Amazing Peruvian Green Sauce

Peruvian Green Sauce is a jalapeno, cilantro, garlic lover’s delight! I really must say that this is WAY BETTER than ketchup! I eat it on everything!

(This is an updated post from 2014. It is one of my most popular so I figured it was time to reintroduce this!)

Peruvian green sauce is my go to favorite sauce. Loaded with lots of my most loved ingredients; this is way better than ketchup.

I don’t know if it’s the tanginess of the lime juice, the spice of the peppers, or the herbiness of the cilantro, but this sauce is amazing.

It seems every one who tried this likes it, though purists dispute that this isn’t the real thing. I agree!  I’ve never had the real thing, because I’ve never been to Peru.

After serious research, I’ve decided that every home cook must have there own version.

 

 

So here goes: Yes, I know jalapenos are not a Peruvian pepper. But in Denver we can’t get Peruvian peppers, so jalapenos will have to do.

I did find aji paste in the grocery, so if you’d like to amp up the spice, just add a spoonful to this recipe.

However, I love this just as it is. Though it seems some on Pinterest have taken great offense. Well, recipes are so adaptable and this is one of them.

And just like some Chinese recipes are fake news, I guess some Peruvian recipes are also.

 

Peruvian Green Sauce

I did not name this. Originally, I found this on Serious Eats and I trust them!

Sour cream or mayonnaise? There appears to be a conflict there also. Seems there are conflicts everywhere these days!

But green sauce it is, and in this case jalapenos are it!

This green sauce is not thick. It is a drizzling sauce that is perfect for dipping.

Perfect over Peruvian chicken. Or plain old grilled chicken. Dip taquitos in it. Perfect for nachos. Or dipping veggies. Drizzled on rice. Spread on a sandwich. Or just on a spoon.

Peruvian green sauce is perfect on fish, eggs,  and any grilled meat. Spoon it on tacos or quesadillas, and even hotdogs.

Peruvian green sauce should be proud of its name. It is a good name. Just like it is a good sauce.

This is not a bright green sauce. Maybe a more timid green, but it is a happy green none the less.

 

 

Deciding to make Peruvian chicken, was a no brainer because, it really does go perfect with this aji verde sauce.

And the Peruvian chicken? Well, it was divine. Rubbing it with a hearty spice mixture and then slowly grilling it with a touch of smoke just made for the best chicken.

Not sure if it is an authentic Peruvian recipe, but it was delish! 

We found that there was just the right amount of spice in this. Not to spicy, but just enough.

 

 

However, the heat of the sauce is determined by how many seeds you leave in the jalapenos. Deseeding the jalapenos cuts down on the heat.

Don’t get this sauce confused with a Mexican green sauce, which contains tomatillos. 

Peruvian Green Sauce is one of the most popular recipes on my blog. My friend Holly, from A Baker’s House, made  this video so you can see how simple this sauce is too make!

Don’t believe me? Well, check it out below!  And yes…I think it’s quicker to make this than it is to read this post!

 

The last week has been a blur.  It took awhile to get things back to “normal” after coming home to paint dust and splatter. I cleaned each and every cabinet out and was happy with my work.

Yes, I still have the refrigerator to do, but cabinets that haven’t been cleaned inside in years, are finally clean again. No sooner had I finished, than Manservant came up the steps, announcing that Alex was coming home tomorrow.

Which meant cleaning the rest of the house… Not that Alex would care, but it needed to get done. After all, Alex needs clean spaces to dump all his stuff!

Alex has a way of making each room know he’s home. The laundry room held his clothes. The kitchen  his jacket and computer. Then the den held his computer. Then Zoe’s room held him.

He is still mattress-less in his room, because that is with him in Vail, until he brings it back. Of course the bathroom did double duty and held his clothes, clean and dirty. Things sure have a way of filling up when he is around.

So with Alex around we had an exciting Friday night. We started at The Source- a somewhat new happening spot in Denver. We went early, which was a good thing, and managed to partake of the weekly drink at The Proper Pour– a perfectly curated boutique wine/liquor shop that is there. They were mixing Negronis, and not having had one before, I didn’t want to miss out.

Manservant had a Negroni made with tequila and it was quite drinkable, I must say. (Manservant loved their tequila selection.) I had the classic and enjoyed that, too. If you are in Denver, it is a great store. We bought some tequila and the makings for our own. Negronis.

From there we walked next door to the Belgian brewery that specialized in sour beers. I thought Alex might lose it when I asked why they were called sour beers. Well, I just wanted the scoop. And no, they weren’t all that sour.

So it wasn’t a dumb question, and someone once told me there are no dumb questions. We had a good sampling and then it was over to La Comida for tacos and Margaritas. Yes’m, they are good. And they also have gorditas and quesadillas. And brunch… but we didn’t stay THAT long.

It is kind of embarrassing to say, but we still needed dessert. Voodoo doughnuts arrived from Portland awhile ago, and I have always wanted to see what the fuss was about. After circling like hawks to find a parking spot, Manservant dropped us off.