Peruvian Green Sauce Aji Verde (Printable Version)

Creamy, vibrant Peruvian sauce with fresh herbs, chili peppers, and lime. Ideal as a dip, drizzle, or condiment.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fresh Produce

01 - 1 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
02 - 2 green onions, roughly chopped
03 - 1 to 2 fresh jalapeño or aji amarillo peppers, seeded and chopped
04 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
05 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

→ Dairy and Pantry

06 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
07 - 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
08 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
11 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
12 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Directions:

01 - Add cilantro leaves, green onions, chili peppers, and garlic cloves to a blender or food processor bowl.
02 - Pour in lime juice, mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, olive oil, white vinegar, kosher salt, and black pepper.
03 - Process on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
04 - Taste the sauce and adjust salt, pepper, or chili heat level to your preference.
05 - Transfer to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes roughly ten minutes and requires zero cooking, which means you can make it while your main dish rests and still feel like a genius.
  • The balance of creamy, tangy, and fiery is the kind of thing that makes people stop mid conversation and ask what just happened in their mouth.
  • It turns anything it touches into a better version of itself: plain rice, sad leftovers, even a piece of toast.
02 -
  • The sauce tastes dramatically different after it sits because the garlic and pepper mellow and the herbs marry with the dairy, so always make it ahead if possible.
  • If your blender is weak, chop the garlic and peppers as finely as you can by hand first or you will end up with unpleasant crunchy bits.
03 -
  • Taste your jalapenos before blending because their heat level varies wildly, and a mild one will give you a completely different sauce than a fiery one.
  • Aji amarillo paste is worth seeking out at any Latin grocery store and will instantly transport this sauce closer to its Peruvian roots.

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