Cilantro and Mint Sauce (Creamy!)

This Cilantro and Mint Sauce is quick and easy to make in just 5 minutes, and full of bright, zesty, and spicy flavors! It’s wonderfully creamy, and is delicious as a dipping sauce for savory appetizers, spread, dressing, and more!

this recipe

HOLY COW! ✨

This Cilantro and Mint Sauce is my LIFE right now! 😍 😍

I kid you not when I say I was using my fingers to scrape up and lick the last of it from the sides of the jar. And I bet you’ll be doing the same too when no one is watching, or even when they are because who cares about being well-mannered when something is THAT delicious!! 😎

The beautiful thing about this sauce is that it’s so simple and easy to make, yet it tastes like a lot more effort went into it.

All you need is a handful of tasty fresh ingredients, pantry staple seasonings, a blender (or a food processor) to quickly blitz it up. Then go ahead and enjoy it in, with, and on ANYTHING!

While it’s similar to an Indian-style cilantro and mint chutney, I’ve made it creamy by adding mayonnaise just like the sauces at a kebab shop. The mayo, possibly my favorite condiment on this planet, is what makes the sauce ridiculously tasty and dangerously addictive. 😋

I initially whipped up this cilantro and mint sauce to go as a spread for my Paneer Tikka Kathi Rolls. But because it’s so perfect and so incredibly versatile, I decided to share it as a separate recipe post with you all…so that you can enjoy it in, with, and on almost everything you eat like me. 🤗

Why This Recipe Works

• Quick & Easy. All you need is a handful of ingredients – most of which are pantry staples – and five minutes to make it.
• Versatile. You can use it as a dipping sauce for samosas, chicken tikka, and other savory baked or fried snacks, spread for paneer tikka kathi rolls, sandwiches, wraps, or drizzle it in chicken shish kebab rolls or over salads or grilled meats like juicy baked chicken breasts. The options are limitless!
• ALL THE FLAVORS! It’s zippy, zesty, spicy, full of bright flavors and SO DELICIOUS!!

Ingredients

• Coriander (Cilantro): We call it coriander in Asia and many Western parts of the world, but it’s known as cilantro in the USA. Be sure to use the stems in addition to the leaves as the stems pack a TON of flavor.
• Mint Leaves: For some cooling and fresh minty flavors.
• Green Chilies: I used some Bird’s Eye green chilies because that’s what I always have on hand. But just about any hot (or mild if you prefer) green chili will work. You can use a jalapeño or serrano chili peppers, and deseed them if you want to make a milder sauce.
• Garlic cloves: Totally bumps up all the flavors in this sauce with sharp garlicky notes!
• Mayonnaise: Any brand will work, but I highly recommend Kraft Mayonnaise. It’s wonderfully creamy, and less egg-y tasting than some other brands. Use regular full-fat mayonnaise to get the best creamy texture.
• Greek Style Yogurt (optional): To give the sauce a slight hint of tang, and make the sauce a little more fluid. It’s optional, and I sometimes leave it out when I want just a creamy and thick mayo-based sauce to serve as a dip with chips or savory appetizers. You’re welcome to use plain whole milk yogurt instead if that’s what you have on hand. But don’t use Greek yogurt, which is much thicker and will alter the texture of the sauce.
• Ground Cumin: For some warm earthy tones.
• Ground Cayenne: For a little bit of extra heat! Feel free to leave it out if you prefer a milder sauce.
• Kosher Salt: To balance out all the flavors.
• Lime Juice: As always, I recommend using freshly squeezed for best flavor.

Full ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Cilantro and Mint Sauce

1. Prepare the fresh ingredients. Roughly chop the green chilies and garlic cloves (and also the coriander and mint leaves if your blender is not super powerful). Then combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor.

2. Blend. Cover and blend until smooth. Give the sauce a taste and stir in more kosher salt or lime juice if you feel it needs it. Then enjoy!

You can use it as a spread in a tasty chicken or Paneer Tikka Kathi Rolls for an easy dinner or lunch.

Or drizzle it all over juicy seasoned chicken chunks and salad in mouthwatering Chicken Shish Kebab Rolls! Don’t forget to also drizzle on plenty of the BEST kebab shop garlic sauce ever! I insist.

Full detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.

Cook’s Tips

• Use the cilantro stems along with the leaves. They’re packed with flavor!
• Skip the Greek style yogurt if you prefer a thicker and creamier sauce for dipping. Add it if you want to use the sauce as a dressing or spread.
• Roughly chop the fresh ingredients if your blender is not very powerful. It’ll make it easier for your blender to break down everything.
• Adjust spice to taste. Feel free to deseed the chilies and use less of them and the ground cayenne if you prefer a milder sauce. Or omit them both for a completely mild sauce.

