Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1 cup (loosely packed) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 medium jalapeños, stemmed (seeded for milder)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp water (as needed, to thin)
Do This
- 1. Rough-chop cilantro, jalapeños, and garlic.
- 2. Add mayo, sour cream, lime juice, olive oil, and salt to a blender or food processor.
- 3. Add cilantro, jalapeños, and garlic; blend until very smooth and bright green (30–60 seconds).
- 4. Thin with water, 1 Tbsp at a time, to your dipping or drizzling consistency.
- 5. Taste and adjust: more lime for tang, more salt for pop, or an extra jalapeño for heat.
- 6. Chill 30 minutes for best flavor (optional), then serve with chicken, fries, or grilled vegetables.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bold, fresh flavor: cilantro and lime keep it bright while garlic adds punch.
- Perfect creamy heat: jalapeños bring a lively kick without overwhelming everything.
- Fast and flexible: 10 minutes in a blender, and you can adjust thickness and spice easily.
- Goes with everything: dip, drizzle, spread, or spoon onto chicken, fries, tacos, or grilled veggies.
Grocery List
- Produce: fresh cilantro (1 bunch), 2 jalapeños, 1 lime, 2 cloves garlic
- Dairy: mayonnaise, sour cream
- Pantry: extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, water
Full Ingredients
Main Sauce Ingredients
- Fresh cilantro: 1 cup (loosely packed) cilantro leaves and tender stems (about 30 g)
- Jalapeños: 2 medium jalapeños (about 50–70 g total), stemmed; seed and remove ribs for milder heat
- Garlic: 2 cloves, peeled
- Mayonnaise: 1/2 cup (120 g)
- Sour cream: 1/4 cup (60 g)
- Fresh lime juice: 2 Tbsp (30 mL)
- Extra-virgin olive oil: 1 Tbsp (15 mL)
- Kosher salt: 1/2 tsp (3 g)
- Water: 0–2 Tbsp (0–30 mL), as needed to thin
Optional (Choose One or Two)
- More heat: 1 extra jalapeño (stemmed), or 1/4 tsp cayenne
- Extra tang: additional 1–2 tsp lime juice
- Extra herbiness: 2 Tbsp chopped scallions (green parts) blended in
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the cilantro, peppers, and garlic
Rinse the cilantro and shake off excess water. Pat lightly dry so the sauce doesn’t get watery. Roughly chop the cilantro (leaves and tender stems are great here).
Stem the jalapeños. For a milder sauce, slice them open and scrape out the seeds and white ribs; for a spicier aji verde, keep some or all of the seeds and ribs. Peel the garlic cloves.
Step 2: Start with the creamy base
Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, olive oil, and kosher salt to a blender or food processor first. Starting with the creamy ingredients helps everything catch and blend smoothly right away.
Step 3: Blend until vibrant and smooth
Add the cilantro, jalapeños, and garlic on top. Blend for 30–60 seconds, stopping once to scrape down the sides, until the sauce is very smooth and a bold, spicy green.
If you want it ultra-silky, blend an additional 15–30 seconds. (In a food processor, it may take a bit longer than a blender.)
Step 4: Adjust thickness for dipping or drizzling
Check the consistency. For a thick dip (great for fries), you may not need any water. For a drizzle (great over grilled chicken or roasted vegetables), blend in water 1 Tbsp at a time until it pours easily. Do not add more than 2 Tbsp (30 mL) or it can turn runny.
Step 5: Taste and fine-tune the flavor
Taste with a spoon. Add more salt (a pinch at a time) if it tastes flat, or add 1–2 tsp more lime juice if you want it brighter. If you want more heat, blend in an extra jalapeño (or a pinch of cayenne) and blend again.
Step 6: Chill for best flavor (optional but recommended)
Transfer to a bowl or jar, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. This brief rest helps the garlic mellow slightly and lets the cilantro and lime come through more clearly.
Step 7: Serve
Serve cold or cool as a dipping sauce for chicken tenders, roasted potatoes or fries, and grilled vegetables. It’s also excellent spooned onto tacos, used as a sandwich spread, or drizzled over rice bowls.
Pro Tips
- Control the heat: most of a jalapeño’s heat lives in the white ribs; remove them for a gentler sauce.
- Keep it bright green: use fresh cilantro and blend promptly; letting cilantro sit chopped for a long time can dull the color.
- Make it extra smooth: a blender usually produces the silkiest aji verde; if using a food processor, blend a bit longer and scrape often.
- Dial in the thickness: for dipping, keep it thick; for drizzling, thin with up to 2 Tbsp (30 mL) water.
- Balance matters: if it’s too spicy, add 1–2 Tbsp more mayo or 1–2 Tbsp more sour cream (and re-taste for salt).
Variations
- Extra-spicy aji verde: use 3 jalapeños (with seeds and ribs) and reduce water to keep it thick.
- Lighter, tangier version: replace the sour cream with 1/4 cup (60 g) plain Greek yogurt.
- More “green” and herb-forward: add 2 Tbsp chopped scallion greens and an extra 1/4 cup cilantro, then add 1 Tbsp water to keep it blendable.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Store aji verde in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir before serving; it can thicken slightly as it chills. For the freshest color and flavor, make it up to 24 hours ahead. Freezing is not recommended because mayo-based sauces can separate and turn grainy when thawed.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, per 2 Tbsp serving (1/10 of recipe): 120 calories; 12 g fat; 1 g saturated fat; 2 g carbs; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 0–1 g protein; 170 mg sodium.
