This delicious Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing recipe features fresh herbs, creamy avocado, and zesty flavors! It's easy to prepare and great on southwest salads, tacos, burritos, and more. (Vegan, gluten-free, refined oil-free.)
This cilantro lime dressing is so flavorful, delicious, and easy to make! It's the perfect blend of creamy and tangy.
This recipe is inspired by Trader Joe's cilantro dressing, but this version is completely dairy-free and oil-free! Store-bought dressings are convenient, but making your own brings a whole new level of flavor and freshness that's hard to beat.
Plus you can control the ingredients and adjust the flavors exactly how you want!
Best of all, this recipe isn't limited to salads. Drizzle it on tacos, burritos, bowls, or wherever you need some creamy, bold flavor!
Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Dressing
For this recipe, you'll blend in a small high-speed blender or food processor:
- Fresh cilantro: I trim off the largest stems at the very bottom of the bunch, but keep and use the smaller stems near the leaves. (Since the stems have a lot of flavor as well.) However if you're not a fan of cilantro, readers have reported success substituting fresh parsley instead. And some people who normally don't care for cilantro have said they actually enjoy it in this dressing!
- Avocado: You'll need one half of a medium ripe avocado.
- Vegan yogurt: Be sure to use plain and unsweetened yogurt. This helps balance the flavors and create an extra-creamy texture. Either regular or Greek-style yogurt (which is a bit thicker) works great. Most of the time I use Forager brand. For a nut-free option, seek out an oat or soy-based yogurt.
- Fresh lime juice: We'll use 2-3 tablespoons, which is about 1-2 limes. (I like 3 tablespoons.) But you can add even more to taste, or include the zest as well.
- Pure maple syrup: Or swap in another sweetener of choice.
- White wine vinegar: Or you could try swapping in rice vinegar instead.
- Water: I use water instead of olive oil to keep this refined oil-free. You can adjust the amount to fine-tune the consistency. If your avocado is pretty large, you may need an extra splash of water to help it along in the blender.
- Ground cumin
- Garlic: Either garlic powder or fresh garlic cloves work great. I like it both ways, but usually prefer a couple fresh cloves for bolder flavor.
- Salt: I use fine grain salt for this recipe. If the flavors don't quite pop, add a pinch more salt to enhance them.
Looking for the original recipe? I recently updated this recipe to be oil-free with more balanced flavors. But if you're looking for the original recipe, you can still find it in the notes section under the instructions below!
Customizing
This is a fun recipe to tinker with (and it's pretty forgiving) so have fun playing around and fine-tuning the flavors! Here are a few ideas:
Make it spicy: Add a dash of cayenne pepper or fresh jalapeño pepper. (Jalapeño is an amazing addition for flavor and a little spice!)
More flavor: Add more cumin, tomatillos, black pepper, or more garlic to taste.
More tang & acidity: Squeeze in more lime juice, lime zest, or even a splash of vinegar.
Speckled look: For more of an herby, speckled dressing, first blend everything except the cilantro. Then pulse in the cilantro at the end so it's not completely blended.
Serving
This dressing is great on salads, wraps, drizzled on tacos as a flavorful sauce, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, taco salad, and also as a vegetable dip!
My favorite: Try it in this delicious Southwestern Chopped Salad!
Storing
Serve this dressing right away or store it in a sealed jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator. I find it keeps for about 3-4 days.
For more inspiration, also browse all vegan salad dressing recipes or cilantro recipes.
Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing (Vegan!)
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup water (more or less*)
- 1/2 medium avocado
- 1/4 cup vegan yogurt (plain, unsweetened)
- 2-3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
- 1-2 tsp. pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder (or 1-2 fresh cloves)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Optional add-in:
- Fresh jalapeño
Instructions
- Roughly chop the cilantro. (I trim off the large stems at the very bottom of the bunch, but keep and include the smaller stems since they have lots of flavor too.)
- Adding the water first, place all ingredients in a small high-speed blender or small food processor.** (I use a small Nutribullet which works great for sauces and dressings.)
- Blend for about 10-15 seconds or until smooth. Add another splash of water if needed to help it along in the blender. Then taste and adjust the flavors if desired. (Add more salt, lime juice, sweetener, etc.)
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving (Estimate)
Sodium content: This is omitted as I cannot provide an accurate number. I encourage you to calculate your own to provide a much more precise reading based on the exact ingredients, brands, and amounts you're using.
