Addictive Spicy Green Sauce with Garlic and Cilantro
This herby, spicy, garlicky green sauce is so good! It is easy to make and packs a huge flavor punch that can turn a humble meal into a fancy-feeling one in an instant. No one flavor is too powerful but you get a little hit from each ingredient in every bite.
I made this magic sauce because I was trying to recreate the spicy potatoes from one of my favorite Mediterranean restaurants in Downey, CA called Green Olive. But it actually turned out a little more like this crazy good green salsa from a Venezuelan restaurant in Santa Ana, CA called Mil Jugos.
So it was still a win. I really don’t know what either restaurant puts in their sauces, I just know both are a beautiful green color, spicy, garlicky, and fresh herbs are involved. Oh, and they are so good they are the kind of thing you daydream about.
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I’ve been debating what even to call it. Spicy Green Sauce seemed the most obvious so I googled “spicy green sauce” to see what is out there and it turns out people seem to have a general consensus about what constitutes spicy green sauce (fresh herbs, garlic, some type of chili pepper, etc.)
Many recipes are for a spicy Peruvian green sauce called Aji Verde, and my own version has some similarities but I can’t call it that because of some key differences. The most common ingredients in an Aji Verde recipe include a combination of mayonnaise, sour cream, cotija cheese, and different types of spicy pepper (serrano peppers, Aji amarillo paste / hot yellow pepper). Also, a more traditional recipe for Aji Verde contains fresh huacatay / black mint paste, which I’ve just heard of for the first time today! Mine does not have any dairy or mayo. Just some avocado oil.
If you are looking for a delightfully in-your-face flavor to liven up almost any dish— this little green sauce will bring a ton of fresh flavor to anything from roasted potatoes, veggies, eggs, tacos, salad, and more. So let’s make it!
Ingredients for spicy green sauce
- Hot & sweet jalapeño peppers: I LOVE THESE. For me, the hot/sweet factor is a critical element in this sauce. If you make it with regular jalapeños (I haven’t tried yet) obviously, that sweet element will be missing. You could try adding sugar to taste. I am planning on trying this with regular jalapeños soon and hope to have an alternative option with regular pickled jalapeños and sugar. The Trader Joe’s near me always has these on hand, but you might be able to find them at your local grocery store as well.
- Fresh cilantro
- Fresh parsley
- One large garlic clove
- Lemon juice – some ají verde sauce recipes call for lime juice but I prefer lemon juice here
- Avocado oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Super simple ingredients! It’s amazing to me that these basic ingredients can make such an unforgettable sauce.
How to make spicy green sauce
No special instructions or monologues here, just throw everything in a blender or food processor and press go! Once the sauce has a creamy texture, store in a jar with a secure lid and enjoy it for up to one week.
What can I put spicy green sauce on?
This sauce can be used on SO many dishes. One of my favorites is roasted potatoes, of course. But it’s also fab with:
- This yummy Mediterranean Chicken Bowl
- Grilled/roasted meat such as pollo a la brasa (roast chicken)
- Dipping sauce for french fries
- Grilled/roasted veggies or a hearty veggie bowl (also great with pesto sauce)
- Any Mexican dish: breakfast quesadillas, burritos, tacos, etc. It can take the place of salsa verde!
- Anywhere you would use hot sauce: scrambled eggs, sandwiches, and more!
STORAGE INSTRUCTIONS
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Tried this recipe?
If you try this recipe, please leave a star rating below and let me know how it went. I’d love to hear from you!
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More yummy sauce recipes
Spicy Green Sauce
A fresh, spicy and delicious all-purpose green sauce. This is great with meat, roasted veggies (especially potatoes!) and more!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
- Category: Condiment, Sauce
- Cuisine: American, Mediterranean, South American
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup fresh parsley
- 1/2 cup hot and sweet jalapeños
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 small cloves garlic or 1 large
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
- Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Want less heat? Reduce jalapeños to 1/3 cup and add 2 tbsp mayo. Voila!
Another hit! I made it and my husband wouldn’t stop telling me how it tastes like restaurant quality food! I’m already planning on making it again for some friends next weekend!!! I didn’t have the spicy and sweet jalepenos so I used chili flakes and one jalepeno that has grown to fullness in my garden haha. But it still tasted amazing. Can’t wait to get the jalepenos you recommended and try it with that next time.
Haha Aw! What a nice compliment 🙂 I’m glad to know it was still good with different jalapenos. I haven’t been able to test it with any others because I love the hot and sweet ones so much!
I’m trying to make Green Olive potatoes also. Is it close when it’s mixed with potatoes? Thanks!
Hi! Oh those green olive potatoes. While I set out wanting to copy green olive I loved the flavor of this sauce so much I kinda stopped trying to make it exactly the same haha. So I can’t say its exactly like green olive but definitely takes care of a spice potato craving for me and think if you love their potatoes you would enjoy this as well! Let me know what you think if you try it!
What is spicy and sweet jalepenos?
They are pickled jalapeños that are hot & sweet. Trader Joe’s sells them, as well as Krogers/Ralphs.