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Cilantro Yogurt Sauce
I found myself making this sauce last month when I was trying to salvage some limp grilled chicken from the fridge. I tossed it with lemon juice and a dollop of yogurt, then realized something: I'd been buying fancy tahini-based sauces for my grain bowls while ignoring the most versatile thing in my pantry.
Ingredients
Method
- Place the yogurt in a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the cilantro, olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice to a food processor. Pulse about ten times until the mixture is finely chopped but not completely smooth — you want visible flecks of green.
- Transfer the cilantro mixture into the bowl with the yogurt. Stir gently until evenly combined. Season generously with kosher salt (start with ¾ teaspoon) and freshly ground black pepper to taste. If the sauce feels too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water and stir again.
- Let sit for at least ten minutes before serving so the flavors have time to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning — you'll likely want more salt than you think.
Nutrition
Notes
Cilantro yogurt sauce has earned its place because it works everywhere — over roasted vegetables, drizzled onto tacos, stirred into rice, spooned over any protein. The trick is getting the cilantro texture right: too fine and it turns pasty, too coarse and you get big chunks that don't distribute well. I pulse everything in a food processor until just combined.
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