Taco Truck Green Sauce Recipe

If you're obsessed with taco trucks and all things Tex-Mex, this creamy taco truck green sauce recipe is about to rock your taco-loving world! Using just 5 fresh ingredients and a few pinches of salt, you'll have Mexican restaurant-quality roasted jalapeño sauce in your own kitchen. Happy saucing!

My love of all things taco has been well documented. I met my husband in the Mexican restaurant where he was proprietor. When dating, we skipped wine tasting and went taco tasting on all our travels. From the first day, it was a match made in Tex-Mex heaven.

This creamy jalapeño sauce sat on the counter at nearly all of the taco trucks and restaurant tables we visited. Usually next to a bottle of red sauce. In my experience, the red sauce is often spicier and less flavorful. But the green sauce? My goodness. It has a bit of heat, but the flavor is deeply savory, a little tart from fresh lime juice, and perfectly salted.

It makes all of my favorite Mexican foods even more flavorful and delicious.

In testing this recipe at home, I found that using a combination of peppers, usually jalapeños and poblanos (or in Portugal, jalapeños and Italian green peppers) creates the perfect spice level and the best flavor in this creamy salsa.

I also tested the recipe boiling the peppers before blending them, and then roasting them. The roasted pepper version of this creamy jalapeño recipe was significantly more flavorful than the boiled peppers, so that is my recommendation here.

The creamy texture of this sauce doesn't come from any type of dairy. Instead, using a neutral oil while blending the green salsa creates a perfect emulsion that gives the sauce a rich, creaminess that's irresistible.

It's the ultimate sauce recipe for your next Taco Tuesday or chips and dip session. Let's get cooking on this crazy easy recipe!

What you'll need to make green taco truck sauce:

• Whole jalapeños (or mixture of jalapeños and poblanos) 
• Yellow onion
• Neutral oil (safflower, avocado oil or canola)
• Fresh garlic cloves
• Fresh lime juice
• Kosher salt

Full measurements and directions included in the printable recipe card below.

Step by Step Instructions for Creamy Green Sauce:

Preheat oven to 400℉. 

Next, clean and dry peppers, then place them on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment. Cut the onion into quarters and add to baking pan. Drizzle vegetables with 2 tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the oven and flip.

Bake for additional 10-12 minutes, or until peppers are very soft and slightly charred on both sides. Remove from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.

Skin the peppers, cut open and remove seeds and membranes. (Note: most of the heat in peppers sits in the seeds and white membranes. If you're looking for a deeply spicy sauce recipe, cut off the stems and leave the seeds intact.)

To a food processor or chopper, add cleaned peppers, charred onions, raw chopped garlic, lime juice, remaining salt and ¼ cup neutral oil. Process for 30-45 seconds. Add remaining oil and process for another 30 seconds, or until sauce is completely smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Green taco sauce can be served immediately, or covered and refrigerated, then served later. The garlic flavors will continue to develop and strengthen as the spicy green sauce sits, so taste and adjust seasoning before serving.

FAQ's, Variations and Serving Suggestions for Mexican Green Sauce:

Variations and optional flavor add-ins:

• fresh cilantro leaves
• fresh or frozen avocado chunks
• a pinch of chili powder
• canned green chiles (in place of fresh peppers)

To store, transfer this creamy jalapeño sauce to an airtight container, mason jar or squeeze bottle with a tight fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Check out these delicious recipes next!

• Simple Homemade Arroz Rojo (Mexican Red Rice)
• Sweet and Spicy Mexican Shrimp
• Homemade Lobster Ravioli Sauce

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