Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing Recipe

This easy, creamy cilantro lime dressing recipe is one of our favorite sauces to keep in the fridge. Use it for salads, drizzle over tacos, add to burritos, and more!

This dressing came to be when I was craving a taco salad and wanted a bright, creamy cilantro dressing to go with it. I started with our homemade ranch as a base, but swapped the herbs for a bunch of cilantro and the lemon for fresh lime juice.

The results were one of the yummiest salad dressings we’ve made. This creamy cilantro lime dressing recipe is perfect for salads, but you can use it for so much more. Think tacos, burritos, rice bowls, a dip for veggie quesadillas, and even as a dip for vegetables.

Key Ingredients

Sour Cream and Mayonnaise: I use sour cream and mayonnaise to make our ranch recipe extra creamy, so I do the same here. If you want to lighten things up a little, you can substitute the sour cream with Greek yogurt or even blended cottage cheese (weird, but it works!).

Buttermilk or Milk: Buttermilk adds a tangy, creamy flavor that’s hard to beat. If you don’t have buttermilk, regular milk with a bit more lime juice also works. If you buy buttermilk for this recipe and have some left over, try these buttermilk pancakes (I love them!).

Lime Juice: A splash of fresh lime juice brightens the dressing in a way that store-bought bottles can’t compete with. Plus, the lime works so well with the fresh cilantro.

Cilantro and Green Onion: I love fresh herbs and am committed to using a lot of them whenever I buy them. That’s why you’ll be using an entire cup of cilantro leaves for this cilantro dressing. The green onion adds even more fresh flavor. I love it!

Jalapeño: This was a last-minute addition the first time I made this, and I’ve been adding it ever since. I mince about 1 tablespoon of fresh jalapeño, and then blend it with the other ingredients. It doesn’t make it spicy. That said, you can always increase it.

Spices: Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper round everything out and make this dressing extra delicious.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

Tips for Making My Cilantro Lime Dressing

Tip 1: Use a blender. The quickest way to make this recipe is to add all the ingredients to a blender, hit go, and wait 30 seconds. A food processor works, too!

Tip 2: Make it ahead of time. Making your own salad dressing every night of the week is probably not ideal. That’s why I am happy to say that this one lasts when stored in an airtight container for about 4 days. The green of the cilantro may dull slightly, but not much, and the dressing will still taste great.

And there you go, my new favorite dressing! I’m already using it for everything. It’s excellent for this taco salad, as a sauce for these simple chicken breasts, drizzled over roasted veggies, and I’ve added it to burrito bowls made with my favorite cilantro lime rice!