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    Home » Dips and Sauces

    The Best 5-Minute Cilantro Lime Sauce

    Published: May 5, 2023 » Modified: May 5, 2023 » By: Kylie » This post may contain affiliate links. » 1 Comment

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    This quick and easy cilantro lime sauce is a zesty and flavorful condiment that packs a punch with its tangy, citrusy taste. It takes just a few minutes to throw together and is made with fresh cilantro, sour cream, lime juice and zest, jalapeno, garlic, olive oil, and spices. The result is a smooth and creamy sauce with a bright green color and a fresh aroma.

    Small white bowl filled with cilantro lime sauce on a plate with quesadillas.
    Table of Contents show
    Ingredients and Substitutions
    How to Make Cilantro Lime Sauce
    Tips
    Serve This Cilantro Lime Sauce With
    You Will Love This
    What is cilantro lime sauce made of?
    What does cilantro lime sauce taste like?
    Make-Ahead Instructions
    Storage
    Freezing
    More Easy Sauce and Dip Recipes
    Easy Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe
    Recipe
    Cilantro Lime Sauce

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    • Cilantro: Use the cilantro leaves and the stems! The stems actually have a ton of flavor and they'll blend up super smooth in the high-speed blender!
    • Jalapeno: If you want to spice up the sauce, leave a few jalapeno seeds or some of the ribs in. Otherwise, remove them completely and you'll get the jalapeno flavor without the heat. You could substitute it with another kind of pepper if you prefer.
    • Garlic: If you're out of fresh garlic add a couple pinches of garlic powder instead.
    • Sour Cream: Full-fat sour cream makes this dressing rich and creamy. You can substitute it with plain Greek yogurt if you like.
    • Olive Oil: If you don't have olive oil you can use grapeseed oil, avocado oil, or another mild-tasting oil. The oil adds a much-needed fat to the sauce that helps make it super smooth and creamy and also adds to the overall flavor.
    • Lime Juice and Zest: These two ingredients work hand in hand to really infuse the sauce with a tangy lime flavor. If you can't get your hands on a lime, just use store-bought lime juice and omit the zest. It will still taste great!
    • Spices: Cumin and chili powder help boost the flavor profile of this dressing and add a bit of depth. Use these spices, along with salt and pepper, to taste.
    White marble counter top with bowls of ingredients to make cilantro lime sauce.

    How to Make Cilantro Lime Sauce

    Add ingredients to a high-speed blender.

    Ingredients to make cilantro lime sauce in a high speed blender.

    Blend until smooth, creamy, and well combined.

    Homemade creamy cilantro lime sauce in a high speed blender.

    Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with chicken quesadillas, cheesy Gordita crunch, or sheet pan nachos, and enjoy!

    White bowl filled with creamy homemade cilantro lime sauce.

    Tips

    • Use a high-speed blender or food processor for best results. To get that creamy consistency, you'll really need to use a high-speed blender, food processor, or immersion blender. 
    • Adjust the ingredients to taste until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. The great thing about making your own sauces and dressings is you can make them to suit your taste by adding more or less of certain ingredients. Though cilantro is a key ingredient, if it's not your thing, you can cut back a bit and let the jalapeno and other spices take the lead, and you can adjust the cumin and chili powder to your liking or even add another preferred spice or spice blend!

    Serve This Cilantro Lime Sauce With

    • chicken quesadillas
    • cheese quesadillas
    • sheet pan nachos
    • sheet pan quesadillas
    • crunchwrap supreme
    • cheesy gordita crunch
    • fish tacos
    • baked French fries
    • southwest salad
    • shrimp tacos
    • veggie sandwich
    • steak and eggs
    • burrito bowls

    You Will Love This

    • It will become a refrigerator regular! One of the best things about this cilantro lime sauce recipe is that it's so versatile! You can use it as a creamy salad dressing, a delicious drizzle, or a simple dipping sauce. Its tangy, citrusy flavor is balanced by just enough spice to make it a family favorite.
    • If you loved this recipe, be sure to check out my 3 ingredient slow cooker chicken tacos, vegetarian taco flatbread pizza, and my copycat Taco Bell crunchwrap supreme.

    What is cilantro lime sauce made of?

