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    Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe

    Published August 9, 2023. This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    This delicious cilantro lime sauce recipe comes together in under 5 minutes and is loaded with delicious flavors for the perfect sour cream topping. You will be blown away at how delicious this sauce is and how many things it goes well with.

    Sauces are what help bring out and complement flavors in other dishes. It’s a great easy way to help take a simple recipe over the top. If you love sauce like I do, then you must try my Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise or Mint Sauce.

    cilantro lime sauce in a jar

    Cilantro Lime Sauce

    Cilantro lime sauce is a thick sour cream-based sauce consisting of cilantro, lime, green onions, garlic, vinegar, avocado, milk, and salt and pepper. It has some Latin-inspired ingredients and flavors and is a fantastic sauce topping on things like nachos, tacos, or grilled salmon.

    You can also make this recipe customized to your liking by adding in a jalapeño or serrano pepper for some spiciness. If you want to take a simple dish to the next level, then this is the quick easy sauce for you.

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    cilantro lime sauce ingredients
    • Sour Cream – Use a full-fat sour cream or, if you find it, Mexican crema.
    • Lime – Some fresh lime juice will brighten up this sauce and provide great flavors.
    • Cilantro – This will give some tremendous lemon-lime flavors and help make the sauce green.
    • Onion – I like using green onions and garlic to help increase the flavors in this cilantro lime sauce.
    • Vinegar – I use plain white distilled vinegar s is used for some extra acid.
    • Milk – I use whole milk to help thin the sauce out to give it a nice saucy consistency.
    • Avocado – This is optional, but a half-peeled and seeded avocado adds creaminess and color.
    • Seasoning – I used only coarse salt and fresh cracked pepper.

    How to Make a Cilantro Lime Sauce

    Add all the ingredients to a blender.

    adding cilantro to a blender

    Blend on high until the sauce is smooth.

    blending a cilantro lime sauce

    Adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Store or serve.

    sauce with cilantro and limes

    Make-Ahead and Storage

    Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 2 days ahead of time.

    How to Store: Cover and keep the avocado crema in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

    Chef Billy Parisi

    Chef Notes + Tips

    • You can also make this recipe in a food processor by adding everything in and processing at high speed until smooth.
    • Try adding 1 seeded serrano or jalapeño pepper for some spice.
    • You can substitute the vinegar with more lime juice if you want.

    More Sauce Recipes

    Let's Cook - Chef Billy Parisi

    Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe

    5 from 3 votes
    This cilantro lime sauce recipe comes together in under 5 minutes and is loaded with delicious flavors for the perfect sour cream topping.
    Servings: 3.5 cups
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes

    Ingredients 

    • 16 ounces full-fat sour cream
    • 1 cup packed cilantro leaves and stems
    • Juice of 2 limes, about ¼ cup
    • ½ cup thickly sliced green onions, only the green parts
    • 2 garlic cloves
    • ¼ cup whole milk
    • 2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
    • ½ peeled and pitted avocado
    • coarse salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Add all the ingredients to a blender.
    • Blend on high until the sauce is smooth.
    • Adjust the seasonings with salt, pepper, and lime juice. Store or serve.

    Notes

    Make-Ahead: You can make this up to 2 days ahead of time.
    How to Store: Cover and keep the avocado crema in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.
    You can also make this recipe in a food processor by adding everything in and processing at high speed until smooth.
    Try adding 1 seeded serrano or jalapeño pepper for some spice.
    You can substitute the vinegar with more lime juice if you want.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 322kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 5gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 54mgPotassium: 398mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 1329IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 172mgIron: 1mg
    Course: sauce
    Cuisine: Hispanic, latin, Mexican

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