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Black recado

Black recado is a dark, intensely spiced paste used to season stews, braises, and other dishes in parts of Mexico and Central America.

Black recado — illustrative ingredient image

About Black recado

Black recado is a dark, strongly seasoned paste used as a culinary seasoning in parts of Mexico and Central America. It is used in stews, braises, marinades, and other regional dishes, where it may be diluted, rubbed onto ingredients, or stirred into a cooking liquid. The name should not be treated as a generic term for every dark Mexican seasoning paste.

Its flavour and aroma come from a toasted or charred mixture of spices and aromatics. The paste is typically thick and dense, with an intense roasted character and complex notes that may include smoke, bitterness, warm spice, and savoury aromatics. Formulations vary, so heat, saltiness, and balance are not fixed.

Black recado is sold as a homemade or commercial paste, generally dark brown to nearly black. Roasting or charring, grinding, and added liquid affect its colour and texture; versions may be smoother or coarser. In cooking, dilution softens its density while retaining its concentrated seasoning character.

Ingredient type
paste

Forms & related ingredients

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Where black recado appears

3 linked foods

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Main dishes

Soups

Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.

Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.

Local names for black recado

Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.

English

Black recado

Available names only. Languages may be spoken in other countries; a name alone does not identify every ingredient in a dish.

Black recado nutrition & diet

Black recado nutritional value

Representative benchmark: Sauce, not further specified

Representative nutrition benchmarkOfficial table values for a comparable food category, not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient.

Per 100 g of 100 g edible portion in the named official reference form.

Calories
116kcal
Protein
1.6g
Carbs
25.9g
Fat
0.4g

Representative benchmark from a comparable official food-composition category; it is not a laboratory measurement of this exact ingredient. The displayed reference form must be considered, and species, cultivar, recipe, brand, processing and preparation can change values.

Portions & preparation

Establish which regional black recado is intended before applying a reference, because the paste can combine roasted spices, seeds, chiles, aromatics, and other ingredients in differing proportions. Match the prepared paste and the amount used in the dish, including any added fat, broth, or sweetener.

Compare the right form: Reference must match the specific regional black recado paste, its recipe and preparation, rather than a generic spice blend or sauce.

Diet considerations

Black recado is a plant-based seasoning blend only when its particular recipe contains no animal ingredients. Regional versions may include seed or nut ingredients, added fat, broth, or other components, while cereal-based thickeners can alter compatibility. Review the full blend and finished dish; its carbohydrate pattern is portion-dependent.

AI-authored reading notes · Awaiting editorial review. Measured values, where available, have a separate source above.

Dietary compatibility

  • Vegan
    Not established
  • Vegetarian
    Not established
  • Pescatarian
    Not established
  • Keto
    Not established
  • Paleo
    Depends on the version
  • Low-carb
    Not established
  • Halal
    Not established
  • Kosher
    Not established
What these diet assessments mean
Vegan · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Vegetarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Pescatarian · Not established
The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
Keto · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Paleo · Depends on the version
Optional or variable recorded ingredients: Corn tortilla. Recorded common ingredients: Corn Masa. This profile falls outside the conventional paleo pattern used here (grains and pseudograins, legumes, dairy or refined sugar). Recipes and products can differ. Recipes and products can differ.
Low-carb · Not established
A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
Halal · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
Kosher · Not established
Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.

For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.

Reviewed ingredient entryIngredient reference · Preparations vary

AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.

Sources & review

Nutrition reference: Pacific Nutrient Database 2020 — 01.1.9.3.9_98 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.

Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.

The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.

Last recorded verification: .