If you're enjoying this vegan Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing recipe, also check out:
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Lori Kearney says
Disappointed. This was the most tedious item on my lunch menu to make and definitely not worth the effort. Due to dietary restrictions in my crowd, I used avocado instead of yogurt. The flavors of every item was just too strong especially the garlic. I went with the recommendation of adding sugar to sweeten (didn't have agave) and some cumin for flavor. It didn't help. But I did learn how to strip leaves off cilantro:)
Kaitlin says
Bummer, Lori. I hear you. This recipe was originally posted over 12 years ago, and I've greatly refined my methods since then. I just gave this dressing a fresh update (as of December 1, 2025) with more balanced flavors and smoother process. I hope you enjoy the new & improved version if you give it a try. Thanks for your helpful feedback.
Elle says
This recipe has been a household staple for years now--we can't have carnitas without it anymore. 🙂 Thx!
Kaitlin says
Wonderful to hear you've been enjoying it, Elle! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know. Very appreciated!
Carla says
I read one of the comments who said she always "tinkers" with recipes so I followed suit and added cumin, paprika, honey, extra lime. I cannot have oil so I substituted with aquafaba and replaced the avocado with white beans. I liked the recipe so much, that I doubled it right after making the first batch. Taking it to a dinner party tonight. Cannot wait to serve it on the salad. Thank you!
Kaitlin says
Wow, this is spectacular, Carla! I love how you made it your own, and what a great idea with the aquafaba and white beans. So awesome. Thanks for coming back to share your very kind and helpful feedback. It's really appreciated. Wishing you all a fun and wonderful dinner party tonight!
Dar says
Delicious, added cashews!
Kaitlin says
Fantastic addition, Dar! So glad you enjoyed it and thanks for sharing.
Sheila says
I made a version of this tonight. Omitted a couple things though as I didn't have them on hand, but it still came out amazing. Its kinda thick, but really creamy. I will definitely be making this again. Even my four year old loves it.
Kaitlin says
Glad you were able to adapt it. Thanks for sharing!
Unknown says
I just made this, and it was amazing. Don't think I can have a burrito without it again. Thank you!
Kaitlin says
Great to hear!
Sherrylyn says
Have made the Southwestern chopped salad with this dressing several times for family and friends. So good! The salad is bright and fresh and the dressing is delish! I add some grilled chicken breasts on the side. Perfect summer meal. Love it!!
Kaitlin says
Wonderful, Sherrylyn! So thrilled to hear you've been enjoying the salad and dressing, and love that you've shared it with friends & family too. I appreciate your very kind feedback!
Rosa Beaty says
Made the recipe with the Southwestern chopped salad & grilled chicken. The whole family loved it! Thanks for adding to my recipe box.
Kaitlin says
Great to hear the family enjoyed it, Rosa!
Anonymous says
Just made this today with vanilla Greek yogurt and it turned out delicious! Both on salad and on grilled salmon!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer says
Thank you for sharing!
Erika Layne says
I made this twice now and both times it got an amazing response. My sister loved it and I did not at all think she would. I never use a recipe to its entirety, I always modify it like crazy. With this one, I added more cilantro (about 1 1/4 cup), cumin, paprika, honey, a couple shakes cayenne pepper sauce, juice & zest of 1/2 lime and 1 oz of tequila. The paprika and cayenne pepper sauce added a subtle kick at the end and the tequila added a unique flavor. Still stuck with the 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, 2 cloves garlic, and 1/4 (ish) EVOO. I omitted the vinegar because I didn't have any and I am not a huge fan anyway. Thank you for sharing this!
Kaitlin says
Wow, I love how you made this your own, Erika! So creative - thanks for sharing!
Linda says
I made this today, and thought it needed a little something extra so I added 1/2 teaspoon each cumin, red pepper flakes and Vegeta seasoning, so yummy!!! Gave it a spicy kick!
Kaitlin says
Great idea, Linda! Thanks for sharing!
jamileena says
This turned out great. Here are my tweaks according to what my pantry and fridge had: I used Meyer lemon (just squeezed about 2 quarts last weekend) added about one Tablespoon of oil to help emulsify, apple cider vinegar and.. this is the best part - as well as 1 clove of garlic, I added 1 teaspoon of GARLIC JELLY. Yes, Garlic Jelly! It added some sweetness to the acidic lemon/vinegar and more garlic flavor. I got the jelly as a travel gift to myself while driving thru Gilroy, CA (the Garlic Capitol) To give this gift to anyone else, I would include a recipe card or two - this recipe being one of them. Thanks for being here and posting this great, totally tweakable recipe! Have a great day.
Kaitlin says
I loved reading your message and am so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Your version sounds incredible! Thanks for sharing!
