What Is Tajín Seasoning? (And Why Does It Make Fruit So Much Better?)

You’re hosting a last-minute get-together, and you have three ingredients in the fridge: a cucumber, a pineapple and some leftover Indian. Save the chicken tikka masala for lunch tomorrow. It’s time to put that cuke and pineapple to work with a little something you should always keep in your pantry: Tajín seasoning. But wait, what is Tajín spice exactly and how do you use it? We spoke to a culinary expert for the full scoop, and it turns out it’s delicious on more than just fruit.

Chef Eric Vasta spent the better part of the last decade cooking in luxury hotels around the world — in such far-flung destinations as Dubai, the Maldives, and Mallorca — before becoming head of the culinary team at JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, where he now serves as Director of Food and Beverage. Chef Eric was trained at the New York Restaurant School and received a Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management degree. He has cooked for the James Beard Foundation at the James Beard House in New York City, President Barack Obama, legendary chef Marco Pierre White, and even a royal wedding in Abu Dhabi.

Tajín is a pre-packaged Mexican seasoning made with chile peppers, salt and dehydrated lime juice. Ever have a bag of Tostidos Hint of Lime tortilla chips? Well, Tajín is like an authentic Hint of Lime seasoning. It’s tangy, salty and spicy.  Or, as Chef Eric describes it, “a perfect blend of chili peppers lime and salt,” that can be used to add a tangy hit of spice to a whole host of foods.