Peruvian Green Sauce Aji Verde (Printer-friendly)

Creamy, vibrant Peruvian sauce featuring fresh herbs, chili peppers, and lime. Ideal for dipping or drizzling.

# What You Need:

→ Fresh Ingredients

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 - ⅓ cup mayonnaise
07 - ¼ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
08 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
09 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar
11 - ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
12 - ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# How to Make It:

01 - Place the cilantro leaves, green onions, chili peppers, and garlic cloves into a blender or food processor.
02 - Pour in the 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, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
04 - Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, pepper, or chili quantity to reach your preferred level of heat and seasoning.
05 - Transfer the sauce to a serving bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes literally ten minutes and transforms anything it touches into something worth talking about.
  • The creamy heat is addictive and you will start putting it on things that probably do not need it.
02 -
  • If you blend too long with a weak processor the herbs can heat up and turn the sauce slightly bitter.
  • The sauce thickens as it chills so do not panic if it seems thin right out of the blender.
03 -
  • Toast the garlic in a dry pan for two minutes before blending to mellow its sharpness.
  • Aji amarillo paste from a jar works almost as well as fresh peppers and lasts months in the fridge.

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