Cilantro Lime Sauce

I’m a big believer that sauces can make dishes. A good sauce can take even a mediocre recipe and turn it into something special. This cilantro lime sauce is one of my go-to sauces. It has pretty much everything I’m looking for in a good sauce. It’s super fresh, with tons of cilantro, and the lime adds a strong kick of acidity. Chili powder adds a lot of spice to this sauce, and it’s rich and creamy despite being vegan. What more could you possibly want? 

I put this sauce on just about everything. It’s perfect with Mexican food, so I’m always putting it on a taco or in a burrito. But it’s great on other cuisines too, and I love to drizzle it all over a piece of grilled meat.

The secret to this recipe is to use soaked cashews. They give the cilantro lime sauce the richness of crema while being vegan and healthy. Plus, the nutty flavor goes really well with the herbs, citrus, and spices. 

Reasons to Love This Simple Cilantro Lime Sauce

• It’s packed with flavor. You get fresh herbs, zesty lime, a kick of heat, and a creamy texture all in one spoonful.
• Vegan, but you’d never know. It’s completely plant-based, but still rich, silky, and satisfying thanks to simple, wholesome ingredients.
• Takes minutes to make. Just toss everything in a blender and go. No cooking, no fuss. Just bright, bold flavor fast.
• Way better than store-bought. Fresher, tastier, and you control exactly what goes in. Once you make it yourself, you’ll never want the bottled kind again.

What You’ll Need

Here are all the ingredients you’ll need to make this fresh and tangy sauce. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the article to see the exact quantities for all the ingredients. 

• Cashews – You’ll need to soak the cashews in water for 6 hours before making this recipe.
• Water
• Limes
• Cilantro
• Chili powder
• Garlic powder
• Salt
• Pepper – Always use freshly-cracked pepper.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Sauce

Here’s how to make this sauce. It couldn’t be any easier!

• Combine ingredients. Add all of the ingredients to a powerful blender. 
• Blend. Blend the sauce on high until it is smooth. 
• Adjust. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

Do I have to Soak the Cashews?

Soaking the cashews is key to getting that ultra-smooth, creamy texture in your cilantro lime sauce, especially if you don’t have a high-powered blender. When cashews are soaked, they soften and blend more easily, turning into a velvety base instead of a gritty one. It also helps mellow out their flavor so the lime, garlic, and cilantro can really shine. If you’re in a hurry, you can soak them in hot water for 30 minutes, but an overnight soak of at least 6 hours will give you the creamiest results.

Tips for Success

Here are a few of my favorite tricks to help you out when making cilantro lime sauce. 

• Roll the limes. Before juicing your limes, roll them firmly on a counter like they’re a rolling pin. This will get some of the segments in the limes to burst, and you’ll feel the limes get softer. As a result, you’ll get more juice out of the limes, and the juice will taste better.
• Use the stems. Most people only use cilantro leaves. However, the stems of cilantro have even more flavor than the leaves. You can’t use cilantro stems in every recipe because of the texture. But since this sauce is blended until smooth, you can use the stems as well as the leaves to maximize the cilantro flavor. 
• Speed up the soak. This recipe requires soaking cashews in water for 6 hours. If you don’t have that time, you can speed up the process by soaking the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes. 

What to Serve it With

I put this vegan sauce on pretty much everything. Sandwiches, meats, you name it! But my favorite way to use it is to put it on tacos. Here are a few of my favorite taco recipes that you can put cilantro lime sauce on. 

• Pan-Seared Crispy Fish Tacos
• Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower + Quinoa Tacos
• Quinoa and Lentil Vegan Tacos
• BBQ Chicken Tacos
• Cilantro Lime Black Bean Tacos with Quinoa
• Crispy Tofu Tacos

How to Store Leftovers

• Fridge: I love to keep a jar of this herby sauce in the fridge. Store it in an airtight container and it will last for at least 1 week. 
• Can I freeze it? I don’t recommend freezing sauces because the texture can get a little funky. However, it will last for 5 months in the freezer if you store it in an airtight container. You may have to blend the sauce again after thawing it because it might separate. 

More Vegan Sauces to Make

As I said, I love sauces. They’re one of my secrets for turning a so-so meal into a great one. Here are some of my other favorite healthy sauces. 

• Chili Lime Tahini Sauce
• Easy Homemade Barbecue Sauce
• Perfect Lemon Dill Sauce
• Simple Everyday Tahini Sauce