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Home Recipe Index Condiments

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

4.8 /5
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Polly Conner
By: Polly ConnerPosted: 4/24/24Updated: 4/27/25

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.

The sweet and vibrant flavor of this Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette homemade salad dressing will bring life and flavor to any salad. Serve it on any Mexican-inspired salad, like our Southwest Chicken Salad or Mexican Chopped Salad, for a delicious, crowd-pleasing side dish.

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette in a glass jar. this …


 
Table of Contents
  • Why to Make Your Own Salad Dressing?
  • Ingredients
  • How to Make Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
  • Storage Tips
  • What Salads Go Well with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette?
  • FAQs
  • More Salad Dressings You’ll Love
  • Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Why to Make Your Own Salad Dressing?

  • Less ingredients – You know exactly what’s in the dressing. Unlike store bought kind.
  • It is easy – Homemade Salad Dressings only take minutes to make.
  • It tastes better – Fresh ingredients area always better. Same goes for our Cilantro Lime Aioli!

Ingredients

Here are the main ingredients you’ll need:

Cilantro lime vinaigrette ingredients layered in a glass bottle and labeled.

Ingredient Notes:

  • Olive oil – Avocado oil will work as well
  • Lime juice – Preferably from fresh limes
  • Fresh cilantro – Yes, it needs to be fresh

How to Make Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

There are basically two ways you can go with this recipe.

Method 1

Mix all the ingredients together in a salad dressing container like this one. A mason jar will work as well. Give it a good shake until the ingredients are well combined. I’ve used it this way and, as long as you don’t mind bigger pieces of cilantro in your salad, it will totally work.

Method 2 (Preferred)

Blend it up. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process it until the cilantro is well incorporated. Once the dressing is blended, transfer it to an airtight container for storage.

Ingredients for cilantro lime vinaigrette in a food processor ready to be blended together.
Homemade cilantro lime vinaigrette stored in a skinny glass jar.

Storage Tips

Refrigerator Storage: This dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. When ready to use it after storing, let it set on the counter for a few minutes and then give it a good shake.

Freezer Storage: You can also freeze this dressing in a mason jar (leave 1 inch of head room at the top), a freezer container with lid, or a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or in a cold water bath. Set on the counter for a few minutes and shake well until re-combined.

What Salads Go Well with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette?

This dressing is a tangy-sweet combo with a cilantro twist. So, it goes great on either of these salads:

Southwest Chicken Salad served on a platter with all ingredients in separate piles.

Southwest Chicken Salad

Marinated chicken, colorful Tex-Mex toppings, and our creamy Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette top a bed of crispy lettuce for this mouthwatering salad. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and packed with all the good things your body craves. Prep ingredients ahead and enjoy all week long.

Southwest Chicken Salad
Mexican chopped salad served in a bowl with tongs.

Mexican Chopped Salad

This gluten-free, dairy-free Mexican Chopped Salad is fresh, vibrant, and makes a great lunch or a meal for groups of people. Top if off with our Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette for a delicious side dish that will go well with almost any meal.

Mexican Chopped Salad
Fiesta salad in a white bowl with serving spoons.

Fiesta Salad

This fresh, delicious, and super healthy Fiesta Salad works as a light lunch, side dish, appetizer, or snack anytime. Eat on it throughout the week on its own or scoop it with tortilla chips or crackers.

Fiesta Salad

You can also serve these salads alongside Mexican favorites like our Ground Beef Quesadillas, Dutch Oven Carnitas, or Crockpot Mexican Chicken.

FAQs

How Long Does Homemade Salad Dressing Last?

Storage times will vary depending on what ingredients are in the dressing but always store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. Most vinaigrettes (oil-based) can last for 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator or in the freezer for months. Dairy-based or mayonnaise-based dressings last about 1 week in the fridge and don’t freeze well at all.

More Salad Dressings You’ll Love

  • Southwest Ranch Dressing
  • Honey Balsamic Dressing – Or try Parmesan Balsamic Vinaigrette for a twist.
  • Honey Dijon Dressing
  • Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
  • Apple Cider Vinaigrette
  • Asian Sesame Dressing
  • Citrus Salad Dressing

Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!

