This Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing is begging to be on your next salad! Tangy, creamy, with a hint of heat from jalapeno, it will make your salad sing! Vegan-adaptable!

This Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing is begging to be on your next salad! Tangy, creamy, with a hint of heat from jalapeno, it will make your salad sing! Vegan-adaptable!

I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree. ~Joyce Kilmer

This Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing has all the things I love in a dressing- great consistency (it coats leafy greens really well) while adding tanginess, depth, and a tiny kick of blissful heat. You are looking at one of my favorite dressings on the blog.

This is the time of year when lettuce, in all its forms, is in season. Tender greens are the star of farmers’ markets right now… and why not celebrate by making homemade dressings!

This one is so versatile- it can also be used on tacos, burrito bowls, or anything that could use a little kick of flavor.

ingredients in Cilatnro Lime Dressing

Ingredients in Cilantro Lime Dressing

  • olive oil
  • lime juice
  • mayo (or substitute vegan mayo
  • salt and pepper 
  • garlic cloves
  • optional: jalapeno
  • optional: sugar, agave, maple or honey
  • fresh cilantro- feel free to use the tender stems too!

how ot make cilantro lime dressing- use a blender!

How to make Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

  1. Place all ingredients except the cilantro in a blender, and blend until smooth. Feel free to add a tiny splash of water to get the motor going.
  2. Then add the cilantro, and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
  3. Refrigerate until using!

blend until creamy and smooth!

The Cilantro Lime dressing will keep 4 days in the fridge.

This creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing is begging to be on your next salad! Tangy, with a hint of heat from jalapeno, it will make your salad sing! Vegan-adaptable!

On the homefront: 

Our world has been turned completely upside down by a puppy. He is like a tornado that has whipped through our quiet, peaceful, calm life- and yet, what a bundle of love. My heart swells every time I look at him.

Looking back, it was somewhat of a rash decision, and yet the moment I saw him, my heart instantly knew. One can’t really reason with the heart. It knows what it knows, and really that is the end of it.  Any muting it, or ignoring it, or covering it up, is a recipe for one big fat mid-life crisis.  Or endless nights of waking up at 2 am to its hauntings.

He’s a headstrong yet adorably fluffy, all-white husky, who we named Lumi- which means “snow” in Finnish. My 86-year-old Finnish aunt confirmed that “Lumi”, though feminine sounding, is quite “gender-neutral”.

Lumi loves to eat. He surprisingly likes veggies as much as I do! He also loves to chew on reading glasses and headphones and toes, and fingers- especially when they are typing on a laptop. He thinks it’s a game.  😉

So we are all adjusting… big sigh.

OK- let us know what you think of this dressing! I LOVE it,  and hope you do too!

Sylvia

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This Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing is begging to be on your next salad! Tangy, with a hint of heat from jalapeno, it will make your salad sing! Vegan-adaptable!

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 5 reviews

Description

This Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing is begging to be on your next salad!  Creamy, tangy, with a hint of heat from jalapeno, it will make your salad sing! Vegan-adaptable.


Ingredients

Units
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup lime juice, more to taste
  • 1/2 cup mayo (or use vegan mayo)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 a jalapeno, sliced (more for more heat, or use less)
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar, agave, maple or honey, more to taste
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, packed (tender stems OK)


Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients except the cilantro in a blender, and blend until smooth. Feel free to add a tiny splash of water to get the motor going.
  2. Then add the cilantro, and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as necessary.
  3. Refrigerate until using.

Notes

The  Cilantro Lime dressing will keep up to 4 days in the fridge.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 178
  • Sugar: 0.5 g
  • Sodium: 233.5 mg
  • Fat: 19.6 g
  • Saturated Fat: 2.9 g
  • Carbohydrates: 1.3 g
  • Fiber: 0.1 g
  • Protein: 0.2 g
  • Cholesterol: 5.8 mg

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Comments

  1. I rarely substitute anything in your recipes so for this I made homemade mayo. Takes three mins and is delish. Wonderful dressing on a salad or a dip with fresh veggies! It’s my go to dressing! Thanks again for your wonderful contribution to foodies around the globe!






  2. One can’t really reason with the heart. It knows what it knows, and really that is the end of it. Any muting it, or ignoring it, or covering it up, is a recipe for one big fat mid-life crisis. Or endless nights of waking up at 2 am to its hauntings.

    💕💕💕💕💕

  3. This dressing is amazing! I’ve made it too many times to keep track of. Thanks for this and so many other great recipes on your site.






  4. Love this dressing! Made it the other day for the Grilled Salmon Salad w/Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing meal that we absolutely LOVED! Using the rest in a Buddha Bowl tonight. Where did you get those cute glass dressing bottles with the cork tops?

  5. I would love to make this, but anytime I make something with mayo as an ingredient, I don’t like it. I will sub it out with an avocado.

    1. You could also make a cashew cream- ½ cup soaked raw cashews, ½ cup water, blended. You will not need all. And you may need to up the salt and lime. 😉

  6. Would this recipe work if made with labneh or Greek yogurt instead of mayo? I have never been a mayo fan.

    1. It should, yes, but the mayo really does elevate this- just gives it a texture that coats the lettuce better. You really can’t taste the mayo if that is the issue?

  7. This is a perfect recipe for me to try this season since I’m growing cilantro in my garden. We eat salads every day, so a new unique dressing is something to embrace. Love your recipes, Sylvia.

  8. Very Nice smooth and fresh dressing. I made without garlic and less honey. Would like this to taste as well using tahini instead of mayo thats full of trans fat. In fact, I have found taking garlic out of all of my cooking isn’t noticeable. Garlic I find is messing with my digestive system and should be used sparingly.






    1. I bet it would be great with tahini. Yes, raw garlic can be difficult for those who have SIBO. Roasting it may help too. 🙂

  9. Wait! I had to go all the way to Insta to see a pic of Lumi?!? Adorable and always good chewers.

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