Adjika (red chilli paste)

Name: Adjika (red chilli paste)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Ingredients: 60 g dried whole chillies, stems removed, soaked in warm water 1 hour; 40 g garlic, peeled; 1 tbsp ground coriander, ground; 1 tsp fenugreek, ground; 20 g coriander leaves, chopped; 10 g dill, chopped (optional); 1 tbsp salt; 30 g walnuts (optional)

Vegetarian

აჯიკა · ajika

A salty, intensely hot paste of dried red chillies ground with garlic, coriander seed, fenugreek and fresh herbs — used by the spoonful to season meat, stews and beans.

Adjika (red chilli paste) is a Georgian condiment, ready in about 1 hour 20 minutes and made with dried whole chillies and garlic. It serves 20 and is rated easy to cook.

Start cooking

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Prep: 20 min
Cook: 0 min
Rest: 1 h
Total: 1 h 20 min
Serves: 20
Level: Easy
Calories: 13

Ingredients

20 servings of 8 g

60 g Dried whole chillies (opens in a new tab), stems removed, soaked in warm water 1 hourHot dried red chillies.
40 g Garlic (opens in a new tab), peeled
1 tbsp (5.5 g) Ground coriander (opens in a new tab), ground
1 tsp (3.5 g) Fenugreek (opens in a new tab), groundStands in for blue fenugreek (utskho suneli), which is milder and more floral.
20 g Coriander leaves (opens in a new tab), chopped
10 g Dill (opens in a new tab), chopped (optional)
1 tbsp (18 g) Salt (opens in a new tab)
30 g Walnuts (opens in a new tab) (optional)Some families grind in walnuts for a softer paste.Contains tree nuts

Equipment

Method

1
Step 1
Soak the dried chillies in warm water for about 1 hour until soft. Drain and squeeze well.
- 2 min
2
Step 2
Grind the chillies and garlic (opens in a new tab) together to a thick, fairly smooth paste.
- 6 min
- Food processor (opens in a new tab)
Food safety: Wear gloves; this is very hot.
How it looks · Photo: https://kaboompics.com/ on Pexels
3
Step 3
Add the coriander seed, fenugreek (opens in a new tab), salt, herbs and walnuts (opens in a new tab), if using, and grind or pound again until evenly mixed.
- 6 min
- Mortar and pestle (opens in a new tab)
4
Step 4
Pack tightly into a clean jar and press down to remove air.
- 2 min
- Glass jar with lid (opens in a new tab)

About this dish

Origin: Samegrelo and the western Caucasus, Georgia · Commonly attributedAssociated with Megrelian and Abkhaz cooking. The tomato-and-pepper relish sold as adjika in Russia is a different, later style.Also popular in RussiaMore food from Georgia
Dish: Lunch · Dinner · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method: Raw
Taste: spicy (chilli heat), salty, garlicky, herby
Diet: Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Low-carb
All labels
Vegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · DASH-style
Without the optional extras: No nut ingredientsWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for: Make-ahead
Cook more with: Dried whole chillies · Garlic · Ground coriander · Fenugreek · Coriander leaves

Allergens

Contains, can be adapted: Tree nutsfrom walnuts

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

13 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 9 g · recipe makes 20

Where the energy comes from

Protein 16%
Carbohydrate 66%
Fat 18%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g
Energy	13 kcal	145 kcal
Protein	0.6 g	6.5 g
Carbohydrate	2.5 g	27.8 g
Net carbohydrate	1.6 g	18 g
Sugars	—	—
Added sugars	0 g	0 g
Fibre	0.9 g	9.8 g
Fat	0.3 g	3.6 g
Saturated fat	0 g	0.4 g
Trans fat	0 g	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg	0 mg
Sodium	352 mg	3910 mg
Salt equivalent	0.9 g	9.8 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 91 mg
Calcium: 9 mg
Iron: 0.5 mg
Magnesium: 5 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 34 µg
Vitamin C: 1 mg
Vitamin D: 0 µg
Vitamin B12: 0 µg
Folate (DFE): 3 µg

How these numbers were made

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
Optional ingredients are not included: dill, walnuts.
“—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

Use sparingly — it is seasoning, not a dip. Thin a teaspoon with oil or plum sauce to brush on meat.

Common mistakes

Not squeezing the soaked chillies dry — extra water dilutes the paste and shortens its fridge life.

Serve with

Rub on chicken or pork before roasting, stir into lobio (beans), or serve a dab beside grilled meat and cheese.

Storage

Refrigerate in a tightly packed jar for up to 1 month.

Variations

Green adjika: Made with fresh green chillies and lots of coriander, celery leaf and dill.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 29 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Garlic, peeled40 g

Used in step 2

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

Customise in Sauce & Drizzle

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