Quick Amba Sauce Recipe

Now you can make this Israeli condiment at home! Check out this easy Amba Sauce Recipe!

Amwhat? If you haven’t had amba, you’re seriously missing out. It’s one of my all-time favorite condiments and I put it on everything. Let me tell you all about it.

I first had amba sauce in Israel on a sabich sandwich from a food stand — that fried eggplant sandwich topped with eggs, Israeli salad, and tahini that gets a real kick from amba. It was love at first bite. A friend brought me some once from an Israeli market in LA, but it had been really hard to find in the US. For a while Trader Joe’s sold it (you know something’s made it when it hits Trader Joe’s) but it’s sadly discontinued. But this homemade version is so easy I never bother buying it anyway.

What is Amba?

Amba (also spelled amba sauce or amba condiment) is a tangy, spiced pickled mango sauce. It’s a staple Israeli street food condiment with roots in Iraqi-Jewish cooking and before that, Indian cuisine. The name comes from the Hindi word for mango — aam (आम) — which tells you something about where this sauce originally came from.

In Israel, amba is as essential as tahini or hummus. You’ll find it drizzled over sabich, stuffed into falafel, slathered on shawarma, and honestly on anything else that holds still long enough. It’s a condiment that punches way above its weight.

What Does Amba Mean in English?

Amba doesn’t have a direct English translation — the word itself is the name. It comes from the Arabic and Yiddish amba, derived from the Hindi word for mango. In English, it’s sometimes called “pickled mango sauce” or “Iraqi mango sauce,” but neither quite captures it. Most people just call it amba.

Worth noting: amba is a sauce, not a spice. You might see it listed as “amba spice” in some places, but that’s a misnomer. It’s a condiment made from pickled mangos and a blend of spices, not a spice itself.

Amba Origins: Iraqi-Jewish and Indian

The story of amba is a journey. It started in India, where pickled mango condiments (like the ones you might know as mango pickle or achar) have been made for centuries. When Indian merchants traded with the Persian Gulf in the 19th century, they brought pickled mango with them to Iraq. Iraqi Jews adopted the condiment, adapted it with their own spices, and it became deeply embedded in Iraqi-Jewish cooking.

When Iraqi Jews immigrated to Israel in the 1940s and ’50s — over 100,000 people in just a few years — they brought amba with them. It landed in Israeli street food culture and never left. Today it’s one of the defining flavors of Israeli sabich and falafel stands everywhere from Tel Aviv to Brooklyn.

What Does Amba Taste Like?

Amba sauce is tangy from the pickled mangos, a little sweet, earthy from the spices, and has a touch of heat. There isn’t really anything else like it — it’s its own thing. Once you’ve had it, you’ll understand why Israelis put it on everything.

The spices are what pull it all together:

• Cumin — warm and earthy
• Sumac — lemony and bright. A must in your spice cabinet!
• Cayenne — just enough heat
• Fenugreek — herby, slightly bitter, vaguely maple-y (trust me)

Amba vs. Mango Chutney vs. Mango Pickle

People often confuse amba with other mango condiments. Here’s the difference:

• Amba vs. mango chutney — Mango chutney (the kind you’d find in Indian restaurants or British supermarkets) is typically sweeter and cooked down to a jammy consistency. Amba is tangier, more savory, and spiced differently — heavier on cumin and fenugreek, lighter on sweetness.
• Amba vs. mango pickle (achar) — Indian mango pickle is the closest relative. It’s fermented, very salty, and intensely concentrated. Amba is more sauce-like in consistency and milder in its fermentation — especially this quick version, which skips the fermentation entirely.
• Quick amba vs. traditional amba — Traditional amba is fermented for days or weeks, giving it a deeper, funkier flavor. This quick version is ready in 20 minutes. You lose a little complexity but gain a whole lot of convenience, and it’s still absolutely delicious.

Where to Buy Amba Sauce

If you want to buy amba rather than make it, here’s where to look:

• Israeli or Middle Eastern grocery stores — most carry it, often several brands
• Specialty food stores like Whole Foods or similar
• Online — plenty of options on Amazon

That said, homemade amba takes about 20 minutes and tastes better than anything in a jar. I say make it.

