---
title: "Chilean Ají de Color — Traditional Red Chili Seasoning for Legumes"
description: "Chilean ají de color is a classic red chili seasoning infused in pork lard with garlic, essential for flavoring beans, lentils, and stews."
url: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/chilean-aji-de-color-red-chili-seasoning-recipe/
date: 2026-09-06
modified: 2026-09-06
author: "Carlos Uhart M."
image: https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-aji-de-color-seasoning-recipe.jpg
categories: ["Sauces"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# Chilean Ají de Color — Traditional Red Chili Seasoning for Legumes

[Versión en Español](https://comidaschilenas.com/receta-de-aji-de-color-o-color-chilena-para-legumbres/)

![Chilean Ají de Color — Traditional Red Chili Seasoning for Legumes](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/chilean-aji-de-color-seasoning-recipe.jpg)*Chilean Ají de Color — Traditional Red Chili Seasoning for Legumes*

Chilean ají de color, also known as “color de ajo” or simply “color,” is a classic seasoning in Chilean cooking, an essential in porotos granados, porotos con mazamorra, lentils with sausage, or mashed potatoes, for example, very easy to make, a centuries-old touch of flavor that never goes out of style.

It’s traditionally made by infusing melted pork lard with garlic, then stirring in ground red chili and, optionally, merkén, resulting in a fragrant, richly colored condiment ready in 15 minutes.

## How to Make Chilean Ají de Color?

When preparing ají de color, the recommendation is to use pork lard, the same kind you can get from making pork cracklings, to which ground red chili, a touch of garlic, and optionally merkén to taste are added.

## Nutritional Information

Each serving of ají de color contains approximately 100 kcal, 0 g of carbohydrates, 11 g of fat, 15 mg of cholesterol, and 3 mg of sodium. (*) Values may vary depending on the ingredients and portion sizes used.

## Homemade Chilean Ají de Color Recipe

**Preparation:** 5 minutes

**Cooking:** 10 minutes

**Servings:** 6 people

### Ingredients

- 100 g (3.5 oz) pork lard
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon ground ají de color (red chili)
- 1 teaspoon merkén

### Instructions

1. In a medium skillet, add the lard and heat over medium heat, letting it melt, then add the whole peeled garlic cloves, crushed with the side of a knife.

![Melted pork lard in a skillet, the fat base used to infuse the ají de color.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/melted-pork-lard-aji-color.jpg)

1. Saute for a few minutes to infuse the fat with their aroma and flavor, then remove them. Sprinkle in the ají de color and, optionally, the merkén, and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined into a smooth mixture.

![Ground ají de color powder (dried red pepper), the main seasoning in the recipe.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/aji-de-color-powder.jpg)

1. Remove the mixture from the heat and store in a clean glass jar. Use the ají de color immediately as a topping for your favorite dishes, such as beans or cazuelas.

## Ají de Color Made with Oil

Optionally, you can replace the pork lard with the same amount of vegetable shortening, sunflower oil, or olive oil, all options that have evolved from the traditional recipe.

![Garlic powder, an optional alternative to fresh garlic for flavoring the ají de color.](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/garlic-powder-aji-color.jpg)

| Original Ingredient | Substitute | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pork lard | Sunflower oil or olive oil | Lighter flavor, use the same quantity |
| Fresh garlic | Garlic powder | Add directly with the ají de color instead of infusing the fat |
| Ground ají de color | Sweet paprika | Milder flavor, closer to Spanish or Hungarian paprika |
| Merkén | Smoked paprika + pinch of chili flakes | Adds a similar smoky note without the exact same flavor |

## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

### 1. What’s the difference between ají de color, pimentón, and paprika?

Chilean ají de color is a seasoning made from dried, ground red chili pepper, used mainly to give flavor and color in local cooking. Pimentón is the general name for the fresh fruit (Capsicum annuum). Paprika is a dried pepper powder that can vary in intensity and flavor depending on its origin, more commonly used in Hungarian or Spanish cuisine.

### 2. Is Chilean ají de color spicy?

Generally, Chilean ají de color isn’t spicy; its main role is to add aroma, flavor, and a reddish-orange tone to dishes.

### 3. How should ají de color be stored?

It should be kept in an airtight jar, in a cool, dry place away from direct light. Heat and humidity can make it lose color and flavor more quickly.

### 4. Can it be made with fresh peppers?

Fresh peppers give a milder, less concentrated flavor, plus a different texture. To get closer to the traditional flavor, fresh peppers should be roasted, peeled, dried, and then ground before use.

## History and Origin of Chilean Ají de Color

Chilean ají de color is made from dried, ground red chili, resulting in a red-orange powder condiment with a distinctive flavor, obtained mainly from ñora and paprika pepper varieties.

## Did You Know?

Red pepper is a fruit native to the Andean region of South America that was brought to Spain by Christopher Columbus in 1493 and quickly spread in popularity across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

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- [Chilean charquicán](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/authentic-charquican-recipe/)
- [Chilean rice and lentils](https://www.chileanfoodrecipes.com/homemade-recipe-for-rice-with-lentils/)
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