Cilantro Lime Dressing

Cilantro lime dressing is a quick and easy recipe you can make in 5 minutes with 7 simple ingredients.

It’s bright, zesty, and packed with fruity, fresh, and herby flavors.

Serve it on salads, grain bowls, veggies, tacos, and anything Southern or Mexican-inspired.

Dietary Note: this recipe is suitable for a vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free diet. It’s low in cholesterol and saturated fats.

Don’t have time to read the full blog post? JUMP TO RECIPE HERE!

Cilantro lime dressing is made by blending fresh cilantro, extra virgin olive oil, maple syrup, garlic, grated ginger, fresh lime juice, and salt.

This recipe is inspired by Southern and Mexican cooking, and the dressing is excellent with ingredients such as black beans, sweet potatoes, corn, tacos, and greens.

Try it with black bean salad, sweet potato salad, quinoa lentil salad, or Buddha bowl.

Similar recipes include chermoula, honey mustard dressing, and chimichurri.

Quantities are in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Fresh cilantro

Fresh cilantro or fresh coriander is the main ingredient in this dressing and can’t be replaced.

Lime juice

Substitute fresh lemon juice for lime juice.

Extra virgin olive oil

Substitute regular olive oil or avocado oil for extra virgin olive oil.

Maple syrup

Substitute honey, agave syrup, date syrup, or brown sugar for maple syrup.

Garlic

Substitute garlic powder for fresh garlic.

Ginger

Fresh ginger can’t be substituted.

Salt

We recommend using sea salt or kosher salt.

Adjustable US cups + grams measurements in the recipe box at the bottom of the page.

Rinse the cilantro before use and shake most of the water off, or pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel.

Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor: the thinner stems and leaves of the cilantro, fresh lime juice, maple syrup, fresh garlic, peeled and grated ginger, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil.

Tip: We recommend using a medium-size or small food processor. A large food processor might not be able to catch the ingredients. Use the smaller stems of the cilantro, as they are packed with flavor.

Blend until the coriander is finely processed. You might need to scrape down the sides of the food processor once or twice.

Taste and adjust for salt and maple syrup. The dressing should be bright and fresh but with a mild, sweet undertone.

Tip: The dressing won’t be completely smooth and you should still be able to see small cilantro pieces. Avoid over-blending as this will heat up the fresh lime and cilantro deteriorating their flavor.

Make ahead: You can make the dressing for meal prep and have it in the fridge ready to use.

Refrigerator: Store it in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, for 4 to 5 days.

Freezer: Transfer to a freezer-friendly jar or in ice cube trays and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator.

Lime and cilantro are staples in Southern, Mexican, and Tex-Mex cuisines.

They are delicious with roasted sweet potatoes, corn, bell peppers, grilled vegetables, avocado, quick pickled onions, black beans, white beans, pinto beans, roasted carrots, rice, and quinoa.

We recommend trying it with:

• Black bean salad with sweet potatoes
• Mango black bean salad
• Roasted carrots and cannellini beans
• Microwave sweet potato
• Quinoa lentil salad

Creamy cilantro lime dressing

To make a creamy cilantro lime dressing, substitute 1/2 cup of mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise for half of the oil in the recipe card.

Another option is to cut the mayonnaise in half and replace it with the same quantity of Greek yogurt or unsweetened non-dairy yogurt. Even sour cream works!

Finally, a wholesome way to thicken the dressing is to add a ripe avocado. You’ll have a delicious creamy dressing, and you can even use it as a dip.

Spicy cilantro lime dressing

To make a spicy version of this dressing, add a jalapeño pepper to the blender with the other ingredients.

• Basil pesto
• Vegan pesto
• Romesco sauce
• Tahini sauce
• Mustard vinaigrette
• Chipotle sauce
• Green goddess dressing

Sauces

Green Goddess Dressing

Sauces

Honey Mustard Dressing

Sauces

Tahini Sauce

Sauces

Chipotle Sauce