If you love bright, zesty sauces with a little heat, this Peruvian Green Sauce (Aji Verde) is a must-make! Bursting with fresh cilantro, lime, garlic, and chilies, this creamy version can be made traditionally with mayo or with cashews for a vegan, plant-based twist. Vegan-adaptable.
You are looking at my all-time favorite Peruvian recipe! I first discovered this vibrant Peruvian Green Sauce at a small Peruvian restaurant over a decade ago, and it was love at first bite. Creamy, herby, spicy, and full of bright flavor, this sauce rocked my world! If you've been here a while, you may remember when I first featured it in this Peruvian Chicken with Peruvian Green Sauce - still one of my all-time favorites!
Today, I wanted to share the sauce itself, also known as Aji Verde, so you can make it at home and serve it with just about anything.
Aji Verde is irresistibly creamy, savory, and fresh, with layers of cilantro, garlic, lime, and chilies blended into one bold, flavorful sauce. Traditionally, it's often made with mayo, but this version can easily be made vegan using cashews, making it just as luscious and satisfying.
Why you’ll love this aji Verde recipe!
When entertaining, this is one of my go-to sauces, and I'll often build an entire meal around it. It's delicious drizzled over grilled salmon or chicken, spooned onto tacos, served with roasted vegetables, or used as a dip for just about anything. I especially love how adaptable it is - easy to make vegan, and always a crowd-pleaser.
I've been making this sauce for years and realized I never left a review. It's nearly always made as a condiment whenever I'm grilling for guests, and the bowl is always licked clean. It goes with so much and it's so easy. Sometimes I make it with basil for those who don't like cilantro, and that's delicious too.
Peruvian Green Sauce Ingredients
- Fresh Green Chili: Typically, Peruvian chilies, called aji amarillo, are used, be we substitute jalapeno or serrano chilies.
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro is imperative in the sauce.
- Lime: adds a delicious tanginess.
- Garlic- gives a nice bite.
- Mayo or Cashews– the creamy base is typically made with mayonnaise in Peru, but feel free to sub-soaked cashews for a vegan option. I’ve also made it with sour cream and yogurt. Very adaptable.
- Salt and black pepper- add to taste
- Optional: Traditional Peruvian aji verde sauce is made with Peruvian chilies called aji amarillo (a mild-to-medium yellow-orange pepper) and huacatay (black mint or black mint paste) instead of cilantro. Sometimes they add a salty cheese, like cotija, for added depth.
How to make Peruvian Green Sauce
- Place all the aji verde ingredients in a blender and blend until creamy and smooth. Adjust the spice level by adding more fresh chilies to taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- To make this vegan, substitute raw cashews and water for the mayo using a high-powered blender. Feel free to soak the cashews for a creamier consistency, and of course, you can also use vegan mayo. Very easy!
Storing Peruvian Green Sauce
Leftovers will keep 4-5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If it separates, just give it a good mix. I have tried freezing this, but it loses its vibrant color.
Serving Suggestions
My favorite ways to serve Peruvian green sauce is with our vegan Peruvian Burritos or our Peruvian Chicken (Pollo a la Brasa). But the sauce is also compatible with Burrito Bowls or Fish Tacos! I also love it with our Baja Bowls and even over this grilled salmon– so much flavor. You can to rice, eggs, beans, or salads for a burst of flavor.
This recipe is pretty universal! It can go on so many things- and can take plain old meals and elevate them, and is essential when it comes to Peruvian cuisine.
Happy Week,
More Favorite Peruvian Recipes
Peruvian Green Sauce Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 5
- Yield: ¾ cup 1x
- Category: Condiment, sauce
- Method: blended
- Cuisine: peruvian
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Keto, Low-Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian
Description
Creamy Peruvian Green Sauce (Aji Verde) made with cilantro, lime, garlic, and chilies. This easy, flavorful sauce is vegan-adaptable and delicious on tacos, chicken, seafood, and veggies. Â
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, see notes for vegan.
- 1–2 jalapeños, or 1/2 of a serrano chili (use less for less spicy; you can always add more to taste)
- 1–2 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 cups cilantro (packed)- thin stems ok
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lime juice, more to taste
Instructions
- Place all the Aji Verde ingredients in a blender (or food processor)
- Blend, scraping down sides if need be. (See notes for vegan)
- Blend until creamy. Taste. Adjust heat, salt, and lime to your liking, adding more of each if you want. You want this slightly salty.Â
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Freezing will lose its vibrant color.
Personal preference. Â Mayo is traditional. I prefer sour cream or a blend of sour cream and mayo. Or the vegan version below.
