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Home » Recipes » Summer

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

By: Kathryn Doherty | Last Updated: Mar 10, 2025 | Published: Jul 21, 2022
This post may contain affiliate links. See my 
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This creamy cilantro lime dressing takes just minutes to make in a blender and has a bright, fresh taste that’s great for salads, grain bowls, and grilled chicken and meat.

A hand holding a white cruet pouring a green cilantro lime dressing onto sliced chicken breast on a salad


 

Homemade salad dressings may sound a bit intimidating.

I mean, compared with buying a bottle in the store, it seems like it could be a lot of work. And maybe sometimes it is.

But I opt for the ridiculously easy types of dressings and I don’t think I could go back to store bought.

It’s just worlds better when it’s homemade!

If you’re like me and love being able to control the ingredients in your food, you can check out some of my other homemade dressings.

Homemade Italian dressing is an all around staple in our house and can be used as a dressing or a marinade. 

This soy ginger dressing is absolutely addictive and something I use on salads, grain bowls and all kinds of Asian style dishes.

Blender balsamic blueberry vinaigrette is a summertime favorite and a great way to use fresh blueberries.

And my simple spinach salad includes a recipe for an easy balsamic vinaigrette that's a go-to year-round.

Today, it’s this creamy cilantro lime dressing that is so bright and so fresh!

Close up of cilantro lime dressing in a small white bowl with colorful napkins to the side

And so stinking easy to make.

It simply requires you throw all of the ingredients into a blender (or you can use an immersion/hand blender) and turn the sucker on.

That’s it!

Dump everything right on in and blend until it’s all smooth and combined.

You get a fabulous, creamy, homemade dressing that you will want to drizzle on ALL the foods!

I love this dressing paired with my southwestern orzo salad and my southwestern chopped salad. It stands up well to those big, bold flavors!

It’s also great on grilled chicken or steak too. And with these fun turkey burger salad bowls.

(If you love green sauces and herby sauces, also check out this chimichurri recipe.)

OK, let’s get our salad dressing on.

A small blender cup with Greek yogurt, mayo, lime juice, cilantro and other ingredients layered in for making cilantro lime dressing

Now, I’ve got some notes and tips coming up below on how to make cilantro lime dressing. Just tryin’ to be helpful.

If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Greek yogurt: I use plain (non-fat) Greek yogurt here to bring a bit of tang to the dressing, and to make it more a little more healthy. You could substitute sour cream if you prefer.
  • Mayonnaise: It’s fine to use either non-fat or regular for the mayo; whichever you prefer.
  • Jalapeño: You can control the amount of heat in this dressing. If you remove most of the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño pepper, it won’t be spicy at all. Or leave some in if you want a bit of a kick. You could also add a few dashes of hot sauce to spice it up!
  • Lime: You’ll need one good size, juicy lime for this. If yours are small, it might take two to get enough juice. (But be sure to zest it first before you cut it!)
  • Cilantro: You’ll need a small tight handful to make a packed ½ cup. Make sure it’s cleaned, but no need to chop it since the blender will do all the work.
A creamy cilantro lime dressing in a small white bowl with jalapeno, cilantro and limes nearby

Also, a note on consistency: this dressing can be on the thicker side.

It’s meant to be creamy and thick and luscious.

However, if you need to thin it out a little to drizzle easier for what you’re making, you definitely can.

Just add a splash of water, one at a time, to the blender until it gets to your desired consistency.

A white platter with romaine lettuce topped with arranged tomatoes, black beans, corn, avocado and sliced chicken breast with a white cruet filled with green salad dressing to the side.
A green dressing being poured out of a white salad dressing cruet onto sliced chicken breasts on an arranged salad

As you might imagine, this dressing pairs fabulously with all sorts of southwestern flavors.

And it even works great drizzled over some grilled chicken or steak to give it a little zing!

I also love using it for grain bowls to bring everything together.

Basically, it's something you might want to make on the regular to have on hand. It just brings the party to the plate!

Close up of green cilantro lime dressing on sliced chicken breast on an arranged salad on a white platter with limes in the background
A southwestern style salad with romaine, tomatoes, black beans, corn and sliced chicken breast on a white platter with a cilantro lime dressing drizzled all over top.

Last thing, let’s talk about making it ahead and storing leftovers.

You can use this dressing as soon as you make it, or you can put it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.

The dressing will keep, in a covered container, in the fridge for 3-5 days. That’s true of the leftovers, too, if you don’t need to use the whole batch at first.

And trust me, you’ll be looking for all kinds of things you can dip in it or drizzle it over.

Blend up a batch today and see how easy homemade dressings can be!

Enjoy!