Deuce says
Just made this tonight and it was so easy but with big bite. I may have put in too much garlic for my hubby's liking but I LOVED it! Thanks so much for sharing!
Kaitlin says
Great to hear, thank you for the feedback!
Cameospot says
I cook weekly dinners at church, and this is my most frequently requested recipe. Everyone loves it! I always add some honey, though, the tartness is just too much without it. Excellent recipe.
Kaitlin says
So great to hear! And how sweet of you to cook dinners for people at church! Thanks for the message - take care.
Lgb says
Very good!!! I added some honey. Will definitely make again!
Kaitlin | The Garden Grazer says
So great to hear!
Anonymous says
I used Vegenaise (a vegan mayo) in place of the yogurt and it turned out really well. Thanks for this dressing recipe -- I poured it over a "southwestern quinoa" dish and it's yummy!!!
Kaitlin says
Such a great idea! Thank you for sharing!
Daisysix says
This is so good on tacos and fajitas.
Kaitlin says
Great to hear!
Jessica says
I made this salad dressing last night and really liked it! Everything blended up nicely, and between the cilantro and garlic there was a nice kick. Next time I'll add some more kick with pepper/cayenne. I really enjoyed having a creamy salad dressing while still being healthy.
Kaitlin says
That's fantastic!
Anonymous says
So this was awesome! A little too tart for my kids, though. So I added 2 TBS of honey to it and they ate it right up!
Kaitlin says
So great!
Nicole says
Just made this and it is so delicious! Will definitely make this often for my salad dressing. Thanks for posting!
Kaitlin says
Awesome! Hope you continue to enjoy it, Nicole!
Anonymous says
I added about 1/4 tsp. cumin and 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper, a whole lime and about 1/2 the cilantro (didn't have enough on hand)...it was DELISH!!! Thanks for the GREAT dressing!!!
Kaitlin says
Wonderful!
Beeker says
I just made your dressing. I added some hot sauce, a bit more garlic, used rice wine vinegar and added a teaspoon of sugar. It tastes amazing and I can't wait to add it to the salad tonight. It reminded me a bit of a chip dip we used to get in Austin but that had an additional ranch flavor. I think this would be great over fish tacos as well!
Kaitlin says
Love your adaptions - thanks for sharing!
Kate says
Wow! I found this recipe via Pinterest and just made this dressing tonight. It is so delicious! I had to stop myself from eating it all with a spoon before it made it's way to the salad. I used avocado and I added a dash of coconut milk to achieve the desired consistency. Really really good! So excited to add it to my arsenal.
Kaitlin says
Thanks for sharing!
Frida Sörensson says
Hi! I just made this and I LOVE it! I'm gonna eat it all summer! Thanks! PS I also love the internet and Pinterest, how else could I sit here in Sweden and make your recipe?
Kaitlin says
Ha! So fun to hear it made an appearance in your Sweden kitchen. I'm glad you enjoyed it, thanks for sharing!
Kali says
Thanks for the recipe! I used it tonight for some Mexican salad. I was a little nervous when I tasted it in my finger because it seemed a little strong, but on the salad it added the prefect amount of kick.
Kaitlin says
Great to hear it worked out!
Anonymous says
Made this to go along with the southwest salad, it was great! I added about a 1/4 cup of greek yogurt and 1/2 an avocado. It was still quite thick so I added some coconut water. Also added a jalapeno. I will be making this again, thanks!
Kaitlin says
Awesome adaptions! Coconut water is a great idea to thin it out!
Robin says
I love this and eat a lot salad so I just made it for the second time. Sometimes I sprinkle some Cholulu pepper sauce over it and it gives it punch while still being healthy. I'm sure any of the bottled hot sauces would work well. Thanks!
Kaitlin says
What a fun addition, Robin! Thanks for sharing!
Kelle says
Amazing dressing! I made it tonight and am in love. Thank you!
Kaitlin says
Great to hear, Kelle!
Anonymous says
It was truly a delight. Made the dressing with the Southwestern Chopped Salad, and together it was amazing. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be making it again, maybe adding chicken next time. Super healthy, and super delicious! Thanks!
Kaitlin says
So great to hear!
Sara says
Just made this dressing! Working on the Southwest salad to go along with it! I am thinking the salad and dressing combo would work well as a salad in a jar if I layered the ingredients instead of mixing. Thanks for the recipes!
Kaitlin says
Great idea - I bet this would be awesome in a salad jar!
Anonymous says
I give you 5 stars Kaitlin, I made this last night and came up so good, you can also add a garlic glove in the dressing.
Kaitlin says
Great to hear!