14 Genius Ways To Use Tajín That Go Way Beyond Cocktail Glass Rims

Spicy, savory, and just a touch tangy, Tajín is one of Mexico's most popular store-bought seasonings. Creator Horacio Fernández drew inspiration from his grandmother's chile sauce to create a product with the same flavors, but in powder form. On a trip to El Tajín archaeological site in Veracruz, he learned that "ají" is the Nahuatl word for chile, and he knew that he had the name for his product. The company was launched in 1985, and eight years later, it made its way into the United States market. Today, the company produces a variety of spice mixes and sauces.

Tajín Clásico consists of various types of dried, ground chiles mixed with sea salt and dehydrated lime. Despite its fiery color, it's not over-the-top spicy, as most of the chiles are mild varieties. It has more of an earthy, salty, citrusy taste with just a hint of heat. You may have seen it used to rim cocktail glasses for drinks like margaritas and micheladas. However, that's not the only way to use this versatile seasoning. It can also be added to a wide variety of food and drinks. If you're looking to get more creative with it, here are 14 ways to use Tajín beyond just rimming glasses.

There's a reason chiles and chocolate have been paired for centuries. Long before Europeans arrived in the New World, people in what would later become Mexico were using these indigenous ingredients in frothy drinks and rich sauces. The slight bitterness of chocolate balances beautifully with the smoky, earthy heat of chiles. In addition, chiles can bring out the fruitiness in the chocolate. It's not uncommon to see chiles and chocolate in desserts today, but if you really want to take your sweet treats to the next level, consider adding Tajín.

What makes Tajín especially brilliant in chocolate desserts is its balance of salt and acid, both of which can really make cocoa flavors pop. Consider stirring a teaspoon or two into brownie or cake batter to add another layer of warmth and brightness. Add complexity to chocolate bark by rolling and pressing dried fruit in Tajín before adding it to the chocolate. You can also mix Tajín into ganache, fold it into chocolate mousse, or dust it lightly over chocolate truffles.

With its bold flavors and shakeable nature, Tajín is practically a dry rub waiting to happen. Dry rubs are a mixture of herbs and spices that you rub onto meat before cooking to help build a flavorful crust and seal in juices. Tajín contains several elements of a good dry rub, including salt to help retain moisture, acid to give brightness, and chiles to add depth. Even better, it's already mixed together, so you don't need to blend multiple spices or worry about getting your measurements right.

Tajín works beautifully on all sorts of meats, including chicken, steak, pork, and shrimp. It also works great on grilled tofu if you're going for a plant-based option. You can use it alone or with other spices like cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, or brown sugar for sweetness. Just pat it generously onto your protein before grilling, roasting, or pan-searing. If you're working with a tough or lean cut of meat, you may want to blend the Tajín with a bit of oil or citrus juice and let the meat marinate. 

One of the most popular ways to use Tajín in Mexico is to sprinkle it on fruit. In fact, it was first marketed as a condiment that could enhance the flavor of fruits and veggies, and that association has always stuck. Today, many Mexicans wouldn't dream of serving fresh fruit without a bottle of Tajín alongside it. The spicy, sour, and savory notes of the seasoning enhance the sweetness of fruit and add textural contrast.

There are few fruits that won't benefit from a dusting of Tajín. In Mexico, mango, pineapple, watermelon, orange slices, and cucumber are all prime candidates. And if you were just about to correct us for including the latter in a list of fruits, you might be interested to know that cucumber is technically considered a berry. That being said, the seasoning works well with fresh, water-rich veggies too like jícama. You can also sprinkle Tajín on dried fruits, fruit candy, and sweet treats that feature fruit like chocolate covered strawberries. Tajín can also give candy apples a blast of tangy flavor.

Both tostilocos and walking tacos are messy, crunchy street snacks that pack a ton of flavor, and Tajín fits right in. Tostilocos were born in Tijuana during the 1990s. The name is a portmanteau of Tostitos and "loco," which means "crazy." The snack features a bag of Tostitos corn chips piled high with sliced cucumber and jícama, fried Japanese peanuts, tamarind candy, and cueritos (pickled pork rinds). It also gets splashes of lime juice, chamoy (pickled fruit sauce), and hot sauce. Tajín isn't always added, but it can add another layer of spice.

If you live in the United States, you may be more familiar with walking tacos (aka Frito pie). Often making appearances at events like fairs and tailgates, the snack features a bag of corn chips like Fritos or Doritos piled high with add-ins. Common toppings include chili or seasoned taco meat, diced tomatoes, shredded cheese, lettuce, beans, sour cream, and guacamole. A dusting of Tajín can add brightness and cut through the heaviness of the cheese and meat. You can also try a drizzle of liquid Tajín sauce.

