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This fresh and creamy Homemade Cilantro Lime Dressing made with Greek yogurt only takes a couple of minutes to mix up and is so delicious, you’re going to want to put it on everything!
We love homemade dressings and this creamy cilantro lime dressing is our current favorite! It’s fresh, bright, and full of flavor. Plus, it only takes a handful of ingredients to make and it goes well on everything from salads and veggie bowls to burritos and steaks, and much more.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Super flavorful: This recipe combines Greek yogurt, lime, and fresh cilantro for a herbal, bright-tasting dressing. It’s way more flavorful than any store-bought bottled option.
- Homemade: We use quality ingredients for wonderful creaminess and the best flavor! Making salad dressing at home is super easy to do and really only takes around 5 minutes, if you have a high-speed blender. It’s also better for you (no additives!), more economical, and way fresher tasting.
- Quick & easy: This recipe just requires a few simple steps from start to finish.
Ingredients needed
- Cilantro: The star of the show and the base of the dressing. It adds a mix of lemon, peppery and pungent taste.
- Garlic: For best results, skip the garlic powder and use a fresh garlic clove.
- Lime: We recommend squeezing lime to add a fresh taste and get the perfect amount of acidity.
- Honey: Adds a subtle sweetness and balances the tang of the Greek yogurt.
- Greek yogurt: Use full-fat plain Greek yogurt for the best texture and flavor.
- Kosher salt: To bring out all of the amazing flavors!
- Oil: Use avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil to blend everything together and coat your salad, veggies, or protein.
Equipment
- High-speed blender or food processor: I use a Vitamix blender, but if you don’t have a high-speed blender, a high-speed food processor will work as well.
- Jar: You’ll need a mason jar or airtight jar for storage.
How to Make this recipe
Cilantro Lime Dressing is such a breeze to make with a blender or food processor. Throw everything in (except the oil) and blend. Then slowly drizzle in the oil with the motor running to nicely emulsify the dressing. Here’s the simple process:
- Remove the stems of the cilantro, if you’d like.
- Combine all ingredients except the oil in the blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- With the motor running, slowly add the avocado or olive oil and blend until fully combined.
- Transfer the dressing into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid or container with a lid and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Making this recipe without a blender or food processor
While it’s much easier to make this with a blender or food processor, it’s not too difficult to chop and mix everything by hand. Here’s how:
- Very finely chop the cilantro and garlic. Then, combine all ingredients in a medium to a large bowl.
- Whisk the ingredients to fully emulsify and until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Transfer to a jar or other airtight container and use immediately or chill until you’re ready to serve. The flavors will develop the longer it sits!
Expert Tips
- Use fresh ingredients. Fresh ingredients are what make homemade salad dressings SO much better than store-bought. Be sure to use fresh herbs (not cilantro that has been sitting in your fridge for a week), lime juice, and garlic.
- Double the recipe. You can make a double batch and keep it in a jar in the fridge all week, making it so easy to add to salads for lunch or dinner.
- Let it sit. This will taste even better with time. If you’ve got the time, allow it to chill in the fridge for several hours before using it.
Variations
- Make it even thicker and creamier with the addition of half of an avocado.
- Make it spicy by adding jalapeño to the mix.
- Want it a bit sweeter, add a touch more honey.
- For a vinaigrette, omit the Greek yogurt.
Frequently asked questions
Unless specifically labeled pre-washed, be sure to wash cilantro before using. Rinse under cold running water, shaking to make sure all leaves get washed. Afterward, it’s important to dry it as much as possible, as excess water can thin out the dressing.
It’s fine to keep the stems of the cilantro in the dressing. However, if your cilantro stems are thicker and aren’t soft, you may want to remove them. The stems of cilantro have a stronger flavor than the leaves. You can easily cut off the bottom stems if you only want the leaves.
Yes! After making the dressing, add it to a resealable bag or large bowl. Place approximately 1 pound of chicken, shrimp, or fish in the bag or bowl with the dressing.
Seal (or cover) and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Storage recommendations
Keep this homemade cilantro lime dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about 1 week.
You can also freeze it for up to a month. We like to freeze it in ice cube trays, so that if just one or two portions are needed, you can pop them out individually, instead of having to thaw a whole large batch. To use from a frozen, thaw it in the fridge the night before you need to use it.
Serving suggestions
Here are some of our favorite recipes that would be delicious with this dressing:
More dressing recipes to try
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Homemade Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 2 garlic clove
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 teaspoon honey
- ½ cup Greek yogurt, or plain yogurt
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅓ cup avocado or olive oil
Instructions
- Remove the stems of the cilantro.
- Combine all ingredients except the oil into the blender.
- Blend until smooth.
- With the motor running, slowly add the avocado or olive oil and blend until combined.
- Transfer the dressing into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid or container with a lid and store in the fridge until ready to use.
Notes
- Storing leftovers: Keep this homemade cilantro lime dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to about 1 week.
- Freezing: You can also freeze it for up to a month. We like to freeze it in ice cube trays, so that if just one or two portions are needed, you can pop them out individually, instead of having to thaw a whole large batch. To use from a frozen, thaw it in the fridge the night before you need to use it.
- Servings size: 2 tablespoons
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
