Green Sauce
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Green sauce, a creamy, spicy blend of jalapeños, cilantro, and lime, is perfect for drizzling over tacos, burrito bowls, or grilled chicken—but it’s so good, you’ll be tempted to put it on everything!
Peruvian green sauce, or ají verde, is a creamy, spicy condiment that packs a punch. This fabulous recipe, adapted from the ever-reliable Kenji Lopez-Alt and featured on Serious Eats, has been a staple in my kitchen for years. Originating from Peru, this sauce combines the heat of jalapeños, the freshness of cilantro, and a rich base of mayonnaise and sour cream, all brightened up with a squeeze of lime. It’s the perfect accompaniment to my Peruvian chicken, adds a zesty kick to burrito bowls, and pairs well with just about anything in that vein. Trust me, once you try it, you’ll be finding excuses to drizzle it on everything!
What You’ll Need To Make Peruvian Green Sauce
- Jalapeño Peppers: Provide the sauce with heat and a slight smokiness; adjust seeds for your preferred level of spiciness.
- Fresh Cilantro: Add a fresh, herbaceous flavor that complements the heat of the peppers.
- Garlic: Infuses the sauce with a pungent, savory depth enhancing the overall taste.
- Mayonnaise: Creates a creamy base that balances the heat and ties all the flavors together.
- Sour Cream: Adds tanginess and richness, contributing to the smooth texture of the sauce.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Provides a bright, citrusy note that lifts and balances the flavors.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Emulsifies the sauce, adding richness and helping to thicken it as it sits.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor.
Blend into a smooth sauce. With the motor running, open lid and slowly drizzle in olive oil. It will seem very runny at this point but, don’t worry, it will thicken up as it sits.
Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
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Green Sauce
Green sauce, a creamy, spicy blend of jalapeños, cilantro, and lime, is perfect for drizzling over tacos, burrito bowls, or grilled chicken—but it’s so good, you’ll be tempted to put it on everything!
Ingredients
- 3 jalapeño chili peppers, seeded if desired (I use about half the seeds for a medium-hot sauce), and roughly chopped (see note)
- 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, from one lime
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor and blend into a smooth sauce. With the motor running, open lid and slowly drizzle in olive oil. It will seem very runny at this point but, don't worry, it will thicken up as it sits. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Note: Be sure to wash your hands well after handling hot peppers, and do not touch your eyes while working with them.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 148
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 1 g
- Sugar: 1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Sodium: 87 mg
- Cholesterol: 10 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Literally the best sauce ever and now my family’s favorite! You can put it on everything. We first learned about this sauce from Chef Jenn’s amazing Peruvian chicken recipe, but we use this sauce on tacos, burritos, eggs, corn, you name it! Brilliant as always! Thank you Chef.
A great sauce! It could be a salad dressing too. Note that the ingredient quantities for this sauce are not entirely the same as the ingredient quantities for the burrito bowl green sauce. They are both still delicious!
Absolutely delicious! I made this for a work lunch taco salad bar and it was a big hit. I doubled the recipe. Thanks, I’ll be making this often.