Quick Amba Sauce Ingredients

This is not a totally traditional recipe — the traditional version ferments the mangos for days, and I wanted amba now. So I came up with a quick version you can make in about 20 minutes. It’s got the tangy, spiced, mango-y flavor you want without the wait.

Key ingredients:

• Mango — ripe or slightly underripe works. You want some tartness.
• Apple cider vinegar — gives you that pickled tang without the wait
• Cumin, fenugreek, sumac, cayenne — the essential spice blend
• Turmeric — for color and earthiness
• Mustard — a little at the end, in place of mustard seeds
• Garlic — because of course

How to Make Amba Sauce

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan, simmer until the mango softens, then blend until smooth (or leave it chunky — your call). That’s it. I told you I was going to make this easy for you. You do you, as long as you do amba.

Quick Amba Sauce Recipe

Amy Kritzer

Now you can make this Israeli condiment at home! Check out this easy Amba Sauce Recipe!

4.81 from 36 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Condiment

Cuisine Israeli

Ingredients

  

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 ripe mango diced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon sumac
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or more if you like it hot!
• 1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
• 1/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste
• 1/4 cup white or apple cider vinegar
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Instructions

 

• Heat a medium saucepan over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Then add the garlic and saute for a few minutes until soft and fragrant, careful not to let it burn.
• Add the mango and all spices and stir while mashing the mango for 1 minute.
• Then add the vinegar, lemon juice, water and mustard and simmer while stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
• Let cool and serve chunky or blend in a blender or with an immersion blender. Keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Like this recipe?Leave a comment or rate us above

How to Use Amba Sauce

The better question is: what don’t you use amba on? Here are my favorite applications:

• Sabich — amba’s natural home. Non-negotiable.
• Falafel — drizzle it in the pita with tahini and Israeli salad
• Shawarma — it’s a classic pairing
• Knishes — this is my personal favorite move. A Mizrahi Ashkenazi combo. Just try it!
• Eggs — fried egg with amba on toast is a breakfast I will never stop eating
• Lamb kofta kebabs — amba alongside tahini sauce? Perfect.
• Grilled fish and seafood — the tangy mango flavor is incredible with grilled fish
• Roasted vegetables and eggplant
• As a dip with chips or pita
• Marinades — mix amba with olive oil and use it to marinate chicken before grilling

Here I’m using it as a knish dipper. You really can’t go wrong.

How to Store Amba

Store amba in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The flavor actually deepens after a day or two as the spices meld. You can also freeze amba in small portions for up to 3 months — ice cube trays work great for this.

Amba FAQ

What does amba mean in English?
Amba doesn’t have a direct English translation. The word comes from the Hindi word for mango (aam), via Arabic. In English it’s sometimes called “pickled mango sauce” or “Iraqi mango sauce.”

Is amba the same as mango chutney?
They’re related but different. Mango chutney is sweeter and more jam-like. Amba is tangier, more savory, and spiced with cumin, fenugreek, and sumac rather than the sweeter spices typical of chutney.

Is amba vegan?
Yes — amba is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

Is amba spicy?
Traditional amba has some heat from cayenne or chili pepper. This quick recipe is mildly spicy — you can dial it up or down to taste.

Where does amba sauce come from?
Amba originated in Iraqi-Jewish cooking, adapted from Indian pickled mango traditions. It became a staple in Israel when Iraqi Jews immigrated there in the 1940s and ’50s. It’s now a defining flavor of Israeli street food.

What is the difference between amba and harissa?
Very different! Harissa is a North African chili pepper paste — spicy, smoky, and red. Amba is an Iraqi-Jewish mango sauce — tangy, sweet-savory, and golden yellow. Both are essential Israeli condiments; they just do completely different things.

More Israeli and Middle Eastern recipes

• Sabich Eggplant Sandwich
• Sabich Crostini
• Falafel Burgers
• Chicken Shawarma Lettuce Wraps
• Tabouli Salad
• Classic Hummus
• Harissa Recipe
• Garlic Mashed Potato Knishes