Sauces & Dressings Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Tamarillo Sauce
A tangy-sweet tamarillo sauce that pairs beautifully with grilled chicken, pork, or ham.
No common allergens detected
Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.
Good to know
- One-pot
- Ready in under 30 minutes
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: one-pot dinners30-minute meals
Instructions
5 steps- 1
Peel and chop the tamarillos, then combine them with the brown sugar and water in a saucepan.
- 2
Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the tamarillos are soft.
- 3
Blend or process the mixture until smooth, then strain it back into the pan to remove seeds and skin.
- 4
Stir in the chicken stock, five-spice powder, and the extra brown sugar, then simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- 5
Serve warm with grilled or roast chicken, pork, or ham. This sauce also freezes well. Note: the five-spice powder can be left out if you prefer a simpler flavor.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
75/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving110
Calories
3 g
Protein
23 g
Carbs
1 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
The tamarillo, or tree tomato, is a tangy egg-shaped fruit native to the Andes that became a beloved garden crop in New Zealand, where most North Americans first encounter it. Its flavor sits between a tomato and a passionfruit, sharp and savory enough to make a condiment rather than a sweet. Tamarillo sauce is a classic Antipodean way to use a glut of the fruit, cooked down with sugar and spice into something between a chutney and a thick relish.
Listahan note
This version keeps the tamarillo's natural tartness up front and the sweetness restrained, so it works as a savory condiment for meats and cheese rather than a jam.
Technique cues
- Blanch and peel the tamarillos first, because the skin is bitter and astringent and ruins an otherwise bright sauce.
- Cook it down gently so the fruit breaks down evenly; a hard boil scorches the sugars and dulls the distinctive tangy flavor.
- Balance with vinegar as it cooks rather than all at the end, which gives the acid time to soften and integrate into the fruit.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Bring a kettle to a boil for blanching while you dice the onion, so peeling the fruit goes quickly.
- Make-ahead
- Make it days or weeks ahead; like most chutneys the flavor rounds out and improves as it rests.
- Leftover move
- Spoon leftover sauce over grilled lamb or fold it into a cheese toastie for a tangy lift.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Soak the sticky pot in hot water immediately so the reduced fruit sugars do not harden on.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
tamarillos
the star fruit
Purpose: Tamarillos give the sauce its unique tomato-meets-passionfruit tang and deep red color.
Handling: Score, blanch in boiling water, and slip off the bitter skins before chopping.
Adaptation: A mix of plum and a little passionfruit pulp approximates the flavor where tamarillos are unavailable.
onion
savory base
Purpose: Onion grounds the bright fruit and pushes the sauce toward the savory chutney side.
Handling: Dice fine so it melts into the sauce as it cooks.
Adaptation: Shallot gives a sweeter, more delicate base.
brown sugar
balancing sweetness
Purpose: Sugar tames the tamarillo's sharp acidity and helps the sauce thicken to a spoonable consistency.
Handling: Add gradually and taste, since the fruit's tartness varies.
Adaptation: Honey gives a softer sweetness and a glossier finish.
vinegar
preserving acid
Purpose: Vinegar sharpens the savory edge and helps the sauce keep like a chutney.
Handling: Add early so the harshness cooks off during the simmer.
Adaptation: Apple cider vinegar lends a fruitier acidity than malt or white.
warm spices
aromatic depth
Purpose: Ginger, cinnamon, or chile give the sauce a chutney-like complexity that suits cheese and roast meat.
Handling: Add early so they infuse through the long simmer.
Adaptation: A pinch of mixed spice or garam masala is a convenient shortcut.
Technique notes
- Blend part of the batch smooth and leave part chunky for a sauce with both body and texture.
- A pinch of salt and a final splash of vinegar at the end sharpens a batch that tastes too sweet or flat.
- Jar it hot into sterilized jars if you want it to keep for months in the cupboard like a traditional chutney.
Ingredient swaps
- Lower-sugar direction
- Cut the sugar and lean on the fruit's own sweetness, accepting a tarter, more savory sauce.
- Vegan option
- This sauce is naturally vegan; use sugar rather than honey to keep it so.
- Weeknight shortcut
- Skip peeling and simply blend and strain the cooked fruit through a sieve to remove the bitter skins.
Serve alongside
- Roast lamb chops
- Sharp cheddar and crackers
- Grilled sausages
- A baked brie wheel
- Syrah
- Sparkling apple cider
- Black tea
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to three weeks, or process in sterilized jars for cupboard storage up to a year. The flavor deepens noticeably after the first few days. It freezes well in small portions if you have a large harvest to put up.
Equipment
- Heavy saucepan
- Slotted spoon for blanching
- Immersion blender for partial smoothing
- Sterilized jars
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