Tajín may be well and truly Mexican, but that doesn't mean you can't use it in other cuisines. It's a great flavor enhancer for pasta and noodle dishes because it can add pizazz to the neutral flavor of noodles. For example, it can instantly upgrade ramen noodles with its vibrant citrus notes and spice. Tajín can also complement the umami flavor of soy-based sauces and the earthiness of sesame oil, making it a great addition to dishes like lo mein or spicy peanut noodles.

Creamy pastas can also benefit from a dash or two of Tajín. Try it in mac and cheese to cut through the richness of the sauce and bring out the tangy notes of the cheese. Stir it into Alfredo sauce to add a touch of heat that can play well with black pepper. It's also a fun way to perk up cold pasta salads, especially ones with vinaigrettes or creamy dressings. The salt and acid in Tajín help to sharpen flavors and prevent creamy or carb-heavy dishes from tasting flat.

Dips are the ultimate party food, especially if they're fun and flavorful. Here's another area where Tajín can kick things up a notch. The vibrant seasoning can deepen a wide variety of dip flavors. It complements creamy bases like sour cream, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, or tahini by balancing the richness and adding zing. And because the heat level is relatively mild, it can add subtle warmth without overwhelming the dip's other ingredients.

It goes without saying that Tajín makes for a great accompaniment to Mexican dips like guacamole and queso. One of the biggest mistakes people make with guacamole is under seasoning. A dash or two of Tajín can add the extra salt and acid that creamy avocado needs. Similarly, stirring Tajín into queso adds complexity. Beyond traditional Mexican dips, Tajín also pairs surprisingly well with Mediterranean favorites like hummus or classic ranch-style dips. You can stir it directly into the dip or sprinkle it on top to add visual appeal.

Frozen drinks are perfect for cooling off on a hot day, but let's be honest — so many of them are so dang sweet. Tajín can help balance out the sweetness with some much-needed spice and tartness. It works especially well stirred into fruit smoothies, where the chile-lime notes bring out the fresh flavors of frozen fruit. You can also try it in boozy milkshakes for a surprising twist. Just a pinch can lighten up the heaviness of the ice cream and add a bit of spicy tang. Start with a little, taste as you go, and adjust to find your perfect balance.

If you really want to go all out with a frozen Tajín-laced drink, consider the mangonada, also known as a chamoyada. It's a popular Mexican frozen treat that's part sweet, sour, savory, salty, and refreshing all at the same time. It consists of frozen mango that's blended with a bit of lime juice and poured into a glass (or plastic cup) along with layers of bright red chamoy and Tajín. It's often served with chunks of mango and a straw that's rolled in a chile-tamarind paste. 

It's hard to find a Mexican street food that's more classic than elotes. Also known as Mexican street corn, it typically features corn on the cob that's grilled or boiled and covered in a creamy sauce made with mayonnaise, crema (or sour cream), cotija cheese, chile powder, lime juice, and cilantro. Many people use Tajín instead of regular chile powder because it adds another layer of those quintessential Mexican flavors. The slathered corn is sometimes served on a stick for easy eating.

If you don't have access to fresh corn on the cob, there are several elote-style dishes you can make that are just as tasty. Esquites are corn kernels tossed with the same combo of creamy chile-lime sauce and queso. They're often served in a cup, but you can transform them into a vibrant salad. Another option is to make snack-size elotes with baby corn. In addition, you can try this recipe for a warm, cheesy elote corn dip. No matter the format, a dash of Tajín brings the perfect hit of tartness and spice to tie it all together.

Eggs might be simple, but they don't have to be boring. The mild, neutral flavor of eggs makes them the perfect blank canvas for a wide range of seasonings. Instead of going with the usual salt and pepper or dash of hot sauce, consider sprinkling your eggs with Tajín. The spice mix adds acid, salt, and heat, all of which can elevate the richness of the yolks and add texture to the softness of the whites. Those tangy notes also help balance creamy elements, which prevents things from feeling too heavy.

Sprinkle Tajín on your eggs just before serving to add a dash of color and elevate the flavor of scrambled eggs, fried eggs, poached eggs, and deviled eggs. If you want to give baked egg dishes like frittatas and quiches more depth, stir a teaspoon or two of the spice mix directly into the egg mixture. The seasoning can also give breakfast tacos and burritos a hit of authentic Mexican flavors, and take egg salad to the next level. It's also great on avocado toast with jammy eggs.

