Make this cilantro lime sauce recipe easily and with just a few ingredients. It is the perfect complement to shrimp tacos or when used as a delicious dressing on your favorite leafy salad!
Original post: August 2018 | Updated: December 2021
Why This Recipe Works
Tacos are a go-to recipe favorite in our home and I am always excited to change up the standard ingredients a bit. Making this super easy cilantro lime sauce is a great way to do that!
This creamy sauce comes together very quickly and easily and tastes great on just about any food under the sun. Once it is in your fridge you’ll want to drizzle it over everything!
Recipe Ingredients
Sour cream – For a healthier sauce, replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt or fat-free sour cream. To boost the flavor, replace half of the sour cream with 1/2 cup mayonnaise.
Lime juice – An essential ingredient, so use freshly-squeezed when possible. Fresh lime juice can be replaced with fresh lemon juice in a pinch.
Cilantro – Freshly chopped cilantro leaves are preferable.
Garlic – Fresh garlic can be replaced with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
Green onions – Replace with red onions for a zingier sauce.
How To Make Cilantro Lime Sauce
In a food processor or blender, combine the sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, green onions, salt and pepper.
Process/puree until creamy. Pour into a container, cover and chill until ready to serve.
Recipe Notes
- To spice things up, add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, jalapenos, hot sauce or diced green chiles to the mixture before pureeing.
- Add a few tablespoons of olive oil for added flavor.
- Add sweetness by adding a touch of maple syrup or honey.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the fridge.
- Don’t discard your bunch of cilantro! Hang onto it so you can make another batch of this dressing.
FAQ About Cilantro Lime Sauce
Cilantro lime sauce can also be referred to as a creamy cilantro lime dressing recipe. It is made with cilantro, sour cream, garlic and lime juice. It is most commonly added to tacos, but makes a delicious addition to many Mexican flavors such as burritos, enchiladas or taco salad.
Cilantro lime sauce is not typically spicy, aside from a bit of zing the garlic in the recipe provides. It can be made spicier when desired, using ingredients such as jalapano peppers or cayenne pepper.
There are 3 grams of carbs in an entire batch of cilantro lime sauce, making it a low-carb, keto-friendly recipe.
Cilantro lime sauce can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Keep in mind that sour cream based sauces do lose some quality after being frozen.
Uses For Cilantro Lime Sauce
- Use as a creamy salad dressing on any leafy salad such as a chopped salad or southwest chicken salad.
- Pour it over steamed or roasted veggies.
- Add it to your next batch of cilantro lime rice.
- Use as a dip for raw vegetables, French fries or chips.
- Top scrambled or fried eggs with it!
- Use it as a dipping sauce for a grilled chicken breast, chicken tenders or steak bites.
- Drizzle it over your next batch of chicken tacos, shrimp tacos, oven-baked beef tacos or any Mexican food such as enchiladas or burrito bowls.
- Throw your favorite taco salad ingredients together in a bowl and drizzle this creamy cilantro lime sauce over the top.
- Use it as a creamy dressing spread on your next savory sandwich.
- Add as a layer to your next taco dip.
- Drizzle over cilantro lime chicken.
More Homemade Sauces
I’m obsessed with making savory homemade sauces! Down with store bought! Here are a handful of my favorites that you are sure to fall in love with. These all make for great gifts, too!
- Enchilada Sauce is more delicious than anything you can buy at the store and it is super easy to make. It only requires a handful of ingredients and is done in 15 minutes, with perfect flavor and consistency.
- Alfredo Sauce is super easy to make, done in under 10 minutes.
- A copycat recipe of the famous Arby’s Sauce that makes sandwiches sing! This zingy flavorful BBQ style sauce is so delicious
- This homemade Pizza Sauce takes less than 25 minutes to make!
- Pasta Sauce is super easy, meaty and hearty when made in an Instant Pot. Using a pressure cooker to cook pasta sauce makes it flavorful and quick to prepare, but tastes like is has simmered on the stove all day.
- Make your own Taco Sauce to use in a variety of Mexican dishes, such as tacos, burritos and taco salads. Ditch the store-bought version so you know EXACTLY what goes inside!
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Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz sour cream
- 2 limes juiced
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 cloves garlic quartered
- 1/4 cup green onions sliced
- salt/pepper
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, combine the sour cream, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, green onions, salt and pepper.
- Process/puree until creamy. Pour into a container, cover and chill until ready to serve.
Notes
- To spice things up, add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, jalapenos, hot sauce or diced green chiles to the mixture before pureeing.
- Add a few tablespoons of olive oil for added flavor.
- Add sweetness by adding a touch of maple syrup or honey.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the fridge.
- Don’t discard your bunch of cilantro! Hang onto it so you can make another batch of this dressing.
I used this as a dressing instead of mayo on my shrimp burgers and it was fantastic. Thank you for quick, easy tasty sauce.
That is an excellent tip, Art. Thank you for sharing that – I’m totally ready for some shrimp burgers now!
Thanks for the recipe! I will be making this from now on. Super delicious, fresh, herb citrusy tasting. Loved it on my salad.
It’s so good as a condiment and a dressing. I’m glad you tried it and thank you for letting me know!