Aji Verde Recipe (Peruvian Green Sauce)
Aji Verde is a Peruvian green hot sauce. It's made up of fresh cilantro, aji amarillo, huacatay and cheese that makes it creamy and spicy. Typically served alongisde pollo a la brasa, it pairs well with roasted vegetables, chicken or bread.
Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time0 minutes mins
Total Time15 minutes mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: Peruvian, South American
Servings: 2 cups
Cost: $12
- 1 whole lime juiced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup good-quality mayonnaise (such as Hellmann's)
- 3 ounces queso fresco or blanco
- 2 serrano peppers ends trimmed
- 1 bunch cilantro with the leaves removed and stems discarded*
- 4 garlic cloves peeled
- 2 green onions ends trimmed and roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons huacatay paste (optional)
- 1 tablespoon aji amarillo paste (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
To a blender, add the lime juice, olive oil, cheese, mayonnaise, serrano peppers, cilantro leaves, garlic cloves, green onions, huacatay paste, aji amarillo and salt. Blend for about 1 to 2 minutes, until very smooth. At first the cilantro leaves won't be totally smooth, but keep the blender running and it will eventually become cohesive and smooth.
Give it a taste and adjust the salt according to your liking. Keeps in the fridge for up to a week.
Tips:
- If you have a super high powered blender such as a Vitamix or Ninja, etc, it can process a lot of the stems. If you don't, I suggest to remove al of the cilantro leaves.
- I would suggest to add the liquids to the bottom of the blender and then add the cilantro on top. It helps combine all of the ingredients.
- To make this Whole 30, eliminate the cheese and replace it with a bit more Whole 30 compliant mayonnaise.
Equipment:
Vitamix Blender | Squeeze Bottles | Silicon Spatulas
Ingredients:
Huacatay | Aji Amarillo | Aji Panca
Serving: 12g | Calories: 185kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.5g | Protein: 1.4g | Fat: 19.6g | Saturated Fat: 3.2g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 34mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 0.3g | Calcium: 80mg