Just like eggs, potatoes are endlessly versatile, but they can also be pretty mild on their own. Whether roasted, mashed, or fried, most potato dishes benefit from a flavor boost, and Tajín is a quick way to deliver it. Just a sprinkle can add some much-needed acidity and heat, plus textural intrigue. When the spice mix hits the hot potatoes, it dissolves slightly, ensuring that the flavor is distributed evenly. However, you still get little flakes that give pops of saltiness, spice, and lime on the tongue.

Tajín can level up pretty much any potato dish you can think of. You can toss it with roasted potatoes or home fries right out of the oven or dust it over french fries. Sweet potato fries are particularly good with Tajín because the chiles and lime contrast nicely with the sweetness of the potatoes. You can also use it to season your potatoes before roasting to add deeper flavor, mix it into creamy mashed potatoes or potato salad, and sprinkle it on hash browns or baked potatoes.

Few Mexican desserts are as beloved as paletas. They're essentially popsicles, but made with fresh ingredients like fruit, milk, nuts, herbs, and spices. If you're making your own popsicles at home, you can take inspiration from paletas and add ingredients like fresh mango, pineapple, or watermelon — fruits that pair especially well with Tajín. A light sprinkle of the seasoning can provide balance to sweet, juicy flavors and add more vibrancy.

There are tons of creative ways you can add Tajín to homemade popsicles. The easiest is to stir a small amount into your fruit purée before freezing. That will give you a subtle kick of chile-lime flavor throughout. You can also layer it in between pours of the fruit mixture to give swirls like you see in mangonadas. Tajín also works as a finishing touch. Either sprinkle it onto the popsicle just before eating or roll the tip of the popsicle in the spice mix for a more concentrated bite. Tajín pairs especially well with tropical fruits, citrus, and even creamy pops like coconut or strawberries and cream.

Looking to step up your roasted vegetable game? Tajín can give a savory, citrusy edge that makes each bite more interesting. Roasting brings out the natural sweetness and nuttiness in vegetables, and Tajín can complement those flavors with its slight tartness, saltiness, and mild heat. It's an easy way to wake up the flavors of your veggies without having to use rich sauces or extra oil. Instead of drowning out the natural taste of the produce, Tajín adds a pleasant lift and warmth.

Tajín works especially well with sweet veggies like carrots, squash, and sweet potatoes because you get a nice sweet-sour-salty flavor combo going on. It can also boost the flavor of mild veggies like cauliflower and deepen the flavor of green veggies like broccoli and kale. Toss your veggies with Tajín before roasting for a mellow, baked-in flavor. Or, you can roast the veggies first, then sprinkle Tajín over the hot veggies for a bit of punch. You can also try it with crisped-up chickpeas or roasted corn kernels.

Many bartenders use Tajín solely to rim cocktail glasses. In fact, it's become so popular that the company offers its Clásico seasoning in a special round container that's designed for easy glass rimming. But the side of a glass isn't the only place that Tajín has in cocktails. It can also go directly into drinks. It's a great flavor enhancer for savory, tomato-based cocktails like bloody marys and micheladas. Just stir a teaspoon or so into the drink or shake it up with the other ingredients for a hint of spice.

You can also use Tajín to make next-level savory cocktail garnishes. Instead of just adding a Tajín rim, consider using the spice mix to dust items like lime wedges, olives, cucumber spears, celery sticks, or pickled veggies. For a sweet and smoky treat, create some candied bacon with smoked bacon, maple syrup, and Tajín. Add a luxe touch to your bloody mary with some skewered shrimp rolled in a thin layer of the seasoning. Tajín-dusted fruit like mango and strawberry can also introduce sweetness into the mix.

Getting bored of your go-to crunchy snacks? Tajín may just be the flavor shake-up you need. It can add excitement to one-note snacks with its zesty, mouth-puckering flavors. Plus, it clings well to oils and seasoning powders, so it works great with packaged snacks like potato chips and buttery popcorn. You can also do like many Mexicans do and take things one step further by drizzling hot sauce and a dusting of Tajin over your chips or popcorn. Tajín is also a great addition to crunchy pickles, nachos, toasted corn, and peanuts.

Speaking of nuts, why not use Tajín to create your own customized snack mix? For example, you can take a can of mixed nuts, drizzle them in butter, sprinkle them with Tajín, and roast them in the oven for a warm and toasty snack. Add Tajín to sweet and spicy nuts or candied nuts to introduce a touch of tang. You can also use the seasoning in your next batch of Chex mix to put your own innovative spin on the classic party snack.