🍋What Is Tajín Seasoning and How Do You Use It?

Is Tajín spicy?

Not very. Tajín Clásico is mild: what hits first is the sour lime and the salt, and the chile shows up after as a gentle, even warmth that doesn't burn. That's why it's the chile powder that goes on the table for everyone, kids and grown-ups, and the one people shake over fruit without thinking twice.

If you want more heat, Tajín Habanero adds habanero to the blend and is noticeably hotter than the classic. And if you're watching your salt, the reduced-sodium Tajín Clásico tastes very close to the original with less sodium.

What kinds of Tajín are there?

Besides the classic, Tajín makes a hotter version, a reduced-sodium one, a sweet one, a rimmer for glasses and its own liquid chamoy. Here are the versions in this guide and what each one is for:

The Clásico comes in several sizes: the small 80 g bottle fits in a purse or lunch bag, the 142 g is the everyday table size, and the 400 g bottle is for parties, fruit stands and homes where it goes on everything.

How do you use Tajín? 14 easy ideas

Tajín adds a tangy, salty, lightly spicy kick to almost anything fresh, sweet or crunchy. The rule in Mexican homes is simple: if it goes with lime, it goes with Tajín. These are the classics:

• •Cut fruit: mango, watermelon, pineapple, cantaloupe, papaya and jícama (a crisp, juicy root), with lime and Tajín.
• •Cucumber spears or slices, with lime, Tajín and a thin drizzle of chamoy.
• •Elote, Mexican street corn on the cob, with mayo, cheese and Tajín.
• •Esquites, corn kernels served in a cup, finished with a dash of Tajín.
• •Rimming glasses, which means coating the rim with chile, for micheladas, lemonade and aguas frescas.
• •Aguas frescas (fruit drinks made with water and sugar) like mango, watermelon or lime, with a pinch stirred in.
• •Mangonadas and chamoyadas, between layers of mango and chamoy.
• •Fresh popcorn, with a little butter or lime so the powder sticks.
• •Potato chips, French fries and chicharrones de harina (puffed wheat snacks), with lime.
• •Peanuts, pepitas and toasted seeds for snacking.
• •Fruit ice pops and sorbets, especially mango, lime or tamarind.
• •Gummies rolled in chamoy and then in Tajín, for chile-covered candy.
• •Raw veggie snacks like carrot, jícama and cucumber, with lime.
• •Eggs, avocado, grilled fish or chicken: a pinch right before serving, like lime salt.

How do you use chamoy and Tajín together?

To use chamoy and Tajín together, add the chamoy first, since it's liquid and sticky, then the Tajín, which clings right on top. Chamoy is a sweet, tangy and slightly spicy Mexican sauce, and Tajín is a dry powder; together they taste like a Mexican fruit cart: sweet, sour, salty and gently hot.

Here's how the pair shows up: cut fruit with a splash of chamoy and Tajín on top; glasses rimmed in chamoy first and then in the powder; mangonadas layered with mango, chamoy and chile; and gummies or pickles coated in chamoy and rolled in Tajín. If you want the same brand for both steps, Tajín makes its own liquid chamoy, Tajín Chamoy sauce.

How do you rim a glass with Tajín?

To rim a glass with Tajín, wet the rim with lime or chamoy and dip it in the powder before you pour. In Mexico it's the signature of a michelada, but it looks just as good on lemonade, agua de jamaica (hibiscus water) or a mangonada, so everyone at the table gets a rimmed glass. Step by step:

Where can you buy Tajín in the U.S.?

You can buy Tajín online at MexGoodies, which carries every version in this guide: Clásico in 80 g, 142 g and 400 g, reduced-sodium, Habanero, Dulce, the Rimmer and Chamoy sauce. They're original Mexican products, and they ship anywhere in the U.S. in 3 to 7 days (Canada too). If you're placing an order, the classic combo is one Tajín, one chamoy and a serious craving for fruit.

Frequently asked questions