This easy 5-minute creamy cilantro lime sauce recipe brightens up any dish with its vibrant color and fresh tangy, herby and zesty flavor. Use it as a sauce, salad dressing, marinade, or even as a stand-alone dip!
I always love a good homemade sauce or salad dressing, and this easy cilantro lime sauce happens to be both! It truly is one of my all-time favorite sauce recipes and it comes together quickly in the blender. And with no sour cream, heavy cream or Greek yogurt, it is 100% dairy-free and vegan.
I love drizzling this sauce over salads, quinoa, roasted veggies and basically any Mexican dish to add some zesty and tangy flavor (a must for crispy fried black bean tacos!). It is so incredibly versatile that you'll always want to have some on hand in the fridge. Trust me!
Why You'll Love this Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Quick and easy
- Uses fresh ingredients
- Deliciously fresh taste
- Versatile - serve as a dipping sauce or as a creamy dressing
- Kid-friendly
What is Cilantro Lime Sauce?
Cilantro lime sauce is the jack-of-all-trades condiment to boost pretty much every dish. It is an easy way to incorporate the taste of fresh herbs into a flavorful sauce.
The star of this dish, of course, is cilantro. Cilantro is a fresh herb that is popular in salsa and guacamole as well as salads. Its leaves are actually 92% water and contain vitamins A, C and K.
In the majority of dishes featuring cilantro, the stems are removed and only the cilantro leaves are included. In this sauce, however, we use the entire herb, including the stems. The blender (or food processor) breaks the cilantro stems down instantly so you won't even notice!
Ingredients
This creamy cilantro sauce comes together using just a handful of ingredients. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.
- Fresh cilantro
- Raw unsalted cashews, soaked
- Water
- Lime juice
- Maple syrup
- White distilled vinegar
- Fresh garlic
- Salt
- Jalapeño (optional)
Instructions
The entire process from start to finish takes just 5 minutes, and the majority of that time is simply getting the ingredients out!
1. Add all ingredients except cilantro to the blender. Blend until perfectly smooth. If a thinner consistency is desired, add additional water or blend ¼ cup of crushed ice (instead of the added water) so you can serve it chilled.
2. Add the cilantro to the blender. Pulse a couple times to incorporate the cilantro so no whole leaves remain (or blend fully if desired).
Helpful Tips:
- Pulse the cilantro after blending the other ingredients to allow for the pretty tiny flecks of cilantro you see pictured.
- Add crushed ice to the blender if serving immediately as the sauce is best when served cold.
- Add jalapeño for some heat. I love spicing it up a little, but usually omit it because my kids love this sauce as well!
Serving Suggestions
It would be impossible to list every dish this sauce goes with because it is just that versatile. Here are some of my favorites:
As a dipping sauce: This sauce is the perfect match for crispy smashed potatoes, sweet potato fries or crispy socca.
As a salad dressing: Add more bright flavor by pairing it with a mango avocado quinoa salad or zesty coleslaw.
As a soup garnish: A dollop of this tasty sauce is perfect for cilantro lovers to add to black bean soup, pumpkin chili or three bean chili!
As a Mexican crema: Enjoy this with taco salads, fajitas, burrito bowls, enchiladas, tostadas, baked taquitos or even just homemade tortilla chips!
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. I would not recommend freezing as it definitely tastes best when fresh!
The Creaminess of Cashews
If cilantro is the star of this dish, cashews are awarded best supporting actor. This sauce tastes like a cilantro lime crema without the use of mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, making it completely dairy-free. The creaminess actually comes from cashews.
The trick to transforming cashews into a creamy sauce ingredient is to soak them in water. The cashews will absorb the water and soften so that they blend easily to the point where you can use them to create vegan sour cream, cashew cream or even cashew milk.
In addition, raw cashews offer plant-based protein and are also incredibly nutrient dense (copper, magnesium, manganese, vitamin K, phosphorous and zinc), which helps explain why they are so beneficial for vegans.
I'd love to hear from you if you make this cilantro-lime sauce! Please tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations, and don't forget to drop a review in the comments section below!
PrintEasy 5-Minute Creamy Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This easy 5-minute creamy cilantro lime sauce recipe brightens up any dish with its vibrant color. Use it as a sauce, salad dressing, marinade, or even as a stand-alone dip!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked
- ½ cup water
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
- 1 large clove of garlic
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- 1-inch of jalapeño to make it spicy (optional)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients except the cilantro. Blend until perfectly smooth. If a thinner consistency is desired, add additional water or blend ¼ cup of crushed ice (instead of the added water).
- Add the cilantro to the blender. Pulse a couple times to incorporate the cilantro so no whole leaves remain (or blend fully if desired).
Equipment
Notes
This sauce can be served immediately but is best served cold. If serving immediately, blending ¼ cup of crushed ice will cool it down instantly. If not serving immediately, refrigerate overnight.
- Prep Time: 4
- Cook Time: 1
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Blender
Gina says
This was easy to make and fantastic. I really enjoyed it over my salad. Keeping this on hand to try on other meals!
Elaine Gordon says
Thank you so much, Gina! I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed it so much with your salad and plan to use for other meals. It is definitely versatile!