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Home » All Sauce Recipes » Dipping Sauces

Cilantro Sauce Recipe

August 26, 2022 by jessica 6 Comments

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Taco Tuesday is my jam and there’s little I like more (except maybe cheese) than a heavy dose of cilantro to go with my tacos. I used to just chop it up or incorporate it into my pico de gallo, but then I started making this cilantro sauce — it’s life-changing, friends. 

cilantro sauce on a spoon with text overlay for facebook

I can make this delicious sauce ahead of time so that when it comes time for taco nights (or leftovers-night) it’s ready to just drizzle over my Mexican-inspired meal. It makes for easy dinners and I’m always excited for my favorite taco topping.

Since cilantro is the key ingredient in this sauce recipe, if you have a cilantro hater in the family you might not want to serve this. No judgment here — it’s actually proven by science that some people have a genetic predisposition to not enjoying the taste of cilantro.

So, if not everyone in your household (or gathering) are cilantro lovers, you could replace it with dill, thai basil, or parsley to still get that fresh flavor. Caraway and Mexican oregano are other alternatives.

Regardless, this is an easy recipe to make as a base and the best part is that you can customize it as you see fit or prefer! 

overhead shot of cilantro sauce with tacos

Table of Contents

  • What is Cilantro Sauce?
  • How to Store Fresh Cilantro
  • Ingredients
  • How to Use Cilantro Sauce
  • Cilantro Sauce Variations
  • Storage & Freezing
  • Other Savory Sauces
  • Cilantro Sauce Recipe
    • Equipment
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Notes
    • Nutrition

What is Cilantro Sauce?

This cilantro sauce recipe is an incredible way to use a fresh bunch of parsley, transforming it into an amazing topping for tacos or salads, or a dip for so many other options.

Since it’s mixed with oil and citrus, its flavors are able to come out and be spread more easily than if you just chopped it. It’s one of the most easy recipes while also bringing the best flavor to the table. 

If you haven’t tried cilantro before, this is definitely the way to do it. It’s light, zesty, and refreshing but with that slightly herbal flavor, too. 

The next time you’re putting together tacos (or salads, or fajitas, or any number of other dishes that benefit from brightness) consider making this stellar cilantro sauce.

overhead shot of cilantro sauce

How to Store Fresh Cilantro

The first key to ensuring that you have the best cilantro is to buy the freshest bunch at the grocery store. But if you’re not using it immediately, how do you keep it fresh? 

The number one rule is to keep it in the refrigerator. 

You can certainly store it in a ziploc bag or plastic airtight container. You can also keep it in an enclosed mason jar. 

While those solutions will keep your cilantro fresh for potentially up to a week, you can keep it fresher longer. After rinsing, just put your cilantro in a jar filled with an inch of water, cover loosely with an unsealed plastic bag, and store them in the fridge for up to a few weeks.

cilantro sauce on a spoon

Ingredients

  • Cilantro – Make sure to use both the fresh cilantro leaves and the stems to get all of that full cilantro flavor.
  • Avocado oil – You can use other oil, but avocado oil packs a health punch in this sauce, and the flavor is a unique addition.
  • Garlic – Roughly chop the garlic so that you can still see it but so that it’s not so chunky that you get an unpleasant mouthful.
  • Coarse Kosher salt – I prefer Kosher salt, but sea salt works too. Just be sure to use high quality salt — with so few ingredients, you want to use the best.
  • Lime – Juicing and zesting the lime is recommended because fresh lime juice is always best, but if you’re in a hurry you can use store-bought lime juice. You can also substitute lemon juice.
  • Water – The little bit of water adds a bit of viscosity to the sauce.
overhead shot of cilantro sauce with spoon in it

How to Use Cilantro Sauce

  • Taco salad or burrito bowls – Whip up whatever proteins or veg you want and toss them over rice or greens with some pico de gallo before drizzling this sauce over top.
  • Proteins – Use this sauce before cooking as a marinade, or afterwards to finish. 
  • Tortilla chips – Brush tortillas with this sauce prior to baking for flavorful tortilla chips. 
  • Rice or pasta – Toss cooked rice or pasta to create a tastier side dish. 
  • Salad – Use as a salad dressing for a green salad or replace your typical italian dressing with this for an upgraded pasta salad. 
  • Guacamole – Add this sauce to your avocado and other ingredients for an elevated guac. 
  • Dipping sauce – Grab some pita, freshly sliced (or ripped) tortillas, or even baguette slices and dip them in this sauce. Use as a started for a meal or alongside a cheese/charcuterie selection with the likes of manchego and chorizo. 
  • Dip – Mixing this with dairy is an easy way to whip a dip. Whether it’s a light dip with sour cream or yogurt, or a heavier spread when mixed with the likes of cream cheese, it’s guaranteed to please a crowd. 
  • Salsa – Use this to doctor up a bowl of store-bought salsa. 
  • Breakfast – Make the start to the day a little zestier by drizzling this over scrambled or fried eggs or even hashbrowns.
  • Potatoes – Toss cubed breakfast potatoes in this, serve it as a fry sauce, or mix it into mashed potatoes. 
spooning cilantro sauce on a taco

