm oil or grind fresh for the richest color and most aromatic flavor.
Annatto is a spice derived from dried, whole or ground seeds; the waxy, red-orange aril surrounding the seed with unique botanical and culinary properties.
Botanical Name
Bixa orellana
Also Known As
achiote, roucou, atsuete, urucum
Major Flavor Compound
Bixin and norbixin (apocarotenoids)
Parts Used
Dried, whole or ground seeds; the waxy, red-orange aril surrounding the seed
Non-Culinary Uses
Annatto is used as a natural food coloring for cheese, butter, and cosmetics, and in traditional medicine to support digestion and skin health, and its vibrant dye has been used for body paint, ink, and textiles for centuries.
Method of Cultivation
A tropical evergreen shrub grown in warm, humid climates. The spiny seed pods are harvested when dry and brown, split open to reveal the rust-red seeds, which are cleaned and dried slowly in the shade to preserve their vibrant color and earthy aroma.
Commercial Preparation
After harvest the seed pods are split and the seeds are removed, cleaned, and dried slowly in the shade for several days, retaining their vibrant rust-red color and earthy aroma. The dried seeds are sorted by size and quality, then sold whole for infusing oil and grinding, or ground for spice pastes and colorings.
Annatto has seasoned and colored the cooking of the Americas for centuries, prized from the festive kitchens of the Yucatán and the Caribbean to the markets of the Philippines and Brazil. Its vibrant seeds were once used by the Aztec and Maya for body paint and ink, and the spice traveled to Europe as a natural coloring for butter and cheese. Its mild, earthy warmth and sunny hue have made it a cornerstone of Latin American and Caribbean cooking, where it tints rice, stews, and marinades a deep golden-red. It remains a spice of celebration and color.
Native to the tropical Americas, annatto is cultivated across Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Philippines, with major production in Brazil, Peru, Mexico, and the Philippines, and smaller production across Central America and the Caribbean.
Growing Regions
Primary Sources:
🇧🇷 Brazil
🇵🇪 Peru
🇲🇽 Mexico
🇵🇭 Philippines
🇨🇴 Colombia
🇯🇲 Jamaica
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Recipes with Annatto
Coming Soon