Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce
Let's learn how to make the sauce you'll want to put on EVERYTHING - seriously everything! It's bright, refreshing, and packed with flavor. The best part is this Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce takes 10 minutes to make and will elevate any meal. Put it on top of rice, in a sandwich, or use it as a dip.
Ingredients
- 1 whole bunch cilantro
- 2 jalapeños seeds and stems removed
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 to 6 garlic cloves
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- juice of 1 whole lime
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cotija or parmesan cheese optional
Instructions
- To a food processor, add all the ingredients and pulse until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust salt or spiciness to your taste.
- If you would like it thicker and more creamier, add more yoghurt and/or mayo.
- Store any leftovers in an air-tight container or jar and keep in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
Notes
- To make it vegan, skip the cheese and use a vegan mayo or use avocado, soaked cashews, or silken tofu if you’d like to thicken it up and make it creamy.
- Cotija or parmesan is not necessary! I make it all the time without any cheese and it’s amazing.
- For a spicy sauce, increase the heat level by keeping some of the seeds and/or stems from the jalapeños. Another option is to add cayenne powder to control the heat level. A little goes a long way. Feel free to add a few mint leaves if you choose to make it spicy to balance it out.
- Lime juice can be swapped for lemon juice to add some acidity.
- For the garlic, add as much or as little as you like depending how much you love garlic. I added 6 cloves. Add 4 or 5 if your cloves are really large and you like a more mild garlic taste.
Did You Make This Recipe?
If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how it turns out. I love hearing from you!