This cilantro lime vinaigrette is quick and easy to make. The cilantro adds a hint of freshness, while the lime adds a bit of tanginess. It’s a great way to add a little something extra to your meal.
There’s just something about making your salad dressing. This Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette uses simple ingredients and whips up in a snap. Use it on salads, veggies, wraps or in grain bowls.
Ingredient Notes for Cilantro Lime Vinagrette
- Cilantro: I recommend using only the leaves for this recipe. I often incorporate the stems when making sauces for cooking since they are also full of flavor. However, when used in a dressing, the stems can be too woody. For those of you that absolutely can’t stand cilantro, fresh parsley is always a good substitute.
- Lime juice: This recipe calls for the juice of 2 limes. You can certainly adjust this to your taste if it seems a little too “limey.”
- Maple Syrup: You do need some kind of sweetener for this recipe, given the tart acidity of both the lime juice and the apple cider vinegar. Maple syrup is a great option but you could also use honey or agave. I would not recommend sugar as it doesn’t tend to blend very well in this recipe.
- Avocado oil: I like to minimize the amount of oil I use in any dish since it is very calorie dense. However, when making a dressing, you need some amount of oil to emulsify the ingredients. Feel free to alter the amounts as you desire. I like to use avocado oil for dressings since it is light and has a neutral flavor. You could also use olive or grapeseed oil.
Serving Tips
- Salads: This is the obvious choice. Try it on greens or pasta salad. It’s also great on Black Bean Corn Salad or Southwest Spinach Salad.
- Veggies: Try using it as a drizzle on roasted veggies, like zucchini, corn, or squash.
- Grain Bowls: Use it as a topping for grain bowls to give a little extra zap of flavor.
- Dips: Add it to hummus or other bean dips for a change of pace.
- Bread: It goes great on toasted bread or just as a dipping sauce.
Cilantro Lime Vinagrette
Course: Sauces and DipsDifficulty: EasyServings
6
servingsPrep time
15
minutesCooking timeminutes
Ingredients
1/3 bunch of cilantro leaves
2 limes, juiced
1 tbsp maple syrup (or other sweetener)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup avocado oil
Directions
- Place all ingredients except the oil into a blender. Turn the blender on medium and slowly pour in the avocado oil from the opening in the blender lid.
- Adjust seasonings as needed or add a small amount of water if the dressing is too thick.
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 7 days. If the mixture solidifies in the fridge, allow it to sit at room temperature for a few minutes and give it a good shake.
Notes
- I like to store sauces and dressings in mason jars. They have tight fitting lids and fit easily in the refrigerator or in the cabinet and are easy to clean.
