This Creamy Cilantro Sauce is great on anything! Tacos, salads, chips, fries, burritos, you’ll want to put it on everything!

You guys, I cannot get enough of this sauce. I want to put it on all the things. It’s creamy, a little spicy and packed with flavor. It’s great for drizzling over salads or your favorite rice bowls. It makes the perfect dip for chips and a great sauce for dunking tacos.

It. Is. Scrumptious. I’m not kidding, I could eat this stuff with a spoon.

And guess what, it’s SO easy to make. But first, let’s talk about all the ingredients you’ll need to make it.

Creamy Cilantro Sauce Ingredients:

  • CILANTRO: You’ll need fresh cilantro for this recipe. While I sometimes give you the substitution amounts for using the dried version of an herb, that is not possible with this recipe. It must be fresh.
  • GARLIC: The garlic in this will be raw so you don’t want to use too much. One or two cloves will be fine.
  • JALAPEÑO: To reduce the heat you can remove the seeds and veins from inside the pepper. To learn more about chile peppers, check out my Guide To Chile Peppers.
  • GREEK YOGURT/SOUR CREAM: These will be the base of the creamy sauce. Together they are tangy and creamy. The fat in the sour cream helps smooth out the sauce.
  • LIME JUICE AND LIME ZEST: Adds a fresh brightness of citrus flavor.
  • EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL: Along with the fat in the sour cream, this will help smooth out the sauce.
  • CUMIN: Adds a warm smoky flavor.
  • SALT: To bring out the flavor of all of the ingredients.

Step by Step Photos and Instructions:

Making Creamy Cilantro Sauce is really easy! You will need a food processor. I like to use my KitchenAid Mini food processor for jobs like this.

  • Pulse cilantro, garlic and jalapeño until finely chopped.
  • Add remaining ingredients.
  • Process until creamy and smooth.

STEP #1: Combine cilantro, garlic and jalapeño in food processor. Pulse until chopped fine.

STEP #2: Add in remaining ingredients and process until smooth and creamy.

Storage and Leftovers:

Store this sauce in an air tight container for up to 1 week.

Like I said above, I love using this sauce on just about anything. Tacos, chips, burrtios, salads. You name it. One taste and I think you’ll feel the same way.

If you loved this Cilantro Cream Sauce check out these other homemade sauce recipes:

Habanero Hot Sauce is not for the faint of heart. Made with 10 habaneros it’s sure to add a kick to your next meal.

Curry Aioli is a cheater’s version of aioli made with mayonnaise, curry, garlic and lemon. It’s packed with flavor!

Romesco Sauce is a rich tomato based Spanish sauce made with fire roasted tomatoes, red peppers and almonds. It’s full of flavor and great with seafood and bread.

Creamy Cilantro Sauce
5m
Prep
5m
Total

Servings

10

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cilantro leaves (packed )
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 jalapeño (halved. Seeds removed if desired. )
  • 1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste )

Instructions

  1. Combine cilantro, garlic and jalapeño in a food processor. Pulse until chopped fine.

  2. Add remaining ingredients and process until creamy and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt if needed. Serve or store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

plus more to taste
Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories
53
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 7mg 2%
Sodium 123mg 5%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
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Deseree

Whether it is cooking it, eating it, shopping for it or watching TV about it, food is one of my favorite things.

6 Reviews

  1. KH April 26, 2026

    I make a nearly exact sauce but your version is a bit more healthy.
    you are right about it being my favorite sauce that goes on nearly everything.
    I haven’t tried it in ice cream, but it sounds like a home run.

    I’m am currently looking into the feasibility of growing my own cilantro. I literary go to
    the store three times a week with a grocery list containing only cilantro and jalepenos.

    Thank you for sharing!

  2. KH April 26, 2026

    I make this nearly exact recipe except mine is not as healthy. You are correct that it is my favorite sauce that goes on almost everything. I haven’t tried it in ice cream yet, but it seems like a home run.

    I’m researching the feasibility of growing my own cilantro. I will literally go to the store three times a week for cilantro and jalapenos. To be fair, I do use it in rice, pico de gallo, and a corn based salsa, but 80% of it goes to this sauce. Thanks for sharing!

  3. Deseree August 20, 2025

    You are so welcome!! I am so glad you like it, I was nervous I was overselling it as a te joia copycat lol. But now you can enjoy it even when they close early! :)

  4. Crystal Rediske August 19, 2025

    Thanks for sharing your recipe at summer ball! It is so good, I can’t believe how much it tastes like te joia! :)

  5. Deseree March 5, 2024

    You’re welcome, Dezi! Glad you enjoyed it :)

  6. Dezi March 5, 2024

    Oh, yes, this is off the hook! We absolutely can’t get enough of this deliciously fresh stuff. We make homemade tortilla chips and go for it. Thank you for this recipe.

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