Homemade cilantro lime vinaigrette stored in a skinny glass jar.
5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.8 from 5 reviews

Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

The sweet and vibrant flavor of this Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette homemade salad dressing will bring life and flavor to any salad.

Yield: a generous 1 cup 1x
Prep: 5 minutesCook: 0 minutesTotal: 5 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (juice of 2-3 limes)
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.

Instructions

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process/blend until the cilantro is incorporated. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if desired.

Store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks or in a Mason jar (leave 1 inch of head space) or freezer bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. 


Notes/Tips

  • If you don’t want to blend it, the dressing will still work. The cilantro will just be in bigger pieces. 
  • It’s important to use fresh cilantro in this recipe. 
© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine: American Method: Mix

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Polly Conner

Polly Conner

As co-founder of Thriving Home, Polly’s passionate about helping busy parents get dinner on the table. With a house full of kids, dogs, and (usually) a DIY project in the works, she knows firsthand how every minute (and every dollar) counts. As a business owner, she enjoys wearing multiple hats and serves best as a project manager for Thriving Home.

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  1. Dianna says

    Posted on 11/8/24 at 11:39 am

    We loved this dressing with the Mexican Chopped salad recipe from this site! Delicious and fresh!

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 11/8/24 at 12:43 pm

      This is one of my favorite dressings Dianna… on the Mexican Chopped salad as well as just a weeknight dinner salad. So glad you enjoyed it as well. Thanks for the review Dianna!

      Reply
  2. De says

    Posted on 10/9/23 at 6:38 pm

    Excellent recipe. The only change I would make is cutting back 1 TBSP on the honey. If you want your vinaigrette sweeter then add in small amounts to desired sweetness. Vinaigrette had an excellent flavor just a little too sweet for my palate.

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 10/9/23 at 7:14 pm

      Thanks for the feedback Deanna. It’s amazing how different our palates are. Definitely a good suggestion for those that don’t like things quite as sweet.

      Reply
  3. Michelle Morrison says

    Posted on 7/29/23 at 3:35 pm

    Simple and delicious

    Reply
    • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

      Posted on 7/30/23 at 3:10 pm

      Glad you enjoyed it Michelle. Thanks for leaving a review.

      Reply
  4. K Ann Guinn says

    Posted on 4/15/23 at 1:50 pm

    This might sound like a silly question, but is there anything you would sub in for the cilantro if we are not fans of it? I’m assuming it’s kind of important, since it’s in the title of the recipe. I know that parsley is often suggested, but is really quite a different flavor.

    Reply
    • K Ann Guinn says

      Posted on 4/16/23 at 4:20 pm

      OK. I made the dressing as is and we loved it with the Chopped Mexican Salad! The cilantro is not overpowering, and I made sure to pulverize it in my blender. I had done a little research, and it seems that breaking it up a lot may minimize the intense cilantro flavor. I took the salad to a pot-luck and received a lot of compliments. 🙂

      Reply
      • Carla from Thriving HomeCarla from Thriving Home says

        Posted on 4/16/23 at 7:41 pm

        Thanks for the tip! I bet pulverizing was delightful.

    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 4/17/23 at 10:10 am

      I haven’t tested parsley, but I think it would work.

      Reply
  5. Betsy says

    Posted on 2/27/23 at 7:56 am

    Delicious on salad and as a chicken marinade. Love having recipes like this.

    Reply
  6. Julie says

    Posted on 5/11/20 at 11:53 am

    I bet it would make a great marinade for chicken, too!

    Reply
    • Rachel Tiemeyer says

      Posted on 5/11/20 at 11:53 am

      Yes, it does!

      Reply
  7. Sarah says

    Posted on 12/18/17 at 2:22 pm

    Yum that sounds really good! I don’t make my own salad dressings very often either, but I’d like to give this one a try.

    Reply

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