Recipes with achiote
31 verified Mexican recipes with achiote.
Achiote (annatto) is Yucatán's red: the seed that colours and perfumes the recado rojo of cochinita pibil, pollo pibil, fish tikin xic, panuchos and the tacos al pastor marinade. Earthy and lightly peppery, it's sold as a paste ready to dilute with bitter orange.
This page gathers 31 verified Mexican recipes with achiote, ordered A to Z — including Homemade Achiote Paste, Chicken Barbacoa in Maguey Leaves, Carne Enchilada (Chilli-Rubbed Pork). Total times range from 15 to 300 minutes, so there are weeknight options as well as weekend pot-cooking projects. The quickest is Achiote Casero (Pasta) (15 minutes in total). Indicative UK price: £4.99 per 100g (researched for our cost estimates).
Homemade Achiote Paste
Homemade achiote paste, the essential base of Yucatecan cooking.
15 minfacil8 servings
Chicken Barbacoa in Maguey Leaves
Chicken marinated in achiote and chilli, wrapped in maguey leaves and slow-cooked.
180 minmedia6 servings
Carne Enchilada (Chilli-Rubbed Pork)
Pork marinated in chilli and annatto paste, grilled over coals. Chiapas and Oaxaca speciality.
50 minfacil4 servings
Oyster Mushroom Achiote Carnitas
Oyster mushrooms marinated in achiote and orange, pan-fried until crispy. Yucatecan flavours in a vegan version.
45 minmedia4 servings
Slow-Cooked Adobo Goat (Chivo Tapeado)
Goat marinated in chilli and annatto adobo, slow-cooked in a sealed pot until tender.
210 minmedia6 servings
Slow-Roasted Pork Pibil (Cochinita Pibil)
Pork marinated in achiote, wrapped in banana leaf and slow-cooked.
270 mindificil10 servings
Cochito al Horno Chiapaneco (Chiapas Slow-Roasted Spiced Pork)
Whole young pig slow-roasted with achiote and spices in the Chiapas style.
300 mindificil12 servings
Cochito Horneado (Chiapas Roast Pork)
Slow-roasted pork in ancho chilli and annatto sauce, the flagship dish of Chiapas.
210 minmedia8 servings
Jackfruit Barbacoa (Vegan Pulled Barbacoa)
Vegan barbacoa made with jackfruit, chillies and Mexican spices.
80 minmedia6 servings
Longaniza de Valladolid
Yucatecan pork sausage with achiote and bitter orange, grilled over charcoal.
80 mindificil6 servings
Mucbipollo (Pibipollo)
Giant Yucatecan tamal of chicken and pork in black recado, cooked underground for Day of the Dead.
270 mindificil8 servings
Mexican Christmas Turkey
Stuffed turkey with achiote and Mexican spices, the king of Christmas Eve.
300 mindificil8 servings
Pejelagarto Asado (Grilled Gar Fish)
Prehistoric gar fish grilled over charcoal in the Tabasco style.
75 minmedia4 servings
Pibil de Pollo (Yucatecan Achiote Chicken)
Chicken marinated in achiote and sour orange, wrapped in banana leaf and slow-baked.
150 minmedia6 servings
Yucatecan Chicken in Annatto (Pollo en Achiote)
Yucatecan chicken marinated in annatto paste and sour orange, roasted with spices.
70 minfacil4 servings
Mexican-Style Roast Chicken
Whole chicken roasted with annatto, sour orange and Mexican spices.
110 minmedia6 servings
Pollo Ticuleño (Yucatecan Breaded Chicken)
Achiote-marinated breaded chicken served with black bean puree and avocado, from Yucatan.
55 minmedia4 servings
Recado Negro - Charred Chilli Spice Paste from Yucatán
Carbonised chilli and spice paste from Yucatán, base of relleno negro, with an utterly unique flavour.
50 mindificil8 servings
Recado Rojo (Achiote Paste)
Achiote and Yucatecan spice paste, the base for cochinita pibil and regional dishes.
30 minfacil8 servings
Adobo Cauliflower Tacos
Roasted adobo cauliflower with guajillo and achiote in tacos with pickled onion.
45 minmedia4 servings
Tacos al Pastor
Achiote and chilli-marinated pork with pineapple, onion, and coriander.
70 minmedia6 servings
Cazón Tacos
Shredded cazón tacos Campeche-style, stewed with achiote and spices.
55 minmedia4 servings
Oven-Baked Cochinita Pibil Tacos
Yucatecan cochinita pibil baked in banana leaves with achiote and bitter orange, served in tacos.
210 minmedia6 servings
Crispy Cochinita Pibil Tacos
Crispy fried cochinita pibil tacos with pickled red onion and habanero chilli.
50 minmedia4 servings
Cochinita Pibil Tacos
Achiote-marinated pork wrapped in banana leaf, served with pickled red onion.
210 minmedia8 servings
Red Al Pastor Tacos (Traditional Chilli Adobo)
Pork marinated in red chilli and annatto adobo, grilled on a spit. Traditional al pastor variant.
75 minmedia6 servings
Chicken Pastor Tacos
Chicken marinated pastor-style with achiote, chillies and pineapple — a lighter alternative.
50 minmedia4 servings
Tamales Colados (Yucatecan Strained-Dough Tamales)
Yucatecan tamales of ultra-smooth strained dough with chicken in salsa, in banana leaf.
110 minmedia10 servings
Tamales de Pejelagarto (Smoked Gar Fish Tamales)
Corn masa tamales filled with smoked gar fish and achiote, wrapped in banana leaf.
150 mindificil8 servings
Tascalate (Chiapas Cacao Corn Drink)
Chiapas drink of toasted corn, cacao and annatto with vibrant red-orange colour.
25 minfacil4 servings
Yucatan-Style Grilled Fish (Tikin Xic)
Fish marinated in achiote and sour orange, grilled in banana leaf.
70 minmedia4 servings
Frequently asked questions
How many recipes with achiote are there on Recetas Mexas?
We have 31 published Mexican recipes using achiote, all with verified ingredients, steps and timings. A few examples: Homemade Achiote Paste, Chicken Barbacoa in Maguey Leaves, Carne Enchilada (Chilli-Rubbed Pork).
What's the quickest recipe with achiote?
Achiote Casero (Pasta), ready in 15 minutes in total. The rest of the recipes on this page range from 15 to 300 minutes.
How much does achiote cost in the UK?
The indicative price we use in our cost estimates is £4.99 per 100g, researched across UK supermarkets and Mexican grocers. Each recipe page shows its calculated cost.
I've got achiote and not much else — what can I cook?
Use our "What can I cook?" tool: tick achiote plus whatever else you have at home and it tells you which recipes you can make in full and which are only one ingredient away.
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Recipes curated by Edmond Bojalil. Last updated: 2026-06-16.
Founder, Recetas Mexas
Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.
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