5 Ingredient Creamy Cilantro Garlic Sauce
Let’s Talk About This Wonder Sauce!
Okay, story time. So, I first stumbled on this 5 Ingredient Creamy Cilantro Garlic Sauce after a random Tuesday when I realized I’d bought way too much cilantro—like, it was threatening to take over my fridge. The first batch was chaos (in a good way). A little too spicy, then not enough garlic, but—eventually—chef’s kiss. Now it’s kind of my party trick (my cousin even tried it on pancakes, which… nope, not doing that again).
You know those things you start making and suddenly your family’s like, “Are you making the sauce?” This is mine. Plus, it comes together so fast it almost feels like cheating. Well, almost. I do still have to chop stuff, after all.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This
I make this whenever I want to jazz up, well, anything. Tacos? Yup. Grilled chicken in the middle of winter? Oh yes, please. Salads that need saving? This is the fixer. My family goes a little bonkers for it, especially when I’m not stingy with the garlic (but honestly, sometimes I am—sorry, kids!). And let’s not even talk about how dead simple it is; if you can work a blender and remember to buy cilantro, you’re golden. Actually, I find it helps to hide the sauce in the fridge or it’ll vanish before dinner even hits the table. Happened last week. Not naming names but you know who you are.
My (Mostly Flexible) Shopping List
- Cilantro: One medium-sized bunch (or more, if you’re feeling wild). I’ll use parsley in a pinch—my grandma swore by it, though I think she just ran out of cilantro a lot.
- Garlic: 3 fat cloves. Or more, because why not? The jarred minced stuff can work if you’re speed-running dinner, but don’t tell any chefs I said that.
- Sour Cream: About 1/2 cup. Sometimes I swap in Greek yogurt—it’s a bit tangier, which I actually like better sometimes.
- Lime Juice: Fresh squeezed is best, but bottled will do (on second thought, maybe add a pinch of zest if you go the bottle route).
- Salt: Just a good pinch—start small, taste and add a touch more if needed. I use whatever salt’s closest to my hand.
Optional: If you want a kick, add a jalapeño (de-seeded or not, depending on whether you like to live dangerously). Sometimes I toss in a glug of olive oil for more richness, but honestly, it’s plenty creamy without.
How I Throw This Together
- Prep Work: Rinse your cilantro. Really get in there because sometimes stray bits of grit like to linger. I roughly chop it up, stems and all—don’t fuss over picking every leaf. That’s where the flavor lives.
- Into the Blender: Add cilantro, peeled garlic cloves, sour cream, lime juice (start with half a lime, add more to taste), and salt. Jalapeño, if you’re bold.
- Blend Until Creamy: Hit the button and let it whizz, scraping down the sides if necessary. Don’t worry if it looks too runny—about 30 seconds later it comes together. This is where I usually sneak a taste (or two).
- Refine: Taste-test it! Add a bit more salt, a squeeze more lime, or more cilantro if you want it greener. Honestly, it’s totally up to your mood.
- Chill (Or Don’t): Pop it in the fridge for a bit to let the flavors mingle. But, not gonna lie, sometimes it barely gets a minute before someone starts dipping chips in.
Things I’ve Learned (The Hard Way…)
- If you dump everything in without tasting, you might end up with lime overload. Did that twice; very pucker inducing.
- Sometimes it looks a little split or weird at first but a quick extra blend smooths it out. Don’t panic.
- Once, I tried using low-fat sour cream to save calories. It tasted like sadness. Full fat all the way—if you ask me!
Me Trying to Mix It Up (For Science)
- Greek yogurt variation—tangier, a bit less creamy, but still very good. If you like tzatziki, you’ll be happy.
- Added avocado once, thinking “this will be SO creamy”—turned out like a green smoothie. Whoops. Not my finest moment.
- Hot sauce splash? Actually not bad, if you want the extra punch.
If You Don’t Have a Food Processor…
I use a cheap blender. (It makes a horrid noise but does the job!) Or, you can just chop everything really fine and stir together. It won’t be restaurant-smooth but honestly, rustic is in fashion. Right?
Storing This Magic Green Sauce
Throw it in a jar, cover tightly, and stick in the fridge. Should last about 2–3 days, unless your family is like mine—in which case, I’d say maybe 24 hours if you’re lucky. The color stays bright for a while, but after a couple days it looks a bit less perky. That’s normal. Still tastes good, if you ask me.
How I Love to Serve It
On taco night, it’s king. Fish tacos, roasted veggies, chips, grilled shrimp, or (don’t judge) right on scrambled eggs in the morning. Actually, my kid prefers drizzling it on pizza—don’t knock it till you try it! Sometimes I just dip carrot sticks as a lazy snack. There are no rules here.
What I’ve Learned (Usually The Hard Way)
- Let it chill for at least 30 minutes, if you can possibly wait. I used to rush this, but the flavors do mellow out and taste way better after some fridge time.
- Be gentle with the lime. I mean it. My first try, I dumped in a whole lime and it took over everything.
Some Real Questions I’ve Actually Gotten
Q: Can I make it without cilantro?
Well… you can, but then it’s not really “cilantro” sauce, is it? Parsley works in a pinch, but it’s not the same wow-factor. My aunt swears by mint, but I think that’s a bit bonkers.
Q: Is it spicy?
Not unless you throw in jalapeño or hot sauce. Otherwise, nope. Very kid-friendly, unless your kids are like mine and somehow suspicious of anything green.
Q: Can I freeze it?
Err, I tried freezing it once. It ended up a bit watery after thawing, so I wouldn’t. Just make another batch—it’s that easy.
Q: What if my sauce separates?
No big deal! Just give it a good stir or another quick blitz in the blender. It’ll come right back together (most of the time, anyway).
Q: Can I double or triple?
Absolutely! Just make sure your blender can take the extra bulk—or just do it in batches. Trust me, I learned the hard way when I tried stuffing everything in once. Big mess. Wouldn’t recommend.
Oh, and by the way, if you accidentally eat half of it with a spoon while “taste-testing”—you’re in good company.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (packed)
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
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1Rinse and pat dry the fresh cilantro leaves. Remove any large stems.
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2Add cilantro, garlic cloves, mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, salt, and black pepper to a food processor or blender.
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3Blend on high until the sauce is smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
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4Taste and adjust salt or lime juice if desired.
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5Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl or airtight container. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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