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 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):
- 1 avocado or ½ cup plain 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
This was very delicious!
I’m so glad you loved it!
Do you think this would taste good without the garlic, or is there anything to add instead of garlic? My husband is allergic to it. Thanks!
Does adding the avocado shorten the shelf life or does the lime juice keep it from turning brown?
Hi Jodie, the avocado shortens it’s shelf life – the other 2 options will last about 5 days in the fridge, the avocado one lasts about 2.
This tastes absolutely amazing! I’ve recently gone dairy free for health reasons and try to eat keto when possible. I added half an avocado to make it creamy and used a honey substitute I have along with avocado oil instead of the olive oil. I can’t wait to have this over my taco salad. I won’t miss the sour cream with this option!
I’m so glad you loved it so much!
Hi, if I make the dressing with avocado or yoghurt, do I omit the olive oil or do I include it as well?
Hi Sibylle, you keep the oil and just add either the avocado or the yogurt.
Hi! Delicious dressing! Any idea the macros please?
do you think this dressing could be frozen in an ice cube tray & thawed ?
Hi Destiny, I haven’t tried, but I think it should work.
When I read ingredients maple syrup and cilantro it didn’t sound like a good combination but I made it anyway and it came out obsoletely delicious I just wanted to drink it that’s how good this dressing is.
Thank for sharing this delicious dressing
I’m so glad you loved it! Yes, the maple just adds a bit of sweetness (without using honey or sugar), that cuts the sharp lime flavor.
Love it! How long does this last in the fridge?
Hi Ter, 3-5 days, I’m glad you enjoyed it!
OH my goodness!!!! This is delish!! I will definitely make again!! Thank you for such a great dressing recipe.
I’m so glad you loved it!
This will be one of my top dressings moving forward!!! Yummmm! A perfect base for my red leaf chick pea salad.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Wow so good! I wouldnt have thought to add the maple syrup or honey but i can imagine how that really rounds out all the bright flavors from the cilantro and lime.
Can’t wait to make this, looks delish! Also, love the glassware pictured in the recipe image, what is the brand?
Hi Tracy, the 2 on the left are Weck jars, I love them! I don’t remember where I got the one on the right but if you google “mini milk bottles” you’ll find some ones that look similar.
Thank you for the info on the jars. I made this last night (adding half an avocado) & served it over salad greens & chopped romaine…so good!!!
The cilantro dressing with avocado is the second recipe I’ve used from your site in the last two days. Another winner! Absolutely fabulous when using one of the monster Florida avocados. I can hardly wait to try another recipe of yours. Thank you for helping me transition to an increased vegetable intake!
Hi Jane, I’m so glad you loved it!
We love this recipe! I’ve made it several times and we pair it with pernil, empanadas, tacos and salads!
I’m so glad you’ve loved it!
Absolutely amazing! Bright, fresh, light and delicious! Made it without the avacado this time, but will add it the next.
Another winner from Love and Lemons!
This has become a favorite dressing to make, but wondering how long it lasts in the fridge
Hi Chantee, I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed it! I typically keep this one for up to 5 days.
I made this for my salad and it took it up to the next level! I’m IN LOVE! Thank you so much!! Healthy and super delicious!
Do you know how long this can last in the fridge?
I’m so glad you loved it! I keep it for 3 to 5 days in the fridge.
Thanks so much, this is exactly what I was looking for! I added the avacado and the dressing is delicious, but would also be just as amazing without!
Question – how do you measure cilantro…do you pack it in a cup or just kind of fill the cup, but don’t overdo it? I kind of packed it I. And was happy with the results, but didn’t know if there’s an official way to do it.
Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! I measure it kind of like you do – I push it in but don’t pack it too tightly. I should make that more clear, thank you for pointing it out!
Very good dressing. I used it over a taco type salad.