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Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

★★★★★ 5 /5
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Polly Conner
By: Polly ConnerPosted: 12/15/21Updated: 4/26/23

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 container

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
Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette in a tall glass container before being mixed together

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.

Ingredients for cilantro lime vinaigrette in a food processor

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

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

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
chopped salad in a white bowl with serving spoons

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.

Fiesta Chopped Salad

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…

Polly conner holding clipboard

Salad Dressing Cheat Sheet

Our best homemade salad dressings all in one place!

  1. Download it.
  2. Print it.
  3. Use it over and over again!

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

★★★★★ 5 from 2 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. 
© Author: Thriving Home
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. AvatarK 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
    • AvatarK 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.

        Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

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

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

      Reply
  2. AvatarBetsy says

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

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

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. AvatarJulie says

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

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

    Reply
    • Rachel TiemeyerRachel Tiemeyer says

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

      Yes, it does!

      Reply
  4. AvatarSarah 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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