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Cilantro Lime Sauce Recipe: Zesty Creamy Dip for Tacos & Grilled Meats

This creamy cilantro lime sauce is packed with fresh garlic, bright cilantro and tart lime juice. Serve it cold as a tangy drizzle for tacos, nachos, burritos, salads or as a dipping sauce — the cool creaminess cuts through heat and lifts simple meals to restaurant level.

Bowl of cilantro lime sauce topped with fresh cilantro.

Cooling and Creamy

Author sitting at table smiling

If your Tex‑Mex dishes are spicy, this cold, creamy cilantro lime sauce provides instant relief and flavor. Drizzle it over tacos, burrito bowls, grilled shrimp or use it as a dressing for shredded cabbage salads.

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Uses for This Sauce

  • Topping for tacos: carnitas, carne asada, Mexican brisket, shrimp and fish tacos.
  • Salad dressing: thin with a splash of milk or olive oil to dress cabbage, mixed greens or grain bowls.
  • Dipping sauce: great with grilled chicken, fries, veggie trays or chips.

Cilantro Lime Sauce

This cilantro lime sauce is the kind of thing you make once and then start putting on everything. It’s creamy, tangy, garlicky and herb‑forward, with fresh lime juice bringing the right amount of brightness.
Prep:
5 mins
Cook:
0 mins
Total:
5 mins
Servings:
6
Author:
Serene
Bowl of cilantro lime sauce topped with fresh cilantro.

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp garlic, minced
  • ½ bunch cilantro (stems included)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 wedge lime juice, freshly squeezed

Instructions

  • Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, minced garlic, cilantro, salt and lime juice in a food processor or blender. Pulse until smooth and no large cilantro leaves remain.
    Ingredients needed to make cilantro lime sauce in a food processor.
  • Taste and adjust: add more lime for brightness, salt for balance, or a jalapeño for heat.
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  • Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving to let flavors meld.
    Bowl of cilantro lime sauce.

Equipment

  • food processor or blender
  • sealed jars or containers for storage

Notes

Tips for Best Flavor

  • Use fresh lime juice — bottled lime juice lacks the bright flavor of fresh juice.
  • Keep the cilantro stems — they blend easily and add flavor.
  • Let it chill — 30 minutes in the fridge helps the flavors meld.
  • Adjust to taste — add more lime for tang, jalapeño for heat, or salt to taste.

Storage Tips

  • Fridge: Store in a sealed jar for up to 1 week.
  • Freezer: Freeze small portions (ice cube trays work well) for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the fridge.

Make It Your Own

  • Spicy: Add jalapeño or serrano.
  • Dairy-free: Swap sour cream for a dairy-free yogurt or cream alternative.
  • Thinner consistency: Stir in a splash of milk or water until pourable.

Use It On

  • Tacos, burrito bowls and quesadillas
  • Grilled meats, fish or shrimp
  • Salads (thin to make a dressing)
  • Veggie trays or as a chip dip

Nutrition

Calories: 121 kcal
|
Carbohydrates: 1 g
|
Protein: 1 g
|
Fat: 13 g

Nutrition information is an approximation.

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