Peruvian Green Sauce (Aji Verde): The Most Addicting Sauce Ever?

Alright, let’s talk about Aji Verde, aka Peruvian Green Sauce. If you’ve ever been to a Peruvian chicken joint, you’ve probably seen those squeeze bottles of bright green stuff on the table. That’s it. And let me tell you, it’s dangerously good. Creamy, spicy, packed with cilantro and lime – it makes pretty much anything taste incredible.

Put this on roast chicken (obviously), tacos, eggs, roasted veggies, fries, or honestly, just eat it with a spoon. No judgment here.

Peruvian Green Sauce (Aji Verde)

Yields: about 1 ¼ cups Prep time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup Mayonnaise: Good quality stuff makes a difference. Use your favorite brand.
• 2 cups Fresh Cilantro: Lightly packed. Mostly leaves, but small, tender stems are totally fine. This is usually one big bunch or 1.5 medium ones.
• 2 medium Jalapeños: Roughly chopped. Remove the seeds and membranes for less heat, but keep them aside. You might want to add some back in later if you’re feeling brave.
• 2 cloves Garlic: Roughly chopped. Don’t skimp here unless you have a very important meeting afterwards.
• ⅓ cup (about 1 ounce) Grated Cotija or Parmesan Cheese: Cotija is more traditional, but Parmesan works great too. They both bring that salty, umami goodness.
• 1 tablespoon Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed, please!
• ¼ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt: Start here, you can always add more.

Instructions

1. Combine Everything: Toss all the ingredients into a food processor or blender. Easy peasy.
2. Blend It Up: Let it rip until the cilantro is finely chopped and the sauce is green and mostly smooth. It won’t be perfectly silky – a little texture is good. This might take a minute or two.
3. Taste and Adjust: Now’s the important part. Give it a taste. Is it bold? Spicy? Tangy? Good.
   • Too overwhelming? If it’s a bit much, blend in a tablespoon of olive oil to mellow it out slightly.
   • Not spicy enough? Remember those jalapeño seeds and membranes you saved? Add some back in, blend again, and taste. Repeat until you reach your desired level of heat-induced euphoria.
   • Needs more zip? Add another splash of lime juice and/or a pinch more salt.
4. Serve or Store: You can use it right away, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It keeps well for about a week, getting even better as the flavors meld.

Enjoy putting this green magic on absolutely everything!