Cilantro Lime Yogurt sauce is the sauce you need in your life! A simple combo of herbs, garlic and creamy yogurt delivers taste, texture and pure yum.
Recipes like my Herbed Yogurt Sauce and Basil Yogurt Sauce allow us to use fresh herbs to enjoy their ability to enhance other ingredients.
Pair with the Dry Rub Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Jerk Chicken, Air Fryer Salmon with Skin or Teriyaki Salmon Air Fryer for a match made in heaven!
Can you put lime juice in yogurt
Adding lime juice to yogurt is a delightful combination. The freshness of the citrus pairs well with the creamy texture of the yogurt and ticks a lot of 'zesty fresh' boxes.
We also take the taste to the next level by using the skin of the lime (zested) for true zing!
What goes with tangy yogurt
Chicken, fish, grilled meats and BBQ's are all options to serve a tangy yogurt with.
Store bought sauces (whilst we all still have them and use them) can be 'too sweet' because of the high sugar content.
Combining lime and yogurt for a sauce allows us to experience the taste of a sauce that delivers the same texture (a dollop on a sausage like in our Air Fryer Sausages or on the side of a plate of Air Fryer Onion Rings) without that sickly sweet overload.
Ingredients
Everything you need for this recipe is shown in the photo below. If you grow your own cilantro, feel free to use that instead of store bought!
As you can see, the recipe calls for:
- cilantro (coriander), we use the leaves and stems
- Greek Yogurt (can use low fat)
- garlic (peeled and end cut off)
- lime (zest and juice of)
- salt and pepper
I have intentionally been specific about the photo above to convey to you how we use both the zest and the juice (½) of the lime.
I haven't tried this recipe with store bought lime juice and I recommend you don't either. Some recipes it matters, some it doesn't.
For this one, a fresh lime is best!
Instructions
Here are the step by step instructions to make this sauce.
You will need a food processor with a sharp blade (not the shred but the dice blade).
- Use a grater to zest the lime skin (Photo 1)
- Add cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper to the food processor (Photo 2)
- Blitz the ingredients for 4-5 seconds (Photo 3)
- Add Greek Yogurt and give it a whizz to combine (Photo 4)
You will see from the 1st image, I use a hand held box like (flat version) grater. This is to get the maximum skin from the lime we can.
The texture of the lime mellows whilst the taste of the lime delivers the tang!
- Add the grated lime skin to the food processor (Photo 5)
- Blitz to combine (Photo 6)
- Squeeze in one half of the lime (Photo 7)
- Blitz again to combine (Photo 8)
Whilst we use the full lime skin (zested) for the recipe, we only need ½ the lime juice.
Taste it before you add the lime juice and again after you have added it. To me the perfect combo is delivered through that one half.
Serving suggestions
Pair this tangy yogurt with the following recipes:
- Air Fryer Roast Chicken
- Mexican Fries (Mexican Loaded Fries)
- Easy Air Fryer Chicken Legs
- Air Fryer Honey BBQ Wings
- Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings
Alternative uses for it are as a replacement for sour cream, with tacos, drizzled over salmon, as a dip for crudités or a burger sauce.
In the photo below you can see the pairing of this sauce with some Air Fryer Chicken Wings. It is a match made in heaven!
Dip, eat, repeat!
Frequently asked questions
- This recipe is quick and easy
- It takes less than 5 mins to bring it together
- Cilantro is the American name for 'coriander' (in Australia)
- I recommend using Greek yogurt
- You can't get the fine texture of the lime skin without grating it (I tried in the food processor, but it is too thick, grating is best)
- The recipe makes one cup of sauce
- The sauce will last in the fridge for at least 7 days
- This recipe is not suitable to freeze
😍 More Easy Homemade sauces
If you love making homemade sauces, you might like to try the following flavour combinations:
- Lime Yogurt Sauce serve with Air Fryer Jerk Chicken
- Basil Yogurt Sauce
- Herbed Yogurt Sauce
- Mustard Yogurt Sauce
- Parsley Yogurt Sauce
Or check out all Homemade Sauce recipes on the blog. It is getting seriously saucy around here my friends and you are going to love it.
Adrianne x
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Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce
Equipment
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 cups cilantro (coriander) leaves and stems
- 1 lime zest of Note 1
- ½ lime juice of, Note 2
- 1 cup Greek Yogurt
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- ¼ teaspoon salt Note 3
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Use a grater and chopping board to zest the lime Note 4
- Add cilantro, garlic, salt and pepper to the food processor and blitz for 4-5 seconds
- Add Greek yogurt to garlic herb mix and blitz for 2-3 seconds to combine
- Add lime zest and blitz again to combine
- Squeeze ½ lime into sauce and blitz for 2-3 seconds
- Store in the fridge in an air tight container for 7-10 days
Notes
- Note 1 I use a traditional hand held box grater when zesting citrus fruit. As I find traditional zester doesn't get as much from the fruit that I want to use. I did experiment for this recipe in peeling (with a grater) the skin off the fruit and then adding to the food processor, however even my very sharp blades would not finely chop the lime skin. So the method that works is grating or finely zesting the skin of the lime and adding that to the mix. If you have a look at my ingredients photo you will see the texture of the lime skin we need. (As no one wants to bite into big bits of something that they have to chew in a creamy sauce).
- Note 2 We zest the whole lime and add that to the sauce. But we only use ½ of the lime juice. Taste as you go, but the whole lime would be far too tart in flavor.
- Note 3 We only need to smallest amount of salt and pepper. This seasons the recipe, but allows the other ingredients to shine.
- Note 4 We are going to let the lime in to this recipe! We grate the whole skin of 1 lime and add that (it gets chopped in the food prosecco with the garlic) and we then use the juice of the remaining lime. Don't measure the juice, literally slice the lime in 2, discard any pips, then squeeze into the sauce (check again for pips and discard).
Nathan says
Cilantro and lime is such a perfect flavor pairing. Can't wait to try this out the next time I make tacos!
Adrianne says
Great to hear, thanks Nathan!
Erica says
This looks so good, and I'm drooling over the thought of those chicken wings dipped in it. Thank you!
Adrianne says
No worries, thanks for your feedback Erica!!
Jenny Barnes says
This sauce is amazing. We served it with salmon tacos. Thanks.
Adrianne says
That sounds like a delicious combination, thanks Jenny!