This Cilantro Lime Sauce is incredibly addictive! Creamy, spicy, zesty, garlicky, and full of bold flavor, it adds the perfect kick to any Mexican dish. Delicious on tacos, chicken, or just about anything!
5 Star Reviews
One reader Teri writes, "I’ve been making this for years I call it “magic green sauce” it’s magic because it’s delicious on ANYTHING!!" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
One reader Pina writes, "We made it and 🤤 we used it as a dipping sauce for our sirloin! Thanks so much!!! Definitely will be keeping this recipe for the books" ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This cilantro lime sauce has become a staple in our kitchen! Packed with fresh cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, sour cream, mayo, and a touch of salt, it’s my go-to Mexican sauce.
It’s incredibly versatile—delicious drizzled over tacos, salads, and burrito bowls, or served with grilled chicken, steak, and even as a zesty dip for veggies.
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Is it Cilantro sauce or Dressing?
It can be both! While cilantro dressing is typically a vinegar-based green sauce, it can also be made creamy by adding sour cream, yogurt, or mayo. This creamy cilantro green sauce is incredibly versatile—perfect for drizzling over tacos, grilled chicken, or fish. It also works beautifully as a salad dressing for Mexican-inspired salads or even as a flavorful dip!
Ingredients you'll need to make cilantro sauce?
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Cilantro – Always wash fresh cilantro thoroughly and pat it completely dry with a clean kitchen towel to prevent excess water from thinning the Mexican sauce.
- Jalapeño – I used one whole large jalapeño for a spicy kick, but you can remove the seeds to reduce the heat in your jalapeno green sauce.
- Sour Cream – Full-fat sour cream adds rich creaminess to the cilantro lime dip, though plain Greek yogurt is a great lighter alternative that still tastes great.
- Mayonnaise – Mayonnaise brings a subtle sweetness and helps create a thick, creamy texture that balances the bold flavors.
- Garlic – Don’t worry about raw garlic—it blends smoothly without leaving a harsh or overpowering taste.
- Lime Juice – Always use freshly squeezed lime juice for the brightest, most natural citrus flavor—avoid the bottled kind. Lemon juice is also a great substitute.
Cilantro Lime Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups cilantro lightly packed
- 1 cup Sour cream
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 jalapeno pepper, remove seeds if you'd like less spicy
- 1 large garlic clove
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a small food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Tip: Don't blend very smooth! You want to see green specks of cilantro running through the sauce.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
Substitution & Variations
- Make it into a cilantro dip - Chop cilantro, garlic and jalapeños very fine using a food processor or by hand and then transfer to a bowl. Mix in mayo, sour cream, lime juice and salt with a spoon.
- Make it vegan - Use vegan free mayo like Just Mayo or Sir Kensington’s Vegan Mayo and plant based sour cream.
- Like it healthier? Use plain greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
- Add some ripe avocado for added color and flavor.
Love fresh cilantro? Check out more cilantro recipes like instant pot cilantro lime rice or Mexican chickpeas.
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How to make cilantro lime sauce?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
Tip: Don't blend very smooth! You want to see green specks of cilantro running through the creamy sauce.
How long to store?
You can store the cilantro taco sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.
It also freezes well! I like to freeze it in single-serve portions using freezer-safe bags or sealed containers for up to a month. To use, let it thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour. Give it a good stir before serving.
Delicious Ways to Use Cilantro Sauce
- Drizzle it on your favorite taco recipes. We like it especially in our air fryer chicken tacos or potato tacos.
- Great in your ground chicken burrito bowl.
- Perfect to add freshness and zing with your grilled chicken, steak or veggies this summer.
- As a dip for your game day snack along with some tortilla chips or cucumber slices.
- As a spicy cilantro dressing for your lunch salad recipes.
Recipe tips
- Spiciness - I used whole jalapeño pepper (along with the seeds and ribs) but, you can remove the seeds for a less spicy dressing.
- Cilantro - Use coriander with stems. It adds nutrition and texture!
- Garlic -Garlic adds a nice kick, but too much can easily overpower the other flavors. Don't add more than 1 to 2 large cloves.
- Lime juice - Use fresh lime juice and not bottled ones.
- Blenders - Use any blender you have—food processor, NutriBullet, Vitamix, or even a mini one (in batches). Just don’t blend it too smooth.
More Sauces for Tacos
- Pico de Gallo Recipe is fresh, easy to make, and the perfect topping for all your favorite Mexican dishes.
- Avocado Crema is creamy, spicy, tangy and flavorful. It is perfect in tacos, nachos, quesadillas, fajitas, burritos bowls or just a dip with chips.
- Garlic Yogurt Sauce is creamy, tangy, thick but drizzly, it is made using only 5 ingredients. Terrific as a dip for chips or vegetable sticks, a sauce for grilled protein, veggies or wraps!
- Hot Honey is a sweet and spicy combo that elevates any dish!
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Kitchen at Hoskins on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Jayt
Great sauce! I used powdered garlic and omitted sour cream. It was delicious!
Maria Doss
Happy to hear that, Maria
Jo
Is it possible to can this sauce?
Maria Doss
Hmm... unfortunately, I don't think it would work for canning - Maria
Sophia
My whole family loved this !!! This will definitely become a staple sauce in my home. Thank you Maria !
Maria Doss
Glad you liked it hun, Maria
Pina
We made it and 🤤 we used it as a dipping sauce for our sirloin! Thanks so much!!! Definently will be keeping this recipe for the books
Maria Doss
Glad to hear hun, have a wonderful weekend - Maria
Sophia
It was a hit in my household ! My family loved it !! This is the third time I’ve made it. Thank you so much for the ingredients to create this delicious sauce ! 🤤
Renee
Hi Maria!
I am going to make this for a variety of dishes! So versatile! So fresh!
I suppose I can substitute the mayo and the sour cream with something else . . . But won’t because I love the recipe as written - dairy and all!
Thank you for sharing!
Maria Doss
Sounds good, have a great day - Maria
Dean
Great recipe! I have made this a dozen times and is a must to have in my fridge at all times. I do add a large Avocado and more peppers as I do like it hot.
Pamela Theiss
Yummy! I substituted Greek yogurt for the sour cream . I added 1/4 cup feta cheese instead of salt. I might try adding avocado next time with more jalapeño, as I like it spicy.
Thanks for the great recipe!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it hun – Maria ♡
Terrence Beneventi
Love the simplicity of the recipe. Felt like it needed some onion powder, but other than that, wifey loves it, and that's all I need!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Janine Fowlds
Seriously, the BEST! Flavorful and creamy…we LOVE it. New favorite!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Jessica
Hi! Made this recipe tonight. Very good! Will make it again, maybe with two jalapeños to spice it up more.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡
Fraser
Incredible!!! My husband and I crave this stuff and we base meals around it, which is easy as it’s amazing on everything. I especially love it on my huevos rancheros.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡
Tammi Boyer
I made this and added feta cheese. It is awesome!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡
Wanda Pucci
I don't usually comment on recipes, but I have to say, in a house full of picky granddaughters and a picky husband they all went crazy over this sauce and they want me to make it for lots of dishes that I make. Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear - Maria ♡
Melissa
Simply amazing!! I made this to go with some baked black bean tacos and they paired well!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved the sauce - Maria ♡
Daisy
This is an AWESOME recipe! I made it for my vegan friends by changing to plant based mayo and vegan sour cream. They loved it! Everyone wanted to try it even if they weren't eating anything that would go with it. Most of them used it as a salad dressing. Kudos to you!