Cilantro Garlic Sauce – Easy Pollo Tropical Inspired Recipe
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This Simple Cilantro Garlic Sauce recipe is inspired by Pollo Tropical. It only takes seconds to make and you’ll want to put it on everything!
Have you been to Pollo Tropical? Well, Pollo Tropical has a sauce bar with all sorts of delicious goodies like Curry Mustard Sauce, Chimichurri Sauce, and Cilantro Garlic Sauce. If you haven’t been to Pollo Tropical, you should probably add it to your bucket list. Their grilled chicken quarters are spectacular. Try the sauce on our tostadas recipe!
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Cilantro Garlic Sauce
Cilantro Garlic Sauce – Easy Pollo Tropical Inspired Recipe
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Cilantro Garlic Sauce Ingredients
- Cream cheese (I implore you to please not use low fat. Pretty please.)
- Milk
- Garlic, peeled
- Lime juice
- Salt
- Fresh cilantro
How do you make cilantro garlic sauce? (step-by-step)
⭐ First, blend all ingredients except cilantro with an immersion blender (or upright blender) until smooth.
⭐ Next, add cilantro and continue blending until smooth again.
⭐ Finally, use immediately or (ideally) refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld, and ENJOY!
Preparation
How do you make creamy cilantro sauce?
We use a combination of cream cheese and milk to make our cilantro sauce perfectly creamy. It’s a similar base to our super popular Garlic Cream Cheese Dip. But with cilantro and lime and Mmmmmmm.
Can you make cilantro garlic sauce ahead of time?
Yes! I like to make a jar of this and keep it in the fridge for saucing and dipping all the time. Just write on the label when you made it so you know how long it’s good for.
Leftovers and storage
Do you have to refrigerate cilantro garlic sauce?
Yes, because this is made with dairy (milk and cream cheese), it should be kept in the refrigerator.
How long does cilantro garlic sauce last?
You’ll want to look at the use-by dates on your milk and cream cheese, whichever is the earlier date will be the use-by for your sauce. Make sure to write it on the jar or lid so you don’t forget!
Tips, tricks, and frequently asked questions
How many calories are in cilantro garlic sauce from Pollo Tropical?
According to Pollo Tropical, there are roughly 90 calories in a one ounce serving of their Cilantro Garlic Sauce. Ours will vary depending on what type of milk and what type of cream cheese you choose to use.
What is in the curry mustard at Pollo Tropical?
I don’t now their exact recipe, but you can check out our delicious version over here on our curry mustard recipe page (we use mustard, mayo, and curry)!
Make it spicy!
Try adding a few pickled jalapenos when you’re blending for a spicy version of this sauce!
What goes well with cilantro garlic sauce? (serving suggestions)
In any case, my husband wants me to tell you all that this is not, I repeat, NOT Pollo Tropical ‘s Cuban Cilantro Garlic Sauce. It is super yummy and awesomely (awesomely!) delicious, but definitely not (and not trying to be!) a copycat recipe.
What this isssssss, is a zingy, creamy, tangy, flavorful addition to your meal. Mmmmmm, yeah! Definitely try it with fish tacos or on a ham and cheese croissant roll! And everything else.
I even like to dip roasted plantains in it. Sweet, salty, tangy, it’s an orchestra of delicious in your mouth!
More delicious condiments
- Sriracha Mayo
- Chili Sauce Recipe
- Mango Pineapple Salsa
- Fresh Pico de Gallo
- See all our condiment recipes!
More copycat inspired recipes
- Ikea Swedish meatballs
- Taco Bell Mexican pizza
- Wendy’s chili
- Panera broccoli cheese soup
- Copycat Hamburger Helper Recipe
- Chick fil a frosted lemonade
- See all our copycat recipes!
Tools we love
- Cuisinart Smart Stick 2 Speed Hand Blender – one of the most used tools in my kitchen. Blend alllll the things. I basically only take my big blender out for margaritas anymore. Because, margaritas.
- OXO Good Grips Salad Dressing Shaker – It’s cute, and I like it, and I like salads better when they have cute things to go along with them. It’s not just me, right?
- Ball Jar Wide Mouth Pint and Half Jars with Lids – addicted to canning jars. Canning jars are slowly replacing our tupperware and I am not at all sad about it. Also I use them for glasses. Especially margarita glasses. Because, margaritas.
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How to Make Cilantro Garlic Sauce
Cilantro Garlic Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese I implore you to please not use low fat. Pretty please.
- 4 tablespoons milk
- 1 clove garlic peeled
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Blend all ingredients except cilantro with an immersion blender (or upright blender) until smooth.
- Add cilantro and continue blending until smooth again.
- Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to meld, and ENJOY!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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Cilantro Garlic Sauce – Easy Pollo Tropical Inspired Recipe
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06-2015
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Hi. Do you use some kind of seasoning? I can see one in one of the photographs, but don't see it in the written recipe. Thanks!
Hi! No, just salt. I think I was shooting multiple recipes that day and the seasoned salt accidentally made its way into a picture 😉
Thanks 🙂
If I make in advance, how long would it last in the fridge?
Thanks
how long will this last in the fridge?
What would I use it for? Veggie dip? Grilled meats?
I made the cilantro garlic sauce tonight. Delicious!
I put my own twist on it though.
I hate to see anything go to waste.
My kids were just not into the vegetable cream cheese that I had bought for them & it needed to be used up. I also had some buttermilk to add . What better oportunity than with this tasty recipe.
I added about 8 Tbls. of the buttermilk & the vegetable cream cheese was a 7.25oz. Close enough for me! It was perfect with our chicken tacos and it tasted great!.
Thank you for sharing your recipe.
I’ll be making this again & singing praises to you & your recipe. 😊
sounds delicious! thanks for letting us know 😀
Can I get the nutritional value so I can calculate Ww points?
Hi Theresa! That’s going to vary a lot based on the type of milk and cream cheese you choose to use. Weight Watchers has a function where you can plug the ingredients in to get points, and My Fitness Pal has a free nutrition calculator as well. Hope you love the sauce! <3
How many servings would this be?
That all depends on what you’re using it for and how big your servings are. It makes roughly 1.25 cups of sauce. Hope that helps!
I just made it for Mother’s Day celebration. It is excellent. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I loved this recipe. I served it beef empanadas. Delicious!!!
that sounds amazing! so glad you enjoyed our cilantro garlic sauce 🙂
This sounds like a great sauce for many of my dishes, I am trying it soon and I would like to post it on my blog and of course, give you credit and link back to you here for people to get the recipe, ok with you? Thanks again talk soon.
Ernest
How to make this into a dip. Thanks.
pour it into a bowl?
Cream cheese at right out of the fridge? Or soften?
Doesn’t really matter since you’re going to blend it.
Would sour cream work in place of the cream cheese?
it wouldn’t have the same flavor, but i think it would probably still taste really good 🙂 let us know if you try it!
o…..m…..g!!!!!!!!!!!!! soooooooo delicious!
A restaurant that has now closed because of Covid, had the most amazing chicken enchiladas with a cilantro cream sauce so I did my best to replicate it. I had lots of left over turkey from Thanksgiving! They were so so good!! For the sauce, I added sour cream, oregano, and a bit of cumin. In the enchiladas, I used turkey, minced onion, cotija and jack cheese. The family LOVED it! Thanks!
We love this sauce and usually have it with beef tenderloin.
Made it tonight. So easy! And tastes so good! I used the whole lime, zest and juice. I hate for anything to go to waste. It’s in the fridge now and I’m planning on putting it over salmon tomorrow night for dinner 🙂