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WW Recipe of the Day: Spicy Peruvian Aji Verde (Green Sauce)
Aji Verde—or the national green sauce of Peru—is popping up everywhere this season.
Recently in a Peruvian restaurant in the 15th district of Paris, I sampled it 3 times. Once as a marinade for ceviche, once as a sauce for cod and as a dip for roasted sweet potatoes, corn and zucchini.
Bright and spicy, it won my heart and I’ve recreated a user-friendly version that is rapidly becoming the new staple in my refrigerator.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Spicy Peruvian Aji Verde Sauce?
According to my calculations, each 1/4 cup serving has 71 calories.
To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
(You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
2 SmartPoints (Green plan)
2 SmartPoints (Blue plan)
2 SmartPoints (Purple plan)
2 PointsPlus (Old plan)
How to Make Peruvian Aji Verde Step-by-Step
Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Step 2: Place all ingredients in a food processor (affiliate link) and pulse to a smooth puree.
Step 3: Remove sauce to a bowl.
Step 4: If the sauce appears really thick, thin it with a few drops of water, or enough to make a pourable consistency.
Ingredients and Recipe Notes
Like so many dishes, there are many variations of this Peruvian green sauce to be found, though typically ingredients include cilantro, hot pepper, garlic and mayonnaise. My version also includes fresh lime juice and grated Parmesan.
For a lighter variation feel free to substitute plain nonfat Greek yogurt for the light mayo.
Just a reminder to beware of the seeds in the jalapeño chili pepper. If you have dish or kitchen gloves, put ’em on when you’re preparing the pepper. Other peppers—like serrano and milder green chilies—can be used for different heat tastes.
Depending on how firmly you pack the cilantro into the measuring cup, the sauce may be thicker than you had expected. Thin SLOWLY with drop of water. It thins out quickly.
The sauce can be used right away but after a day or two the garlic will “bloom” and it will be more garlicky and intense. You can store it in the refrigerator for at least a week.
If you like mild dishes, serve it right away and wait to serve it a day if you like garlic and heat. I love both, so I always make it ahead.
Serving Suggestions
If used as a main course sauce, then keep it south of the border to accompany rice or tortillas and a milder steamed, or stir-fried, vegetable plate.
Ways to Use Leftovers
This fire-laced sauce can be kept up to 1 week in the refrigerator in a closed container. Use any time you need a spunky sauce for grilled or baked fish, chicken, pork or your favorite grilled veggies.
If you’ve made this low carb Spicy Peruvian Aji Verde, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.
Spicy Peruvian Green Sauce (Aji Verde)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
- 2 green onions, quartered
- 1 cup cilantro sprigs
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 large jalapeño, halved and seeded
- Zest of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a food processor (affiliate link) and pulse to a smooth puree.
- Remove to a small bowl (affiliate link).
- If the sauce appears really thick, thin it with a few drops of water, or enough to make a pourable consistency.
Notes
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.) 2 SmartPoints (Green plan) 2 SmartPoints (Blue plan) 2 SmartPoints (Purple plan) 2 PointsPlus (Old plan) Depending on how firmly you pack the cilantro into the measuring cup, the sauce may be thicker than you had expected. Thin SLOWLY with drops of water. It thins out quickly. The sauce can be used right away, but after a day or two the garlic will “bloom” and it will be more garlicky and intense. If you like mild dishes, serve it right away and wait to serve it a day if you like garlic and heat. I love both, so I always make it ahead.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I had never heard of this sauce so just had to try it. I made it in the morning and served it with grilled fish for dinner. Yummy!