FAQs

Ways to Use Cilantro and Mint Sauce

• Dip. Everything from Oven Grilled Chicken Tikka Drumettes, samosas, pakoras, quesadillas, Chicken Tikka Nachos, french fries, to chips and crackers tastes great with this sauce! (Pro-tip: Try them with Fritos Corn Chips and thank me later.)
• Spread. For sandwiches, wraps, burgers, chicken or Paneer Tikka Kathi Rolls.
• Dressing/Drizzling sauce. Drizzle it over Chicken Shish Kebab Rolls, tacos, salads, pasta salads, or even on a lip-smacking tasty Chicken Tikka Naanza (Naan Pizza!).
• Side sauce. For grilled, pan-seared, baked, or roasted meats like lamb, chicken, pork, or fish. I kid you not when I say a drizzle of it over my Spicy Indian Pan-Fried Salmon tastes like pure MAGIC.

More Dips, Condiments, and Sauces

• Kebab Shop Garlic Sauce
• Cooling Cumber & Mint Yogurt Dip
• Homemade Spicy Mayonnaise
• Or browse the entire Dips, Condiments, and Sauces recipe collection.

MADE THIS RECIPE? If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it! Take a photo and tag it with @thatspicychick on Instagram and hashtag it #thatspicychick and I’ll be sure to share your masterpiece!

STAY CONNECTED! You can also follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram. Sign up for my email list to get my latest recipe in your inbox weekly!

Cilantro and Mint Sauce (Creamy!)

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

This Cilantro and Mint Sauce is quick and easy to make in just 5 minutes, and full of bright, zesty, and spicy flavors! It’s wonderfullycreamy, and is delicious as a dip, spread, and dressing!

• Author: Lavina
• Prep Time: 5
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 24 1x
• Category: Sauces
• Method: Blend
• Cuisine: Indian-inspired
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup fresh Coriander (Cilantro) – washed and pat-dried
• ½ cup fresh Mint Leaves – washed and pat-dried
• 2–4 Green Chilies (I used Bird’s Eye chilies, but a jalapeño or serrano pepper can be substituted), to taste – roughly chopped, deseeded if less heat is desired
• 2 Garlic cloves – roughly chopped
• ½ cup Mayonnaise (full-fat is best)
• 1 TBLS Greek Style Yogurt (optional – or Plain Whole Milk Yogurt)
• ½ TSP ground Cumin
• ½ TSP ground Cayenne (optional), to taste
• ¼ TSP Kosher Salt, to taste
• 2–3 TSP freshly squeezed Lime Juice, to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Prepare the fresh ingredients: Wash and pat-dry the coriander and mint leaves. Roughly chop the green chilies and garlic cloves if your blender is not very powerful.
2. Blend: Combine the coriander, mint leaves, green chilies, garlic, mayonnaise, Greek style yogurt (if using) ground cumin, ground cayenne, kosher salt, and lime juice in a high-speed blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. (You may need to uncover and push down the ingredients and stir with a spoon 1-2 times in between if you’re blender is not very powerful.) Taste and stir in more kosher salt or lime juice if needed.
3. Serve: Use immediately or transfer to a sealed airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to use. Enjoy in kebabs, kathi rolls, salads, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, and use as a dip, spread, or dressing.
4. Storing: Store in a sealed airtight jar/container in the fridge and consume within 5-7 days.

Equipment

Kraft Mayonnaise

Buy Now →

Kosher Sea Salt

Buy Now →

ground Cumin

Buy Now →

Notes

1. Green chilies and ground cayenne. Use mild green chilies and deseed them for a milder sauce. Or omit them and the ground cayenne to make a completely mild sauce.
2. Greek style yogurt. Leave out the Greek style yogurt if a thicker and creamier sauce is desired. You can add more lime juice for tang, but a thicker and creamier sauce is great for using as a dip. But honestly, the sauce tastes wonderful with everything either with or without the yogurt!
3. See post above for more ideas on ways to enjoy this sauce.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 46
• Sugar: 0.7g
• Sodium: 47.5mg
• Fat: 4.1g
• Saturated Fat: 0.8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3.1g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 1.2g
• Fiber: 0.2g
• Protein: 1.3g
• Cholesterol: 3.5mg

This post may contain affiliate links. We are a part of the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary based on several factors. It should only be used as a general guideline. For more information, please see our Disclosure.