Spices & seasonings · Whole spices

Annatto (achiote) seeds / ground

Hard brick-red seeds (or powder) that colour food orange-red with a mild earthy, peppery flavour.

Also called: achiote, annatto seeds, achiote powder, bija, onoto, roucou, urucum

Around the world: achiote, bija, onoto (es) · urucum (pt) · roucou (fr)

8 recipes with it

Read the full spice guide: flavour, history and how to use it

Photo: Misterneedlemouse, via Wikimedia Commons (CC0-1.0)

What it is

Annatto (achiote) seeds are small, hard, angular seeds with a bright red coating. They are steeped in hot oil or ground to give an orange-red colour and a subtle earthy, slightly peppery flavour. They are the base of achiote paste and are also used commercially to colour cheese and butter.

Bixa orellana

How it’s used

Annatto oil for Filipino and Caribbean dishes
Puerto Rican sazón and arroz con gandules
Ground into achiote paste
Colouring rice, stews and Filipino kare-kare

Characteristics

Taste: Mild, earthy, peppery.
When cooked: Infuse seeds in warm (not smoking) oil, then strain; the seeds themselves are very hard.
Sold as: whole, ground, paste
Cooking uses: Mainly a seasoning, Commonly cooked
Common in: Mexican, Filipino, Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Peruvian, Brazilian, Venezuelan