Quick 5 Ingredient Cilantro Yogurt Sauce (Use On Almost Anything!)

While many of my recipes are inspired by others (thank you, Mom and Dad) but this cilantro yogurt sauce is a true Cool & Crumbs original, concocted over and over with lots of experiments in my food processor. It wasn’t a particular sauce I was ever after, it was just that every time I added something new it got more and more delicious. 

I also realized this sauce was delicious on just about anything. 

I often make it for particular dishes–most notably grilled lamb and onion wraps–but when I only have odds and ends in the fridge this sauce can seriously turn them into a meal. 

Serving Suggestions

Grilled meats and veggies of almost any kind! Here are some meal ideas that go sooo deliciously with this sauce drizzled on top:

• Chicken sauteed with some simple seasonings and a side of rice and zucchini
• Sweet potato and chickpea buddha bowl
• Lamb chops and quinoa with feta and grilled onion and red peppers
• Mushroom & meat sauce tacos
• Veggie fajitas with grilled onions, peppers and beans
• Lamb sosaties with pap
• Ground beef or steak on flour tortillas with chopped cucumbers and (ideally grilled) onion
• Lamk shanks and rice, quinoa, pap or farro
• Nachos! Layer chips, salsa, beans or meat, cheese and bake then top with the sauce
• Butter chicken curry with rice (or any curry honestly)
• Truly this list could go on forever…

Why You’ll Love This Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

• It Goes With Everything: This sauce goes with SO MANY different dishes. When I make it, I always make a good-sized batch so I can drizzle it on whatever I’m eating the next few days and make almost any meal more exciting. As mentioned above, it goes with everything from steak or lamb wraps to falafels and samosas to Mexican dishes of any kind. It also makes a yummy cilantro yogurt salad dressing. 
• Quick and Easy to Make: You can whip it up in 5 minutes using ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and pantry, especially if you have a bunch of herbs running out of shelf life. Throw your stuff in a food processor and go! 
• It’s Forgiving: While it’s helpful to have a recipe, you don’t have to follow it EXACTLY. If you only have half a bunch of cilantro, add some extra spinach (doesn’t change the flavor much) or even basil or parsley if you want to make it really exciting. Like it more garlicky? Toss in as many cloves as you like. More or less lemon? No big deal.

Ingredients

• Plain yogurt: I love Greek yogurt with a passion and I haven’t tried this recipe with regular yogurt. My guess it that it *could* work but would be less thick and creamy – which you don’t want, because the water from the cilantro and lemon juice already thins it out just right. As for fat content, nonfat Greek works for me but whole fat will only make it better.
• Cilantro: Obviously this is the main ingredient, but once you have the recipe down you can feel free to add in other herbs. I sometimes mix cilantro and parsley and I love that, too. Parsley does make for a strong flavor, especially when mixed with cilantro, so you might love it or hate it.
• Spinach: Optional but recommended! Adding spinach to this sauce is such a great way to sneak in a big dose of nutrients without affecting the flavor. It also adds a nice green color.
• Optional Olive oil: I am an olive oil addict but you can definitely skip this ingredient with minimal difference in the flavor.

How To Make Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Tips, Notes & Storage

• Mince the Garlic First: Cloves can take longer to really break apart in the food processor so it helps to use a garlic mincer or knife to really break them down before adding.
• Consistency: If for whatever reason your cilantro yogurt sauce ends up too thick, you can thin it out with more olive oil or even a little water.
• Adjusting Heat: If you want a spicier version, add a jalapeno. If you are a spice fanatic, include the jalapeno’s seeds. 
• Storage: This sauce keeps in the fridge for about 3-4 days before it starts oxidizing and losing flavor. If it separates a bit, just stir it back together, knowing every day that passes the cilantro will start tasting less and less good.