Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce

Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce is a vibrant, flavorful sauce that combines the fresh, herbaceous taste of cilantro with the spicy kick of jalapeños! This creamy sauce is perfect for adding a zesty burst of flavor to fries, tacos, meats, salads and more!

Why We Love Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce

I started making this sauce years ago, attempting to recreate a green mayonnaise sauce that is placed on basically every single table in Ecuadorian restaurants! There are many versions of green sauce, but my personal favorite is this cilantro jalapeño sauce recipe.

It is perfectly herby, creamy, slightly spicy, yet still bright and light thanks to the lime juice. And sauce just makes everything better, right? Cilantro jalapeño sauce is a fantastic way to add a burst of fresh, spicy flavor to your meals! It is so easy to make and incredibly versatile!

If you are like me and want a sauce with every meal, this might just become your new go-to sauce recipe, too! This zesty sauce is versatile and can be used as a dip, dressing, marinade, or drizzle to enhance your favorite meals.

Ingredients

To make homemade cilantro jalapeño sauce, you will need:

• Mayo & Greek Yogurt: The creamy base here is a combination of mayo and plain yogurt. I used low fat mayonnaise, but you can use whatever you'd like, including homemade mayo!
• Garlic: Whole garlic cloves can be added directly.
• Jalapeño: For a bit of heat, I added one jalapeño pepper. I removed the seeds since I am a little bit sensitive to spice. If you love spicy foods, leave the seeds in!
• Lime: Add as much lime juice as you need. I added the juice of a whole, large lime.
• Cilantro: Add a bunch of cilantro! After all, this is a cilantro sauce! The stems have a nice flavor too, so just chop off the tough ends and let the food processor do the rest of the work! It is very important to use fresh cilantro here!
• Salt: Add salt to taste!

How to Make Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce

1. Add Ingredients to Food Processor: For a milder heat, deseed the jalapeño and remove the white pith inside. Add all ingredients into a food processor or blender.

2. Blend: Blend until smooth. Taste test for acid and salt. If it needs a little more tanginess, add some more lime. If it needs more salt, add a pinch more and blend. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Tips for Success

• Adjust the heat level: For a milder sauce, be sure to remove the seeds and white pitch from the jalapeño. For a spicier sauce, throw it in with the seeds, and add more than one if you prefer!
• Consistency: If you like a thinner sauce, add a drizzle of olive oil and some extra lime juice. For a thicker sauce, add more yogurt until it is the desired consistency!
• Add some spices: You can add extra spices into this recipe for an extra depth of flavor. Adding a sprinkle of cumin or cayenne pepper would be delicious!
• Trust your taste: The key to making sauces like this, is to trust your taste. If you taste it and you think it is too sour, add some salt. If it is too heavy, add an extra squeeze of lime juice. If it is too salty, add a squeeze of lime juice! I basically balance everything out with either salt or lime juice here.
• Storage: Store your cilantro jalapeño sauce in an airtight container for up to one week! The sauce will get even better and more flavorful with a little bit of time.

Serving Suggestions

This sauce is extremely versatile and can be paired with so many different things! I absolutely love to pair it with my air fryer yuca fries, or any version of fries. It is also amazing with patacones!

I basically keep this sauce in my fridge at all times to drizzle onto eggs, pizza and tacos. It can also be used as a veggie dip! The possibilities are seriously endless!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Recipes to Try

• White Chicken Chili
• Fried Sweet Plantains
• Ecuadorian Bean Stew
• Seco de Pollo