Oh. My. Gosh. If you’ve never tried Pollo Tropical Dip, that needs to change STAT! Easy and delicious this condiment will be your new go-to gravy/spice/seasoning… for EVERYTHING! Cilantro Garlic Sauce is tangy and creamy with lime and garlic. AND it only takes 5 minutes to make!
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It’s a delicious condiment for tortilla and potato chips, great slathered on the bun of your favorite burger and super yummy as a french fry dipper, topper for tacos, you name it! In a word… fabulous!
Big bonus? It only takes a handful of ingredients. It’s a great make ahead dip as it tastes better on day and will last 5 days in the fridge. See? What’s not to love!
Ingredients
With only a handful of ingredients this creamy condiment is a cinch to make and my new go-to dipping sauce. I bet it will be yours too!
- cream cheese – obviously makes it creamy, but tangy too. Sour cream would be your best substitute if cream cheese is not available, just cut down on the milk.
- milk, half and half or cream – even evaporated milk will do in a pinch.
- cilantro – fresh cilantro is best for this recipe.
- lime – a tangy lime will give it a ton of zip!
- garlic powder – I prefer garlic powder in this recipe so the flavor doesn’t get overwhelmed.
- salt – just a bit to perfectly season the sauce.
Instructions
Let’s not make this any harder than it has to be:
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature.
- Give the cilantro a rough chop.
- Toss everything in the food processor and let it do the work for you!
Wa-la, done!
See? I told you it is super easy and super fabulous!
Tips and FAQ
Wash and dry the cilantro well. Extra water in the sauce won’t add flavor and will only make it watery. There’s no need to mince the cilantro first, just give it a rough chop and let the food processor do all the work for you!
Can I substitute yogurt or sour cream?
Yes to both. Yogurt and sour cream are both tangy and would be a great substitution for cream cheese. Because they are more liquid-ee (is that a word?) you’ll want to cut down on the milk. You may only need a tablespoon or two, add sparingly.
Can I make it in advance?
Absolutely, this can be made a couple of days in advance.
How do you make it creamy?
The combination of sour cream, milk and lime makes for a perfectly creamy sauce. Cilantro and garlic and zing and tang!
How do you store it?
Cover and refrigerate leftovers. They will last up to five days. I haven’t tried freezing it, but regardless, I don’t imagine it would freeze well.
Don’t worry though, it gets gobbled up quickly – leftovers won’t be an issue!
What if I don’t have a food processor?
I’m sure you could mix this by hand, but it would be awfully time consuming and take a bit of elbow grease.
A blender would be my second choice, just for ease of mixing.
Uses for Cilantro Garlic Sauce
- To top fire grilled chicken of course!
- Top off your favorite burger.
- Delicious on fish tacos!
- Amazing as a dipper for sweet potato fries.
- Top off a tasty Southwestern Salad.
- Gathered around for movie night? Pull out the chips and dig right in!
And just a little bit from me
This is truly the next best thing since sliced bread! 😋 I LOVE this sauce and have been known to dip my finger in the jar to get the the edges of the jar when it’s almost empty.
It’s so easy to make and adds so much flavor. It’s tangy, creamy and delicious. I hope you give this recipe a try!
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Cilantro Garlic Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 1/2 cup milk can substitute with half and half, cream or evaporated milk
- 1/2 bunch cilantro just give it a rough chop – use stems and all!
- 1 lime juiced – you can add the zest for even more zing!
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature.
- Give the cilantro a rough chop and add it to the food processor – stems and all. The stems have a ton of flavor and the food processor will do a fine job chopping them up!
- Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor and blend until creamy and smooth.
- Refrigerate to allow the flavors to meld – this is even better on day two, enjoy!
Debi
These are my kinds of flavors! Cilantro, creamy, garlic. I can’t wait to try this!
Julie Menghini
We made this sauce and had it with some grilled salmon. It was absolutely amazing! I want it on everything. Even just a spoon!
Michelle Turner
Yum is all I can say.
Bowl Me Over
You’re going to love this sauce Michelle!!!
Michaela Kenkel
Used this as a dressing on salads with grilled shrimp last night for dinner and HOLY SMOKES!! It was amazing!! Huge hit here, thanks for the recipe!
Norma
Okay, I’m sure I’m going to get some hate comments, but I’m one of those people who have the gene for making cilantro taste like soap. 🙁 Is there any substitute in this recipe or just leave it out? FYI, I’d really love to love cilantro as my bestie loves it and I feel so left out!
Thanks!
Bowl Me Over
Haha Norma, it’s ok! One of my bff’s says the same thing 🤣 How about dill? That would be an excellent substitute and so yummy! In fact, I really like that idea. Another option would be parsley or tarragon. If none of those options work, just omit the cilantro. Always great questions – no haters here!!!