Creamy, spicy, and bright, this Jalapeño Cilantro Garlic Sauce recipe is a true kitchen hero. Simply made with just 5 ingredients, this homemade condiment-meets-dip is perfect for nearly every meal! I can almost guarantee you'll be making at least one batch a week, if not more.
Some of my favorite flavors are garlic, cilantro, lime, and jalapeño. This super easy garlic cilantro sauce brings them all together — and it comes together in just 5 minutes. We're so obsessed, we've been putting it on everything from egg bites and Asian-inspired pork burgers to avocado tartines and tuna sandwiches.
Question: Do any of y'all have a signature accessory? You know, a necklace, a beautiful shade of lipstick, or your very favorite pair of boots? Well, as much as I enjoy fashion, I love food so much more. And, TBH, I'm much more likely to accessorize my plate than my person. 🤷🏼♀️😂
This creamy cilantro lime sauce has become my new signature accessory. It’s the little black dress your fridge needs (especially with grilling season coming up!). It’s perfect for nearly any occasion, any dish, and any cuisine. I'm not hyperbolizing here.
If you're looking for a creamy hot sauce, this chimichurri cilantro sauce is it. You can use it as a substitute for mayonnaise on chicken sandwiches and pita wraps. It makes a great dipping sauce for french fries, sweet potato fries, and any kind of chip. I've even thinned it out with a bit of olive oil and used it as a salad dressing. It's creamy, acidic, spicy. And it is flat-out perfect.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe
- So Stinkin’ Simple - 5 ingredients, 5 minutes, and a blender or food processor are all that stands between you and Flavor City.
- Absolutely Crave-Worthy - The first time I made this garlic cilantro sauce recipe for a BBQ, Joe was so excited that he started squirting it onto chips and crackers. I had to ask him to stop so some would be left for the meat (and the guests!). I can’t blame him, though — this creamy green sauce is epic.
- Easily Customizable - Make it vegan, paleo, extra spicy or mild with simple tweaks.
- Versatile AF - You can definitely use this creamy lime cilantro sauce for tacos (especially fish or shrimp!), but it’s also the perfect sidekick for any grilled meat, fish, or veggies; it’s awesome on pizza (better than ranch by a long shot!); and is the best dipping sauce for any chip, fry, or raw veggie you can think of. Read on below for lots of ideas.
Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make your new favorite kitchen side-kick:
- Cilantro - One of my favorite things about cilantro is it requires very little prep. Simply rinse it well under cool water to remove any dirt, then chuck the whole bunch in the blender, stems and all.
- Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice - Since limes can vary widely in terms of size and juiciness, I recommend you grab a few. To get the most from your fruit, wash and zest it (either using a veggie peeler or microplane), then roll it firmly on the countertop for 10-15 seconds before slicing it open and juicing. While we won’t use the zest in this recipe, it freezes well. When you’re done, toss your spent rinds in a pitcher and make no-waste fruit-infused water.
- Jalapeño - I don’t do any more prep than washing and lopping off the stem. Feel free to give it a rough chop if your blender or food processor needs the assist.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic cloves are definitely the way to go here. I like to buy pre-peeled garlic in giant Costco-sized bags, then keep it in the freezer to pull out as I need.
- Mayonnaise - I prefer Hellman's/Best Foods or Duke's, but any high-quality store-bought mayo you like will do just fine. Out of mayo? Sub in full-fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for a tangier, yet equally yummy twist!
How To Make Garlic Cilantro Sauce With Jalapeños & Lime
This easy recipe for creamy jalapeno sauce couldn’t be easier if it tried. Don’t believe me? Here’s a video of me making this creamy green sauce in just 2 minutes. If you prefer to read than watch, here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Add all ingredients to high-speed blender or food processor.
Step 2: Blend until smooth. Pour into a squeeze bottle and get ready to have some fun. Enjoy!
Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
While Joe and I have no notes for this delectable cilantro lime dip, there are plenty of ways for you to make it your own:
- Vegan Cilantro Sauce - Use your favorite vegan mayonnaise to keep it entirely plant-based!
- Pollo Tropical Copycat Recipe - Use half mayo and half sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Paleo/Whole30-Friendly - Use avocado oil mayonnaise.
- Adjust the Heat. If you're not a fan of spicy things, you can easily adjust the Scoville level by removing the ribs and seeds of the jalapeño before blending. Prefer tongue-tingling tastes? Add extra jalapeños and/or experiment with adding spicier peppers to the mix (e.g. serrano, scotch bonnet, or habanero).
Expert Tips
- This Peruvian green sauce will look different if you make it in a high-speed blender vs. a regular blender or food processor. I have a Vitamix, so it emulsifies entirely and becomes a uniform shade of green. If you don’t have a Vitamix/Blend-Tec, yours will look more like Chuy’s creamy jalapeno sauce — whiteish with some green flecks. It’s delicious either way.
- Scrape down the sides as needed. In the video, you can see me using the blender plunger to get all the good stuff down into the blades. If you’re using a food processor, stop and scrape the bowl at least once to make sure all the chunks of jalapeños and garlic are blended out.
