Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
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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.
Making a healthy homemade salad dressing is easier than you think. Homemade dressing like this Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette is cheaper, healthier, and tastier, too. Why would you not!?
Ingredients in Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
As with most homemade dressings, the ingredients are simple and many are likely in your pantry. Here is what you’ll need:
- Olive oil – Avocado oil will work as well
- Lime juice – Preferably from fresh limes
- Apple cider vinegar
- Honey
- Fresh cilantro – Yes, it needs to be fresh
- Salt & Pepper
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Fiesta Chopped Salad
This fresh, delicious, and super healthy Fiesta Chopped 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.
We know you’ll love this dressing, plus our other popular homemade salad dressings. Be sure to grab our Cheat Sheet to hang up in your pantry…
Salad Dressing Cheat Sheet
Our best homemade salad dressings all in one place!
- Download it.
- Print it.
- Use it over and over again!
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Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
The sweet and vibrant flavor of this Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette homemade salad dressing will bring life and flavor to any salad.
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
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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.
Enjoy!
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.
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. 🙂
★★★★★
Thanks for the tip! I bet pulverizing was delightful.
I haven’t tested parsley, but I think it would work.
Delicious on salad and as a chicken marinade. Love having recipes like this.
★★★★★
I bet it would make a great marinade for chicken, too!
Yes, it does!
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.