This tangy cilantro lime dressing is destined for your next taco salad. Enjoy it as a vinaigrette, or add avocado or Greek yogurt to make it creamy!
This cilantro lime dressing is the perfect summer salad dressing – it’s tangy, it’s herbaceous, and it’s so yummy drizzled over summer salads, grilled veggies, and more. The best part about it this dressing? It can be made 3 ways! Once you make the cilantro lime dressing, serve it as-is, add Greek yogurt to make a creamy ranch-like dressing (pictured in the middle above), or add avocado to make a thick, creamy sauce (pictured left above).
Let’s get started!
Cilantro Lime Dressing Ingredients
I make this dressing in the food processor so that the cilantro gets finely chopped and the dressing becomes emulsified. It takes minutes to blend together, and these 7 ingredients make it zesty & bright:
- Cilantro is the star of the show. It makes the dressing super fresh and green.
- Garlic adds a little bite.
- Lime juice makes it tangy.
- Maple syrup or honey calms and balances the sharp, tangy flavors.
- Ground coriander is one of my go-to ingredients when I’m using cilantro & lime, and it gives this dressing extra depth of flavor.
- Sea salt makes the flavors pop.
- And extra-virgin olive oil adds richness and ties it all together.
That’s it! Just pulse it together (I try not to blend it too long so that it still has pretty flecks of green), and your dressing will be ready for salads, burrito bowls, tacos, and more.
Variations of cilantro lime dressing:
I while I love the vinaigrette version of this dressing, I like to change it up from time to time, depending on what I’m craving and what I’m making. I like to make creamy cilantro lime dressing two different ways: with yogurt and with avocado.
A creamy Greek yogurt variation has a similar consistency to ranch or a buttermilk dressing – it’s lightly creamy and not too thick. To make it, simply add 1/2 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt to the food processor along with the other ingredients.
A creamy avocado cilantro lime dressing is thicker than the Greek yogurt version. I love to serve it alongside burritos as a dipping sauce or put big, thick dollops on a taco salad. To make it, add 1 avocado to the food processor with the base dressing recipe, and blend!
Make it spicy by adding a bit of jalapeño or a few pickled jalapeños.
What to Serve with Cilantro Lime Dressing
This dressing is a great one to keep on hand in the fridge. It adds a bright, zesty pop to simple green salads as well as DIY burrito bowls made with cilantro lime rice, black beans, veggies, pico de gallo, guac, and mango salsa.
It would also be delicious drizzled or scooped onto:
- Portobello Burrito Bowls
- Breakfast Burritos
- Cauliflower Rice Burrito Bowl
- Vegetarian Tacos (use in place of the tomatillo sauce)
- Breakfast Tacos (use in place of the salsa)
- Grilled Vegetable Kabobs
- Avocado Toast
- Oven Roasted Potatoes
- Veggie Fajitas
- Quesadillas
If you love this cilantro lime dressing recipe…
Try more of my favorite sauces like these tahini sauces, this citrus salad dressing, this chipotle sauce, tomatillo salsa, pesto, tzatziki, healthier Caesar dressing, or the carrot ginger dressing in this recipe.
Cilantro Lime Dressing
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cilantro
- 1 garlic clove
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Make it creamy (optional - choose one):
- 1 avocado
- ½ cup whole milk Greek yogurt
Instructions
- In a food processor, place the cilantro, garlic, lime juice, maple syrup, coriander, and salt and pulse to combine. With the blade running, pour in the olive oil and process until smooth.
- Make it creamy (optional) - blend with 1 avocado or ½ cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
Awesome recipe! Took to a family dinner and have been sharing the recipe ever since. I used honey and added a little fresh jalapeño pepper for added kick.
Hi Tracy, I’m so glad everyone loved it!
I’m one of those unfortunates to whom fresh cilantro tastes like soap! Are there any other herbs that you would recommend substituting in this recipe? Thank you so much!
Hi, basil might be good here! Otherwise, if you’re looking for a lime-y dressing without cilantro, you might like our chipotle honey vinaigrette. For a different herbaceous option, I’d recommend our green goddess!
Amazing, of course! All
Of your dressing are the best of the best!! Some of my crew used this as intended on salad, while others dipped chips in it. Delicious both ways
Hi Bridget, I’m so glad you’ve been loving the salad dressings!
