How To Thicken Cilantro Sauce

You can thicken cilantro sauce in several simple ways, depending on whether you want a creamy texture, a richer body, or just a quick fix without changing the flavor too much. 
If you’ve been wondering how to thicken cilantro sauce because yours turned out too runny, you’re in the right place, and the good news is that you probably already have a few thickening ingredients sitting in your kitchen right now. 
Whether it’s a cilantro lime sauce for tacos, a cilantro chimichurri, or a creamy cilantro drizzle for grilled chicken, the fix is usually fast and forgiving. 
In this post, we’ll walk through the best ways to thicken cilantro sauce, why your sauce turned out thin in the first place, and how to keep that bright, herby flavor intact while you do it. 
Let’s get into it. 

Why Your Cilantro Sauce Turned Out Thin

Before you thicken cilantro sauce, it helps to understand why it ended up watery in the first place. 
Most of the time, it comes down to one of these culprits. 

1. Too Much Liquid Was Added

Cilantro sauce recipes usually call for oil, vinegar, lime juice, or water. 
If you poured a little too freely, or didn’t measure at all, the sauce will stay loose no matter how much you blend it. 
This is the most common reason people need to thicken cilantro sauce at all. 

2. The Cilantro Was Too Wet

If you washed your cilantro and didn’t dry it well, that extra water ends up in the blender. 
Even a small amount of clinging water can thin out a sauce more than you’d expect. 
That’s why drying herbs thoroughly matters when you thicken cilantro sauce or any herb-based sauce. 

3. The Sauce Was Over-Blended

Blending breaks down the cilantro and other ingredients into smaller and smaller pieces. 
The longer you blend, the more liquid the sauce becomes, because the cell walls release their moisture. 
So if you’re trying to thicken cilantro sauce, sometimes the answer is simply to stop blending sooner next time. 

How to Thicken Cilantro Sauce

Here are the most reliable methods to thicken cilantro sauce, starting with the ones that keep the flavor closest to the original. 

1. Add More Cilantro and Aromatics

The simplest way to thicken cilantro sauce is to add more of what’s already in it. 
Toss in another handful of cilantro, a bit of garlic, or some chopped onion, then pulse instead of blending. 
This bulks up the sauce’s body while keeping the flavor you already love. 
It’s the least risky way to thicken cilantro sauce because you’re not introducing anything new. 

2. Use a Nut or Seed Base

Nuts and seeds are classic thickeners for herb sauces. 
Blend in a spoonful of cashews, almonds, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds. 
They add creaminess and body, and they thicken cilantro sauce beautifully without dulling the cilantro’s brightness. 
Just make sure to blend long enough that no gritty pieces remain. 

3. Add Avocado or Greek Yogurt

If you want a creamy cilantro sauce, avocado is a fantastic option. 
Half a ripe avocado blended into the sauce will thicken cilantro sauce and give it a silky, rich texture. 
Greek yogurt works the same way, adding tang and thickness at the same time. 
Both are great when you’re making a cilantro sauce for fish tacos or grilled veggies. 

4. Thicken Cilantro Sauce With a Starch Slurry

A cornstarch slurry is a reliable trick to thicken cilantro sauce when you don’t want to change the flavor at all. 
Mix one teaspoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of cold water, then whisk it into the sauce over low heat. 
Stir for a minute or two until the sauce thickens, then take it off the heat right away. 
Just be careful not to boil it, or the texture can turn gluey. 

5. Reduce the Sauce Gently

If your cilantro sauce is mostly liquid, a gentle simmer can help. 
Pour it into a small pan and warm it over low heat, stirring constantly, until some of the water evaporates. 
This is a good way to thicken cilantro sauce without adding any new ingredients. 
Keep in mind that heat can dull the cilantro’s fresh flavor, so only do this if you’re okay with a slightly mellower sauce. 

6. Let It Chill in the Fridge

Sometimes the easiest fix is time and cold. 
Cilantro sauce made with oil, yogurt, or avocado will firm up noticeably after 30 to 60 minutes in the fridge. 
If you’re not in a rush, chill the sauce before deciding whether you really need to thicken cilantro sauce further. 

What Not to Do When You Thicken Cilantro Sauce

There are a few common mistakes to avoid when you thicken cilantro sauce. 

1. Don’t Dump In Dry Flour

Raw flour clumps and tastes chalky, and it won’t blend smoothly into a cold sauce. 
Always make a slurry first if you’re using a starch to thicken cilantro sauce. 

2. Don’t Over-Blend Again

Blending more won’t thicken cilantro sauce, it will only make it thinner. 
Once the sauce is smooth, switch to pulsing or stir by hand. 

3. Don’t Add Too Much Thickener at Once

Add thickeners a little at a time and stir well before adding more. 
It’s much easier to thicken cilantro sauce a bit more than to thin it back down. 

So, How to Thicken Cilantro Sauce?

You can thicken cilantro sauce by adding more cilantro and aromatics, blending in nuts, seeds, avocado, or yogurt, using a cornstarch slurry, gently reducing it on the stove, or simply chilling it in the fridge. 
The method you choose really depends on how much flavor change you’re okay with and how quickly you need the fix. 
For a creamy sauce, avocado or yogurt is your best bet, while a cornstarch slurry works when you want the flavor to stay exactly the same. 
Now that you know exactly how to thicken cilantro sauce, your next batch of tacos, grilled fish, or roasted veggies is going to be so much better.