Vegan version.  Instead of mayo, substitute 1/3 cup raw cashews and 1/3 cup water, and use 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Blend cashews and water first- in a high-powered blender. (If your blender is not “high-powered” soak the cashews in water for 4 hours first, so they soften a bit.) Blend until creamy then add remaining ingredients- chilies, cilantro, garlic, salt and lime. Taste and adjust heat and salt to your liking. You want this slightly salty.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: -Using Cashews instead of Mayo!
- Calories: 83
- Sugar: 1.2 g
- Sodium: 81.4 mg
- Fat: 6.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.4 g
- Fiber: 0.8 g
- Protein: 2.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This recipe was very good. I just moved to Florida hard to find a Peruvian place like the one I had in New Jersey so I try to make a traditional Peruvian meal and I copied this recipe and it was very good.
Glad you enjoyed! Appreciate you taking time to leave a review.
Sylvia you are an inspiration and an incredible chef. I make this sauce often and it is delicious.
Would you be able to share any tips as to why mine never comes out solid green as your does. Its such a gorgeous color that my chopper doesnt produce. Thank you kindly. Sharon
Hi Sharon, thanks so much! The more you blend it, the more the herbs break down and color the sauce. You may just have to blend it a bit longer?
I’ve been making this sauce for years and realized I never left a review. It’s nearly always made as a condiment whenever I’m grilling for guests, and the bowl is always licked clean. It goes with so much and it’s so easy. Sometimes I make it with basil for those who don’t like cilantro and that’s delicious too.
Great to hear Sarah- love the basil! Appreciate you taking time to let us know.
Love this sauce, made it to go with Colombian empanadas. My son always steals any leftover sauce. Have a question, if made with the cashews, can it be frozen?
It should freeze just fine Nancy. Glad you are all are enjoying!
The traditional way is mot with mayo. That’s a rather recent addition that was never in the recipe 20-30yrs ago and it changes the taste. Just use oil to emulsify the thing. Some people also add queso fresco.
Also it is huacatay instead of cilantro but it can be hard to find outside Peru.
So interesting, thanks for sharing. What is used instead of mayo? Would love to find huacatay!
I love all the recipes I’ve seen here and looking forward to making some of them
Nice to hear Carole! Let us know what you try.
Excellent!
This sauce is just fabulous. It goes on anything – roasted veggies, meats, fish. I now make it regularly w/ a few changes – Greek yogurt and Trader Joe’s jarred hot/sweet jalapenos. Thank you!
Thanks Heather!
How would you adapt this receipt for someone who doesn’t like cilantro?
What about subbing with flat leaf parlsely or even basil- different but still yummy.
This sauce is the best I’ve ever had! I make it weekly. I found it originally as a part of your Peruvian chicken recipe and I am hooked. I replace the mayo with Greek yoghurt as I am on a weight loss journey and this helps with calorie counting. I usually double the recipe and then have it as a salad dressing or a dipping sauce for raw veggies. I’ve even had it on scrambled eggs or over sliced steak with brown rice. I could eat this in my sleep it is seriously THAT good! Thanks for the best recipe ever!!!
Perfect Lee- glad you adapted to meet your needs. It great on so many things!
Thank you for this amazingly delicious recipe. I make the cashew vegan version and it’s perfect. I am egg sensitive so I try to avoid them at all times and I was missing aji. I usually double the recipe and make this weekly to keep on hand.
Thanks Jackie! Glad this works for you!
I’ve been making this for years . simple and delicious !! I eat it with everything !
Great to hear Cynthia~!
Crazy delicious. Never had it before but I had a bunch of cilantro left over. I ended up using 3 jalapeños cause I like it spicy.
The garlic totally overwhelmed this classic
Garlic is pretty tradional- you can always use a little less?
I could drink this from the bowl. Delicious!
Wow, this would make cardboard delicious! I made the mayo version and will be making another batch today as I’m nearly out. Thank you so much for sharing this simple and superb recipe. I’ve used it on grilled veggies, eggs, veggie burgers,….
Thanks so much Whitney!
This sauce is over-the-top delicious. I made it with 1/2 mayo and 1/2 Greek full-fat yogurt. I used an entire serrano. For my family it wasn’t too spicy. If I were having guests, I would only use 1/2 serrano. My husband said he could put this sauce on on anything. Simple and delicious.
Awesome, glad everyone liked it!
The sauce is delicious I made it for my family and everybody enjoy .
Thank you
Made it with the cashews and loved it. Do you think hemp seeds would work here too?
I think they would work great here!
We’ve always made this with mayo, but tried the cashews today- delicious and easy!
This is so flavorful!
This sound delicious!!! Would yogurt work as a substitute for the mayo?
I haven’t tried it with yogurt. I’d say yes, just make sure it is full fat?
I love this sauce! Try it over polenta and a beef roast and root veggies in the fall to brighten up the flavors.