- Sauce too thick? Add more fresh lime juice.
- Can’t get fresh limes? Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice is the next best thing. You can also use it to make my favorite ginger coconut key lime bars!
- Feel free to wing it. While I’ve given y’all a recipe that yields a modest amount of this yummy creamy jalapeño sauce, if I’m being honest, I don’t measure anymore. We make a big-batch recipe with an entire 30oz tub of mayo, then chuck in a 2-3 bunches of cilantro, a handful of garlic cloves, 3-4 jalapeños, and enough lime juice to make the blender purr (usually about 3-4 limes worth). It’s pretty impossible to mess up.
Serving Suggestions
Friends, once you make a batch of this creamy jalapeno sauce recipe I’m pretty sure you’ll find no shortage of ways to put it to use. Here are just a few ideas to get your creative wheels turning:
- Slather it on a Santa Fe chicken sandwich, or use it as a dipping sauce for the fries you eat with it!
- You couldn’t ask for a better creamy cilantro sauce for fish tacos or salmon burritos.
- Take your fusion meal to another level of yum by drizzling this aji verde on Korean steak tacos.
- Use it to dress up these BBQ chicken sweet potato bowls or to tame the heat of my zhoug chicken rice bowls.
- Forget ranch dressing for your pizza; this low-carb creamy hot sauce is way better.
- Use it to make my spicy avocado tuna salad or drizzle it over salmon sweet potato cakes.
Storage Instructions
- Keep the spicy cilantro mayo sauce in a squeeze bottle in the fridge for easy access and mess-free usage. Note that if you use a food processor instead of a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, it’ll be a bit chunkier, so you may need to cut the nozzle to make it wider. You can also keep it in the air-tight container of your choice.
- Since store-bought mayo already has preservatives in it, the sauce should keep well in the fridge for a month or more. We make a giant mayo-tub-sized batch about once every 6 weeks and have never had an issue with spoilage.
- I do NOT recommend freezing aji verde. The mayo tends to separate and/or become spongy, leaving you with a less-than-desirable consistency.
FAQs
It depends on the recipe, but mine is made using store-bought mayo, cilantro, fresh garlic, jalapeños, and lime juice — so, no dairy.
Considering it’s mostly mayonnaise, it is somewhat fattening. But the fat is worth it for the taste! If you’d like to make it healthier/lighter, try swapping in full-fat Greek yogurt.
I’d consider this a mild-medium spice level, but you can easily tweak it to your preference. Hop up to the “optional variations” section above for more details on how to do it.
It’s pretty darn close. Chuy’s uses bottled ranch dressing instead of mayo, so it’s a bit thinner than this. If you’d like to make yours with a similar consistency, add a splash of milk, buttermilk, or even olive oil to thin it out.
If you love this post and want more budget-friendly recipe inspiration, be sure to subscribe for email updates and follow me on Pinterest!
Creamy Garlic Lime Cilantro Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Cilantro stems and all
- 1-2 Limes juiced
- 1-2 Jalapeño stem removed
- 5-10 cloves Garlic
- 2 C Mayonnaise Hellman's or Duke's preferred
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to high speed blender and blend until smooth. Pour into squeeze bottle and prepare to put this on everything. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Vegan Cilantro Sauce - Use your favorite vegan mayonnaise to keep it entirely plant-based!
- Pollo Tropical Copycat Recipe - Use half mayo and half sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- Paleo/Whole30-Friendly - Use avocado oil mayonnaise.
- Adjust the Heat. If you're not a fan of spicy things, you can easily adjust the Scoville level by removing the ribs and seeds of the jalapeño before blending. Prefer tongue-tingling tastes? Add extra jalapeños and/or experiment with adding spicier peppers to the mix (e.g. serrano, scotch bonnet, or habanero).
- This Peruvian green sauce will look different if you make it in a high-speed blender vs. a regular blender or food processor. I have a Vitamix, so it emulsifies entirely and becomes a uniform shade of green. If you don’t have a Vitamix/Blend-Tec, yours will look more like Chuy’s creamy jalapeno sauce — whiteish with some green flecks. It’s delicious either way.
- Scrape down the sides as needed. In the video, you can see me using the blender plunger to get all the good stuff down into the blades. If you’re using a food processor, stop and scrape the bowl at least once to make sure all the chunks of jalapeños and garlic are blended out.
- Sauce too thick? Add more fresh lime juice.
- Can’t get fresh limes? Nellie & Joe’s Famous Key West Lime Juice is the next best thing. You can also use it to make my favorite ginger coconut key lime bars!
- 1 30-oz jar mayo
- 2 large bunches cilantro, stems and all (rinsed well)
- 10-20 cloves garlic (depending on how garlicky you like it)
- juice of 3-4 limes
- 3-4 jalapeños
Nutrition
Grace says
This was so good! I did change it up just a little bit. 1/2 sour cream & 1/2 mayo. I will make this every time from now on.
Ash, The Grocery Addict says
Hi Grace, YUM! That sounds like such a good tweak! I'll have to try that myself next. 🙂