This Cilantro Sauce is unbelievably addicting! Made in under 5 minutes it is creamy, spicy, tangy with a subtle bite from garlic, full of flavor and elevates any Mexican dish!
A 5 minute cilantro sauce that has become the essential sauce of this blog. Loaded with cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, sour cream, mayo and salt, it might be my favorite sauce, dressing, dip -> you name it.
It is compatible with almost everything from tacos, salads, burrito bowls, grilled chicken, steak or a dipping sauce for your veggies.
We loved this cilantro sauce on chickpea tacos and then repurposed into chickpea lettuce wraps, but its also amazing drizzled into the Mexican shrimp tacos. So awesome!
Is it sauce or dressing? A dressing is a type of sauce used mainly for salads, typically made with oil and vinegar mixed together with herbs or other flavorings. Whereas a sauce is a thick liquid served usually with savory dishes to add moistness and flavor like this greek yogurt sauce. This recipe can be served as both a salad dressing and a sauce.
If you are familiar with zhoug, a type of cilantro sauce originating in Yemen and has gained popularity across Middle East, does not contain any dairy or mayonnaise, so it's missing the creamy factor.
Also known as zhug or skhug, it is made using cilantro, chili peppers, garlic, olive oil and spices. Trader Joe's carries this in the refrigerate section and it has been one of our favorite Trader Joe's products.
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Why you'll love this sauce?
Featured comments
"I’ve been making this for years I call it “magic green sauce” it’s magic because it’s delicious on ANYTHING!!" - Teri
"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" - Pina
It is got the kick from the jalapeño, tangy from sour cream and lime, thick enough yet perfect to be drizzled and the fresh cilantro shining all the way through.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Cilantro - Wash fresh cilantro and pat dry with a clean kitchen towel so there is no additional water that might thin down the cilantro sauce.
- Jalapeño - I'll let you be the judge here! We used 1 whole large jalapeño pepper. Go ahead and scrape out the seeds if you want to tone down the heat.
- Sour cream - We went all in with full fat sour cream for the ultimate creaminess. Few readers use plain greek yogurt and find it just as delicious.
- Mayonnaise - For subtle sweet flavor and bring home the thick creamy amazingness.
- Garlic - No you won't taste the raw garlic.
- Lime juice - Use freshly squeezed and not from a bottle.
Substitution & Variations
- Make 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.
How to make?
- Add fresh, washed and dried cilantro (yes, you can use the stems too!) into a food processor.
- Add sour cream and mayonnaise.
- Add sliced jalapeño, garlic clove, fresh lime juice and salt.
- Close the food processor and let the cilantro sauce zip.
Tip: Don't blend very smooth! You want to see green specks of cilantro running through the cilantro lime sauce.
How to store?
- In the refrigerator - In an air tight container for 3 to 4 days.
- In the freezer - This cilantro sauce can be frozen too! We like to store in single serve portions in freezer safe bags or sealed containers for up to a month. Leave at room temperature for about 30 minutes or up to an hour or thawed.
Serving suggestions?
Your possibilities are endless!
- Drizzle this cilantro sauce 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.
Helpful tips
- Spiciness - We 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 - It compliments by adding a bite. However, too much garlic will overpower the taste. So, we recommend using not more than 1 or 2 large cloves.
- Lime juice - Use fresh lime juice and not bottled ones.
Recipe FAQs
Rinse under running water and place in a colander to drain excess water. Coarsely chop (along with stems) and add into a blender or food processor.
Sure can! Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream and lime juice in a bowl. Stir in finely chopped cilantro, jalapeños and grated garlic and mix by hand. It won’t be as smooth, but the flavor is just as delish.
Use whatever you have access to. Regular size or mini food processor (process in two batches), Nutri Bullet, Vitamix or any other blender.
More sauce recipes:
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Cilantro 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 cilantro lime 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.
Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment, a star rating or review below.
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Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for supporting kitchenathoskins.com.
All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.
Jayt
Great sauce! I used powdered garlic and omitted sour cream. It was delicious!
Maria Doss
Happy to hear that, 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.