    This creamy cilantro lime dressing is a mix of cilantro, lime juice and lime zest, sour cream, jalapeno pepper, garlic, and olive oil along with chili powder and cumin. These ingredients are mixed in a high-speed blender or food processor until transformed into a creamy sauce that can be used as a dip or dressing for a variety of dishes. 

    What does cilantro lime sauce taste like?

    Cilantro is the primary ingredient in cilantro lime sauce, so you will taste the herby, almost citrusy flavor of cilantro, alongside the tangy lime flavors, with a little bit of a kick from the jalapeno and other spices. That's all combined in a cool, creamy base of sour cream with a splash of olive oil for a truly delicious sauce your family will love.

    Small white bowl filled with cilantro lime sauce on a plate with quesadillas.

    Make-Ahead Instructions

    This cilantro lime sauce is a perfect make-ahead option! I like to keep it on hand to dress up a quick lunch like mini baked chicken tacos, salmon rice bowls, or baked fish tacos. The best part is that the flavors just get better with time!

    Storage

    Store cilantro lime sauce in an airtight container or wide-mouth mason jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

    Freezing

    Place cilantro lime sauce in a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. You could also freeze individual portions in ice cube trays. Thaw sauce overnight in the fridge. You may find that the sour cream has separated a bit. To fix this, stir in a bit of heavy cream until it comes back together and creates a creamy sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper before serving.

    More Easy Sauce and Dip Recipes

    • The Best Creamy Street Corn Dip
    • 10 Minute Smoked Salmon Dip
    • The Best Burger Sauce Ever
    • Roasted Garlic Goat Cheese Dip

    Questions?
    Leave a comment below!
    Liked the recipe?
    Leave a comment below!
    Made this dish?
    Leave a comment and star rating below!

    Easy Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe

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    Recipe

    Cilantro Lime Sauce

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    ★★★★★

    5 from 1 reviews

    This quick and easy cilantro lime sauce is a zesty and flavorful condiment that packs a punch with its tangy, citrusy taste. It takes just a few minutes to throw together and is made with fresh cilantro, sour cream, lime juice and zest, jalapeno, garlic, olive oil, and spices. The result is a smooth and creamy sauce with a bright green color and a fresh aroma.

    • Author: Kylie
    • Prep Time: 5 minutes
    • Cook Time: 0 minutes
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: 8 servings 1x
    • Category: Dips
    • Method: No Cook
    • Cuisine: Mexican/American
    • Diet: Vegetarian

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • ½ bunch of cilantro
    • 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed
    • 1 clove garlic
    • 1 cup sour cream
    • ¼ cup olive oil
    • 3 tablespoons lime juice
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • ½ teaspoon chili powder
    • zest of ½ a lime, optional
    • Kosher salt
    • fresh cracked pepper

    Instructions

    1. Add ingredients to a high speed blender.
    2. Blend until smooth, creamy, and well combined.
    3. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy!

    Equipment

    high speed blender

    Buy Now →

    Notes

    • Use a high-speed blender or food processor for best results. To get that creamy consistency, you'll really need to use a high-speed blender, food processor, or immersion blender. 
    • Adjust the ingredients to taste until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. The great thing about making your own sauces and dressings is you can make them to suit your taste by adding more or less of certain ingredients. Though cilantro is a key ingredient, if it's not your thing, you can cut back a bit and let the jalapeno and other spices take the lead, and you can adjust the cumin and chili powder to your liking or even add another preferred spice or spice blend!

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: ⅛th of the sauce
    • Calories: 119
    • Sugar: 0.7 g
    • Sodium: 26.2 mg
    • Fat: 11.2 g
    • Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
    • Carbohydrates: 3.6 g
    • Fiber: 0.5 g
    • Protein: 2.2 g
    • Cholesterol: 10.1 mg

    Keywords: cilantro lime dressing, cilantro lime crema, cilantro sauce recipe, creamy cilantro dressing

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Luke

      May 05, 2023 at 6:37 pm

      We never make tacos without this sauce! It's so easy to make and tastes really good.

      ★★★★★

      Reply

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

    Primary Sidebar

    HELLO FROM THE MIDWEST - I'm Kylie and as a mom and blogger, I understand how hard it can be to get a wholesome dinner on the table at the end of a long day. Here at Midwest Foodie, I focus on sharing simple recipes that make it easy to feed your family real food.

    More about me →

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