5 Minute Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing – (Gluten Free + Paleo)

Name: 5 Minute Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing - (Gluten Free + Paleo)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients: 2 cups fresh packed cilantro; 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice; 1/2 a ripe avocado; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons maple syrup; 1 tablespoon dijon mustard; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Pinch of ground black pepper

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This super easy, creamy cilantro lime dressing can be made in minutes and enjoyed all week long. It is made with real, fresh ingredients like cilantro and avocado and makes a wonderful addition to salads, chicken, fish or as a dip for veggies. Plus, it is gluten free and paleo so everyone can enjoy it!

Creamy cilantro lime dressing in a glass jar with a spoon in it with a lime next to it and cilantro leaves behind it.

Making your own homemade salad dressing has now become the new normal. At least for me it has and this creamy cilantro lime dressing goes with just about anything. You can easily make it in minutes and store it for the week to have on hand to put on salads, chicken, fish, pork, on tacos, sandwiches, wraps, you name it.

It would even go great just on top of some roasted veggies. Of course, I love it on a BIG SALAD like this chicken taco salad that is my go-to for a healthy TACO TUESDAY meal.

What ingredients are in creamy cilantro lime dressing?

A bunch of fresh cilantro with a sliced avocado next to it and a lime, bowl of Dijon Mustard, bowl of vinegar, bowl of maple syrup and salt and pepper in front of it.

Cilantro – You will need about 2 cups of fresh cilantro
Avocado – Preferably a ripe avocado so it blends well and creates that creamy consistency
Lime – fresh is best but you can use bottled lime juice if that is all you have access to.
Apple cider vinegar – This kind of rounds out the flavors.
Dijon Mustard – I used Annie’s gluten free (not sponsored)
Olive oil – you can also use avocado oil
Maple syrup – to balance the tanginess of the lime.
Salt and pepper – feel free to skip it if you are watching your salt intake. Pink Himalayan salt also works.

How do you make creamy cilantro lime dressing?

Add all dressing ingredients to a high speed blender and blend on high until a creamy, slightly thick dressing forms.

Cilantro, sliced avocado, Dijon Mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper in a blender pitcher.

Blended green cilantro dressing in a blender pitcher.

2. Transfer to a glass jar with a lid and store it in the refrigerator or use it right away on a healthy salad.

Small glass jar filled with creamy herby cilantro dressing with a cut lime and herbs next to it.

Round, white bowl of arugula topped with creamy avocado lime dressing with a jar of more dressing and a sprig of cilantro behind it.

Ways to use cilantro lime dressing

This salad dressing works so great as a dressing, sauce, or a dip. Here are a few ways to use it.

Drizzle it on a big green salad (pictured above).
Smother it on some bread for a great spread on a healthy sandwich or wrap.
Use it on some chicken, fish or pork to add some additional flavor or just to be extra fancy.
Serve it as a dip with some fresh chopped veggies.
Use it as a topping on tacos!

Substitutions

Use champagne vinegar or white vinegar in place of the apple cider vinegar.
Add in a couple tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt to make it even creamier.
You could add in a couple of cloves of garlic and a teaspoon of lemon juice for more of a zippy, vibrant flavor to the dressing.
Out of maple syrup? You can use honey or date syrup instead. It will alter the flavor a bit but not much!

How to store homemade salad dressing

You can easily store this dressing in a glass jar fitted with a tight lid and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Which makes it healthier and less expensive than store-bought and it will only take you less than five minutes to make it! How great is that?

Round, glass jar filled with bright green, creamy dressing with a spoon in the jar. With a cut lime and torn cilantro in front and in back of it.

Recipe tips

Use fresh ingredients like fresh avocado, cilantro and limes for the best results.
If you are not using the dressing right away then make sure to store it in a glass jar fitted with a lid and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to use it.
To thin the dressing out, you can add more lime juice or a little bit of water 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency.
For extra creamy dressing, use the whole avocado. This will make it thicker so you will likely need to add more lime juice or a little bit of water to thin it out.