Absolutely lovely! I didn’t add the maple or honey and it was still so delicious ?
I’m so glad you loved it!
Hi Jeanine – I just discovered your blog and love it! And, ahem – I may have also broken my rule of no new cookbooks! Your recipes are helping me freshen up my repertoire. We’ve been vegetarians since 1976!
This dressing is my new favorite way to jazz things up! I used both avacado and greek yogurt. And- added some white wine vinegar.
I discovered it makes a great dip for steamed artichokes.
Hi Colleen, thanks for your comment! I’m so glad you’re loving the recipes. What a great idea to use this dressing with artichokes!
Loved this! I only made a few alterations. I did 1:1 oil and juice. I used a 1/4C grapeseed oil and a splash of olive oil. I did slightly more lime juice and a small splash of red wine vinegar.. lastly I tossed the 1/4 of a big shallot I had leftover. Came out fantastic!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the dressing, Rob! Thanks for sharing your twist. It sounds delicious!
So fresh, bright and yummy! I had all ingredients on hand (mainly leftover cilantro from a meal last week) that needed to be used and am so happy this popped up when I searched for recipes. Made the original today but will definitely try it with Greek yogurt or avocado next time. Cilantro lime chicken and rice for the win tonight! 🙂
Hi Cassie, I’m so glad you loved the dressing!
Another dressing that is top notch! Love this. We made just the dressing without avocado or yogurt. We paired it with her cilantro lime rice and sofritas.
I’m so glad you loved the dressing, Jenn! What a delicious meal combo too.
Soooo good!!
Had to save this recipe for sure. It is amazing. Used honey. Not maple syrup. Also added the Greek yogurt. To make a creamy flavor. I was reluctant to make it as I didn’t have any limes, but used lime concentrate and it’s amazing. We’ll be perfect with my fajitas tonight.
Hi. I followed the recipe exactly as is, but it turned out quite bitter. Any idea why that happened?
Hi Elena, I’ve found that certain olive oils can taste bitter when combined with cilantro and lime. You could try using a neutral oil, such as avocado oil, in the future.
I recently learned from Sohla El-Wahly (sp?) that if you add some extra salt, it can counteract bitterness. Works like a charm.
Great tip, Quince!
Hi Phoebe,
Can’t wait to try this recipe!Can I please ask how long would this dressing last in the fridge?
I have read that using a blender with olive oil can exacerbate bitterness. Some olive oils and when they are off too, are bitter. Sometimes I blend the ingredients and stir in oil at the end
Hi, does the dressing lose its green hue when blended with an avocado? After refrigerating for a couple days, I mean.
Hi Lynn, it’ll darken a little after a few days in the fridge.
Delicious dressing…. Wow.. used the avocado add in for fish taco sauce and wow… thanks for sharing
Hi, so glad you loved it!
How long does the dressing stay fresh for?
Hi Alisha, It will keep in the fridge for about a week.
Just curious, regarding the creamy version, the article states, “To make it, add 1/2 avocado to the food processor with the base dressing recipe, and blend!” but the actual recipe calls for 1 [whole] avocado. Which is it?
Good catch! We typically use 1 whole avocado. The article has been updated accordingly. Thanks!
Thanks for the quick reply! I actually started out with 1/2 then added more until it was the consistency that I was looking for. I ended up using the whole, average-sized, avocado too.
Oh, great! Thanks again for that catch.
Interesting and loving i will rate the recipes at 10 over 10 both of them.
I’ve made this twice with the optional yogurt. It is so delicious-! It’s bright and tart with a little bit of sweetness that brings out the cilantro flavor. Thanks for the keeper!!
I’m so glad you’ve loved it!
This recipe is delicious!! I only used 1/4 cup of olive oil to make it more like a sauce for burrito bowls and it was perfect.
this recipe is delicious and fresh. I didn’t have coriander so I replaced it with cardamom. its so fresh and delicious.
I love this recipe! I’ve made it twice now, such a great way to stretch your cilantro so it doesn’t go bad. The only changes I made was to swap the oil for coconut water and add a little xantham gum to thicken so it’s fat free 🙂 Delicious and lasts in the fridge for over a week 🙂
Hi Kay, I’m so glad you love the dressing!