Cilantro Sauce Variations

  • Oils – Use any oil you like from olive oil or canola oil to grape seed or sesame oill. You can even herb or spice infused oils that you match the flavor profile you prefer.
  • Garlic – You can make a deliciious cilantro garlic sauce using garlic powder or cloves of garlic. If you are adding a garlic clove, make sure to press it or mince it finely.
  • Cream – To make a creamy cilantro sauce, simply add this to sour cream or Greek yogurt to taste. You can use an immersion blender to make sure all ingredients are completely incorporated.
  • Onion – Experiment with onion powder, finely diced onions, or slivers of green onions or red onions that add color, too. 
  • Heat – For a very mild addition of heat try adding a bit of black pepper. For more, add crushed red pepper, cayenne, or even hot sauce.
angled shot of cilantro sauce in a bowl

Storage & Freezing

Store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freezing oil-based sauces is not recommended.

collage of cilantro sauce for pinterest

Other Savory Sauces

  • Au Jus Sauce
  • Mustard Aioli Sauce
  • Ginger Sauce
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If you're looking for a bright, creamy sauce to use as a healthy dip or part of a meal, this homemade Tzatziki Sauce recipe is it!
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If you're looking for a versatile sauce to use for pasta, meats, and vegetables this EASY homemade Basil Pesto Sauce is for you!
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Chili’s Honey Mustard Sauce
If you're looking to recreate Chilis honey mustard sauce then this is the recipe for you. This honey mustard sauce will be your new favorite!
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cilantro sauce on a taco with text overlay for pinterest
angled shot of cilantro sauce in a bowl

Cilantro Sauce Recipe

Cilantro sauce is a quick and easy recipe that will brighten tacos and fajitas as well as any protein you're serving. Use it as a dip, too!
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: cilantro sauce, cilantro sauce recipe
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 cup
Calories: 681kcal

Equipment

  • food processor

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch cilantro leaves and stems
  • 1/3 cup avocado oil*
  • 4 cloves garlic roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
  • 1 lime juiced and zested
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions

  • Trim any brown ends from the cilantro and remove any wilted leaves.
  • Add the cilantro, avocado oil, garlic, salt, lime juice and zest and water to a large food processor. Pulse until a coarse sauce forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl between pulses.
  • Chill until ready to use.
  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.

Notes

live oil can be used in place of avocado oil.
For spicy cilantro sauce, add 1/2 of a seeded and roughly chopped jalapeno.

Nutrition

Calories: 681kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 73g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 51g | Sodium: 2331mg | Potassium: 127mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 47mg | Iron: 1mg

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carrie Robinson

    September 08, 2022 at 5:15 pm

    5 stars
    My cilantro-loving fiance would love this! Unfortunately, I am one of those people who think it tastes like soap, lol.

    Reply
  2. Nathan

    September 08, 2022 at 5:55 pm

    5 stars
    This cilantro sauce has absolutely changed our taco nights! Such great flavors and so easy to make!

    Reply
  3. Ieva

    September 08, 2022 at 5:59 pm

    5 stars
    Made this sauce to go in my halloumi burgers just now! Absolutely ridiculously delicious! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  4. Mirlene

    September 08, 2022 at 6:19 pm

    5 stars
    This was the perfect sauce to have for taco nights! My family was tired of the good ol’ pico de gallo and loved the cilantro sauce instead.

    Reply
  5. Qashang

    September 08, 2022 at 6:31 pm

    5 stars
    Added some jalapeno to this sauce and it was perfect in a taco!

    Reply
    • jessica

      September 08, 2022 at 6:46 pm

      Woohoo! Love that addition!

      Reply

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My Sauce Recipes provides a wide array of savory and dessert sauces perfect for any level of home cook. Jessica is a cookbook author and Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School certified recipe developer. See her work in Parade Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Mashed, AllRecipes AllStars and The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!

For all things savory, make sure to visit our sister site, SavoryExperiments.com.

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