Skip to main content
LoginSign Up
Ají Verde

Ají Verde

By Courtney Hill & Elizabeth MindreauApril 27, 2022

  • Makes
    Makes about 1 cup
  • Cook Time
    15 minutes
  • Rating

Ají verde is a popular Peruvian condiment. Creamy and spicy, with fruity acidity from lime juice, it’s the perfect accompaniment to pollo a la brasa. Ají amarillo is a spicy yellow Peruvian chili. Look for ají amarillo paste in Latin American markets, but if not available, simply omit it. The sauce still will taste great.

Ingredients
  • 2

    cups lightly packed fresh cilantro

  • ½

    cup mayonnaise

  • ½

    cup lightly packed fresh mint

  • 2

    ounces queso fresco, crumbled (½ cup)

  • 2-3

    jalapeño chilies, stemmed and roughly chopped

  • 3

    tablespoons lime juice

  • 1 ½

    teaspoons ají amarillo paste (optional; see headnote)

In a blender, combine the cilantro, mayonnaise, mint, queso fresco, chilies, lime juice and ají amarillo (if using). Blend until smooth, scraping down the blender jar as needed, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Featured in