Cilantro Lime Dressing

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This bright and vibrant Cilantro Lime Dressing owes its flavor to the fresh lime juice and citrusy cilantro. Plus it's easy to prepare -- simply throw everything into a blender and let it whirl!

Course condiment, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Healthy, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword Cilantro Lime Dressing, Cilantro Lime Dressing recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings cup (12 servings)

Calories 92kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $3.12

Ingredients

1/3 cup loosely packed cilantro (some stems are fine!)
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon minced jalapeño peppers (remove ribs/seeds -- See Note 1)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (Note 2)
1/4 cup lime juice plus 1 teaspoon zest (3-4 limes)
3/4 cup olive oil (Note 3)
Fine sea salt & pepper

US - Metric

Instructions

COMBINE: Add all of the ingredients except the oil to a food processor or blender. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I add 1 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper).
BLEND: Blend until smooth and then while running the motor, slowly drizzle in the oil to emulsify. Don't over blend with oil.
(If you don't have a blender that can blend while adding oil, add it all in at once then blend again just to emulsify)
CHILL AND ENJOY: Taste and adjust flavors to personal preference. Transfer to a mason jar with a plastic (not metal) lid and chill in the fridge until ready to use. Shake up again before using.
STORAGE: This Cilantro Lime Dressing stays fresh for 5-7 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Heads-up: Leftover dressing will likely separate and may even solidify a bit. This is because olive oil solidifies at cold temperatures. Simply let the dressing stand at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes and then vigorously shake to re-combine. Then it's ready to use again! Colors will also change a bit to a duller green as it stores.

Notes

Note 1: Jalapeño: To avoid “Jalapeño Hands” wear thick kitchen gloves to cut out the ribs and seeds of the jalapeño before coarsely chopping to measure. As written, I'd say this is a very mild dressing and the jalapeños balance out the flavors. That said, if you prefer no heat, reduce the amount of jalapeños. Alternatively, amp up the spice by adding in more!

Note 2: White wine vinegar: This is not the same as white vinegar, which has a much higher acetic level. White wine vinegar is much milder, with a slight fruitiness instead of the sourness you get from plain white vinegar.

Note 3: Oil: The better the olive oil used, the richer and more robust the dressing will taste. We recommend using extra virgin olive oil in this dressing.

Nutrition