Homemade Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing
This cilantro-lime dressing is creamy, fresh, and aromatic, with enough sweetness to balance the natural sharpness of the lime. Greek yogurt provides body, olive oil makes it silky, and both lime zest and fresh lime juice create a bright citrus flavor. Maple syrup rounds out the acidity without making the dressing taste sugary. Fresh cilantro, garlic, ginger, and a small amount of ground coriander add depth. Make it several hours ahead so those background flavors have time to develop and marry properly.
Recipe Video
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt
- ½ cup Lemon-Infused Olive Oil or Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Zest of 1 Lime
- 2 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup plus more to taste
- 2 tsp Garlic roughly chopped
- 2 tsp Fresh Cilantro roughly chopped
- 2 tsp Fresh Ginger peeled and roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice plus more to taste
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- ¼ tsp Ground Coriander optional
Recipe Instructions
- Place the Greek yogurt, olive oil, lime zest, maple syrup, garlic, cilantro, ginger, lime juice, salt, black pepper, and ground coriander in a tall container suitable for an immersion blender.
- Blend until smooth, creamy, and fully emulsified. The dressing should have a pale green color and a pourable consistency.
- Taste and adjust the balance. Add more lime juice if it needs brightness or a little more maple syrup if the lime is too sharp. The maple syrup should soften the acidity without making the dressing noticeably sweet.
- Adjust the salt and pepper. If the dressing is too thick, blend in a small amount of water or additional lime juice.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 to 3 hours before serving. For the fullest flavor, prepare it one day ahead. The garlic, ginger, cilantro, and coriander need time to release their flavors.
Pro-Tips
Chef’s Notes
- Always use fresh lime juice. Bottled lime juice will not provide the same clean, bright flavor.
- Lime zest contains concentrated aromatic oils and is essential to making the lime flavor noticeable.
- Ground coriander should remain in the background. It adds complexity without making the dressing taste strongly of coriander.
- A standard blender may be used instead of an immersion blender.
- Refrigerate in a covered container and use within 7 to 10 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 121.24kcalCarbohydrates: 4.17gProtein: 2.14gFat: 10.9gSaturated Fat: 1.52gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1.14gMonounsaturated Fat: 7.9gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 124.34mgPotassium: 48.86mgFiber: 0.09gSugar: 3.14gVitamin A: 5.06IUVitamin C: 1.57mgCalcium: 29.38mgIron: 0.11mg