Achiote paste, also called annatto paste or recado rojo, is a brick-red seasoning paste used throughout Latin American and Caribbean cooking. It is made from annatto seeds, harvested from the fruit of the achiote tree (Bixa orellana) native to the tropical Americas, which are dried, toasted, ground, and combined with ingredients such as garlic, onion, spices, and an acidic liquid like vinegar or citrus juice. The paste's color comes from bixin, a fat-soluble pigment in the seed. It is a foundational ingredient in Yucatecan cuisine, most famously in cochinita pibil, a slow-roasted pork dish marinated in achiote paste, and is also used to color and flavor rice, stews, and grilled or roasted meats and vegetables across Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and the Caribbean. Regional recipes vary in added spices, with some Central American versions including cinnamon, cloves, or allspice alongside the base of annatto, garlic, and citrus.