The pairing of cilantro and mint in this creamy vegan yogurt sauce gives it a bright and punchy herbal flavor. Ready in just 5 minutes, it’s an easy way to perk up abundance bowls, roasted veggies, sandwiches, and more!
Meal planning can be daunting, especially if you have other things pulling at your attention. Lately I’ve oscillated between a super-detailed plan and a general-ish idea from week to week. Maybe you can relate? I know it seems odd coming from a food blogger, but outside of work, feeding myself can be challenging! I’ve learned over the years that any habits I develop need to be sustainable. So, when it comes to meal planning, I rely on a couple of basic tips and tricks. One of those is to start with a really great sauce and build meals from there.
This cilantro mint yogurt sauce is sort of like my fail-safe. It’s super flavorful and creamy and creates a foundation from which to build out meals. And, it elevates rather ordinary things, like sauteed kale or a pot of beans, to something you’re pumped to eat! It only takes 5 minutes to make and can easily be doubled or tripled depending on how many servings you’d like to get out of it.
How to Make My Cilantro Mint Yogurt Sauce
All you need is a blender, a food processor, or an immersion blender. You’ll gather all of your ingredients, put them in your blender, and blitz them together! I typically blend mine until it’s relatively smooth but you can leave it somewhat chunky if that’s your preference. Once you make your sauce, you can place it in a jar and keep it in your fridge. Just make sure to enjoy it within a week!
What You’ll Need for this Recipe
- Cilantro – along with the mint, the cilantro lends the sauce a super bright and punchy herbal flavor. It also gives it that lovely green hue! If cilantro tastes like soap to you, no worries! You can substitute parsley or basil in its place.
- Mint – adds a subtle cooling note to the overall flavor of the sauce and tempers the flavor of the cilantro.
- Lime – gives the sauce a lovely citrus-y punch and pairs really well with the cilantro and mint.
- Serrano – adds some spice but is totally optional depending on what you prefer.
- Shallot – helps to create depth of flavor and give the sauce some added body.
- Plain Vegan Yogurt – forms the base of the sauce and makes it creamy and tangy. I prefer to use a nice, thick vegan yogurt to keep the sauce from being too thin. Here’s my favorite one to use.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – adds a little extra fat which helps to carry the flavors of the sauce.
- Honey or Maple Syrup – lends the sauce a very subtle sweetness that balances out the mineral flavors of the herbs.
- Sea Salt – seasons the sauce and makes all of the flavors sing.
Ways to Enjoy this Sauce
Aside from being a killer dip for raw veggies, French fries, and tortilla chips, here are some other ways I love to enjoy this cilantro mint yogurt sauce:
- The cilantro and mint flavor combination pairs really well with spices that are commonly used in Indian cooking. For a quick & easy dinner, I love to toss some chopped cauliflower and broccoli with a tandoori spice mix before roasting it. I’ll serve it up alongside rice and grilled tofu with this sauce on the side.
- This sauce is a great way to add a flavor bomb to a relatively unassuming abundance bowl! I typically combine a cooked grain, a vegan protein like lentils or tofu, and whatever seasonal veggies I have on hand. Add this sauce and you’ve got a filling and delicious meal, no matter the season! (Here’s a fonio bowl with garlicky kale & roasted carrots that I enjoyed this sauce with!)
- Never underestimate the importance of the spread you use on a veggie sandwich! For a killer veggie sandwich, slather this sauce of your bread of choice and add spinach or lettuce, thin slices of roasted sweet potato, avocado, and smoked or grilled tofu.
Cilantro Mint Yogurt Sauce
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 heaping cup 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
The pairing of cilantro and mint in this creamy vegan yogurt sauce gives it a bright and punchy herbal flavor. Ready in just 5 minutes, it’s an easy way to perk up abundance bowls, roasted veggies, sandwiches, and more!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- 1 loosely packed cup of fresh mint leaves
- 1 lime
- 1 small serrano pepper, roughly chopped
- 1 small shallot, roughly chopped
- 1 5–ounce container plain vegan yogurt (this one is my favorite)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tsp honey or maple syrup
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
Roughly cut the leaves off the bunch of cilantro and add them to a blender or food processor along with the remaining ingredients. Add pinch of salt and blend to your desired consistency. I prefer it smooth but you can leave it chunkier if you like! Once blended, taste your sauce and add more salt as needed.
Store your sauce in an airtight container in your fridge and make sure to use it within a week.
Notes
- If you don’t care for the taste of cilantro, you can substitute a bunch of parsley or basil!
- You can control the heat level of the sauce by how many seeds from the serrano pepper you add. If you want it mild, make sure to cut the flesh of the pepper away from the seeds, adding only the flesh to the sauce.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: sauce
