Last Updated on September 29, 2023 by Carne Diem
Origin: Peruvian, South American
Jump to RecipeI was first introduced to this Peruvian style green sauce at Pip Pio in New York City. This Aji Amarillo and cilantro-based sauce was served up with some of the best roasted Peruvian chicken in the city. Over the years I learned how easy it was to make authentic Pio Pio Aji Verde Sauce at home. Give this easy Aji Verde sauce a try and I am sure you will be hooked like we are.
While you will find a lot of recipes trying to replicate Aji verde with ingredients like jalapeno, these versions are not close to the same as you will find in Peru. We truly believe that authentic Aji Verde sauce is far superior and highly recommend getting the authentic ingredients to make the real deal.
Table of contents
Making Authentic Aji Verde Sauce at Home
To make this Peruvian cilantro sauce you will need aioli (or mayonnaise), jalapenos, garlic, lime juice, green onions, cilantro, Aji Amarillo paste, and Huacatay paste.
What is Aji Amarillo Paste?
Aji Amarillo paste is a paste made from Peruvian yellow peppers. Aji Amarillo chilis are considered one of the Holy Trinity of Peruvian cooking along with red onion and garlic. While finding Aji Amarillo chilis can be challenging outside of South America, Aji Amarillo paste can frequently be found at Latin markets, or easily ordered online. Aji Amarillo peppers are considered a spicy chili with a fruity taste. Heat wise they typically range from 30,000-50,000 Scoville units, which puts their heat on par with serrano chilis. We have found Aji Amarillo paste to be mildly spicy when compared to the fresh chilis.
You can also replace the Aji Amarillo paste with preserved Aji Amarillo peppers, and use the extra chiles to make Peruvian Papas a la Huancaina.
What is Huacatay Paste?
Huacatay paste is a Peruvian paste made from black mint. This black mint paste is another staple of Peruvian cooking and can be found in a number of classic Peruvian dishes such as salsas, soups, stews, and Peruvian pollada. Huacatay is actually a member of the marigold family. Huacatay paste can also be purchased from Amazon. In a pinch, equal parts of mint and cilantro leaves may be used as a substitute for Huacatay, though it is not an exact match.
Prepare the Aioli
For this authentic Aji Verde Sauce we typically make our Aioli from scratch. It is super easy, and a lot better than store bought. If you are short on time, or motivation, you can use store bought Aioli or even substitute mayonnaise with a clove of minced garlic, but the fresh aioli is well worth the 5 minutes of effort.
Finely chop the peppers, garlic, and seasonings
In a food processor, combine 2 jalapenos, 1 garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and 2 green onions. Pulse to a fine chop. You want them chopped as finely as possible, so you may need to scrape the sides of the food processor bowl between pulsing.
Add the liquids, cilantro, and pastes to the Peruvian Cilantro Sauce
Next, add in 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon of Aji Amarillo, 1 teaspoon of Huacatay, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 cup of cilantro. Pulse again to combine.
Finishing the Authentic Peruvian Green Sauce Recipe
Finally, in a small bowl, combine the mixture from the food processor with about ½ cup of aioli and whisk well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Use the authentic Peruvian Aji verde sauce within 7 days.
Looking for more great DIY sauces and seasoning? Be sure to try some of our other homemade sauces, seasonings and rubs:
- Zesty Pizza Sauce
- Best Alabama White BBQ Sauce
- Malbec Sauce For Steak
- Easy Chimichurri Recipe
- Quick and Easy Burger Seasoning
- Ancho Espresso Steak Rub
- Best Homemade Cajun Seasoning
- Ajvar Balkan Relish
What to serve with Authentic Peruvian Green Sauce
Use this Peruvian Green Sauce for chicken, like our Pollo a la Brasa. The brasa green sauce also works great with other poultry, like smoked turkey. Aji verde is also the perfect dipping sauce for Peruvian Anticuchos de Pollo: Peruvian Chicken Skewers or beef skewers. In reality, this Peruvian Green Sauce is fantastic on just about everything. Veggies, potatoes, grilled meats: the flavor of this South American condiment is hard to beat.
Frequently Asked Questions
This Peruvian green sauce is made with Aji Amarillo peppers. These yellow chiles are a major ingredient in Peruvian cuisine.
Compared to other Peruvian sauces, Aji Verde is not overwhelmingly spicy. While it does have a little bit of heat, this Peruvian green sauce would typically be classified as a medium heat.
In Peruvian cuisine, there is not really a great substitute for the Aji Amarillo peppers. Scotch bonnet and habanero peppers will be somewhat similar in flavor but considerably spicier. In a pinch using a mix of fresh banana peppers and habanero will most closely mimic fresh Aji Amarillo chiles.
Thank you for taking the time to visit our blog. If you tried and enjoyed our recipe, please share with others and please leave us a comment and review. We also love to see your pics so don’t forget to tag us @Carne_Diem_Culinary or #CarneDiemBlog. To be notified of future recipes please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest, or sign up for our e-mail notifications. Until next time, Carne Diem!
📖 Recipe
Aji Verde: Peruvian Green Sauce
Equipment
- food processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup Aioli
- 1 cup Cilantro
- 2 Green Onions
- 1 Tablespoon Aji Amarillo Paste
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 2 Jalapenos
- 1 clove Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Lime Juice
- 1 teaspoon Huacatay black mint
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Prepare a recipe for aioli. If you do not want to make the aioli from scratch you can substitute mayonnaise with a clove of minced garlic, but the fresh aioli is well worth the 5 minutes of effort.
- In a food processor, combine 2 jalapenos, 1 garlic clove, ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and 2 green onions. Pulse to a fine chop.
- Next, add in 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon of Aji Amarillo, 1 teaspoon of Huacatay, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and 1 cup of cilantro. Pulse again to combine.
- Finally, in a small bowl, combine the mixture from the food processor with about ½ cup of aioli and whisk well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tim T.
We have been putting this sauce on everything! Thanks for the recipe it is fantastic.
Tim H.
So flavorful and easy to make. Used the green sauce with some roasted chicken and the family loved it. Thanks for the great recipe!