Cilantro Garlic Sauce

Prepared in under 5 minutes, my cilantro garlic sauce is incredibly creamy and bursting with flavor. With lime juice and sour cream, this vibrant blend effortlessly comes together using only your food processor.

Cilantro Garlic Sauce

I usually make this simple cilantro garlic sauce as a topping for steak, tacos or grilled chicken dishes. My family love it! Seriously, It jazzs up any boring main course with just a hint.

I also use it as a marinade, dip, chutney, or even salad dressing. The spicy, tangy flavour is what makes this sauce worthy of being paired with almost any dish!

My secret to the best cilantro garlic sauce is picking out fresh and green cilantro. So always look for the cilantro, which has radiant green leaves, and none of them should appeal to be dry or wilting. It should be fragrant with a lemon scent. Some even call this scent ‘near soapy’. 

Also, I highly recommend using a good quality full-fat sour cream and mayonnaise for the best results.

Ingredients

Sour cream: I use full-fat sour cream because it make the sauce extra creamy.

Mayonnaise: It adds a rich and creamy texture to the sauce, and it helps thicken up the sauce a little bit.

Garlic cloves: I use fresh, peeled and finely chopped 3 garlic cloves.If you don't like raw garlic in your sauce, you can roast them.

Lime juice: I prefer freshly squeezed lime juice, but store-bought works too.

Cilantro leaves: If you hate cilantro, use parsley instead.

Salt: To taste, of course

“See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.”

How to Make Cilantro Garlic Sauce?

Below are the detailed instructions for how to make cilantro garlic sauce.

First Step - Preparation

The process to make this recipe is relatively simple. For starters, gather all of the ingredients listed above. Wash the cilantro and rough chop it.

Pro Tip: Whilst prepping the cilantro, of course, you will wash and chop it. Make sure you dry the cilantro before tossing it into the food processor. The extra water won’t add much flavour but will make the sauce watery.

Step Two - Combine The Ingredients

Add all ingredients to a food processor, and beat until the sauce is well combined. It should have a buttery cream texture and have a dominating flavor of cilantro and garlic in particular.

Step Three - Taste to Adjust The Salt

Lastly, check to see if the salt is as per your liking. Add more if not.
Cheers! Your fresh and flavourful sauce is ready to be served. How are you serving yours? Please keep reading to find out our recipe suggestions further in this blog.

Variations & Substitutions

• You can substitute the sour cream for thick Greek style yoghurt like in my recipes Mutabal (Roasted Eggplant Dip) and Haydari (Turkish Yogurt Dipping Sauce). Make sure it is good quality and rich.
• If you are using freshly squeezed lime juice and are feeling a little adventurous, you can add some lime zest for an even tangier sauce.
• If you’re really a fan of the spice, then you can also throw in some diced jalapenos.
• Don’t be afraid to add more ingredients to the food processor after tasting the sauce. For example, throw in some extra cilantro if you think the flavour is not enough. You can do the same for other ingredients as well.

Serving Suggestions

This lip-smacking and extremely versatile dressing can be enjoyed with many, or better yet, with any main courses! I like it drizzled on shrimp tacos, Mexican chicken tacos, as a salad dressing, or enjoyed with some lentils and rice (Mujadara).

You can also serve it with Oven Baked Chicken Thighs (Bone In), Steaks With Mushroom Gravy Or Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich .The sky is the limit with creativity for serving this dish.

Recipe FAQ’s

More Sauce Recipes

• Vinaigrette - Easy Salad Dressing
• Egyptian Tahini Sauce
• Bagel Dip Recipe
• Chicken Poppers With Creamy Sauce
• Basil Pesto Dressing

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Recipe Card