XO,

Kathryn

Close up of a small white bowl with a lime green cilantro lime dressing with lime, cilantro and jalapeno to the side.
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3.78 from 71 votes

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

This creamy cilantro lime dressing takes just minutes to make in a blender and has a bright, fresh taste that’s great for salads, grain bowls, and grilled chicken and meat.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Total Time5 minutes mins
Yield: 0.5 cups

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (I use non-fat)
  • 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (I use low-fat)
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded for less heat
  • ½ cup packed cilantro leaves
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. (You can also use a bowl and an immersion or stick blender.)
  • Use or refrigerate immediately. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Notes

Greek yogurt: I use plain (non-fat) Greek yogurt here to bring a bit of tang to the dressing, and to make it more a little more healthy. You could substitute sour cream if you prefer.
Mayonnaise: It’s fine to use either non-fat or regular for the mayo; whichever you prefer.
Jalapeño: You can control the amount of heat in this dressing. If you remove most of the seeds and membranes from the jalapeño pepper, it won’t be spicy at all. Or leave some in if you want a bit of a kick. You could also add a few dashes of hot sauce to spice it up!
Lime: You’ll need one good size, juicy lime for this. If yours are small, it might take two to get enough juice. (But be sure to zest it first before you cut it!)
Cilantro: You’ll need a small tight handful to make a packed ½ cup. Make sure it’s cleaned, but no need to chop it since the blender will do all the work.
Consistency: This is a thick, creamy dressing. If you need to think yours out, you can. Just add a splash of water, one at a time, to the blender until it gets to your desired consistency.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 42kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 102mg
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below or follow me on Instagram @familyfoodonthetable and tag me in your photo!

This recipe was originally published in July 2015. It has been updated with new photos and additional text for details.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sam @ SugarSpunRun

    July 06, 2015 at 11:22 am

    This sounds (and looks!) so good, and I love that it's made with Greek yogurt!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 06, 2015 at 3:33 pm

      Thanks, Sam! I love that it's so creamy but still nice and light - perfect for a healthy summer salad!

      Reply
  2. Petro @ The Seaman Mom

    July 06, 2015 at 2:17 pm

    It sounds dreamy indeed! Cilantro and lime is such a refreshing combination and I think it works great on most salads. I love making my own dressing, I'll give this a try next time I make a salad.

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 06, 2015 at 3:34 pm

      Thanks, Petro! Cilantro and lime do go together so well, don't they? On so many different foods, too. Hope you'll let me know how you like it. Have a great week!

      Reply
  3. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary

    July 06, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    I love making my own dressing- especially when it's as easy as chucking a bunch of yummies into the good 'ole food processor and the result is THIS! Love the flavors - I bet this would be great on everything, including a spoon (or my fingers)! Cheers, pretty lady and warm wishes for a beautiful rest of the day!!♡

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      July 07, 2015 at 9:14 am

      Thanks love! I can confirm it goes well with a spoon and a finger. 😉

      Reply
  4. Michelle @ A Dish of Daily Life

    July 10, 2015 at 10:07 am

    My kind of dressing! This looks delicious!

    Reply
  5. Lauren @ Create Bake Make

    August 06, 2015 at 7:01 pm

    I love making my own salad dressings, so much more flavour! Will definitely be making this one, it looks great 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      August 07, 2015 at 5:44 am

      Thanks Lauren! 100% agree that the homemade dressings are packed with loads more flavor. And this one is SO good! Have a great weekend 🙂

      Reply
  6. Megan @ MegUnprocessed

    June 01, 2018 at 6:39 pm

    Love all these flavors! I prefer to make my own dressing because they taste so much fresher! I'll have to try a dairy-free version of this! 🙂

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      June 05, 2018 at 9:41 am

      I prefer to make my own too - it's so great to be able to control the ingredients!

      Reply
  7. Carolyn

    June 01, 2018 at 9:07 pm

    This sounds so perfect! Also, I love the color, it is so pretty!

    Reply
    • Kathryn

      June 05, 2018 at 9:46 am

      Thanks Carolyn!

      Reply
  8. Elizabeth Gray

    November 17, 2019 at 3:40 pm

    OMG! THANKS! MY SISTER AND I WERE TIRED OF THE SAME OL' SAME SO I SUGGESTED WE TRY A CILANTRO LIME SAUCE AND WE FOUND YOURS WHICH WE USED TO TOP OFF OUR CHICKEN TOSTADAS...AMAZING!

    *we didn't have yogurt so we substituted it with sour cream!

    Reply
    • Kathryn Doherty

      November 18, 2019 at 9:40 am

      Yay, I'm so happy to hear you both loved this dressing! Thanks so much for sharing! ❤️

      Reply
3.78 from 71 votes (71 ratings without comment)

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Meet Kathryn

Hi there! I’m Kathryn Doherty, a cookbook author, mom of two, and devoted food and home cooking nut. I’ve got lots of easy recipes to help you get delicious food on the table for your family!

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