Name: Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing [Dairy Free]
Prep time: 5 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 3/4 cup paleo mayo ((I like primal kitchen brand)); 1/2 cup full fat canned coconut milk (shaken first to combine cream and liquid); 1/2 cup cilantro (tightly packed (about 1/2 bunch)); 1 tablespoon honey ((omit for whole30 option)); Juice from 1/2 a lime; 2 teaspoons dried chives; 1/2 teaspoon dried dill; 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 clove of garlic (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 jalapeno (roughly chopped (with or without seeds for more spice) *see notes); 1/4 cup mild salsa verde * see notes; 3 tablespoon almond milk (more or less depending on your consistency preference)

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Creamy cilantro lime dressing done in 5 minutes! This easy and healthy dressing is dairy free and the perfect topping for tacos, fajitas, salads and more.

cilantro lime dressing in a glass jar on a wood cutting board

There’s a restaurant here in Columbus known for their creamy jalapeno cilantro dressing. We like to put it on EVERYTHING. I mean everything. So I decided it was time to make my own (healthy and dairy free) version.

What’s in cilantro lime dressing?

Paleo mayo (I like Primal Kitchen)
Canned full fat coconut milk
Lots of cilantro
Honey
Lime juice
Homemade ranch seasonings: garlic powder, dried chives, dried dill, paprika and salt
Jalapeno (or pickled jalapeno)
Salsa verde (or diced green chilis)
Almond milk

ingredients for cilantro lime dressing in a food processor before it's blended

Recipe tips:

This is a super simple recipe, but here are a few tips to guarantee it turns out each time:

You can use some of the cilantro stem. Don’t spend too much time getting the herb off the leaf. A little stem is okay!
Shake your coconut milk well. You want a mixture of the thick cream that settles on the top and the liquid.
Customize your spice level by using more or less jalapeno and including the seeds or not. It’s up to you! You can also swap out fresh jalapeno for pickled jalapeno.
Use a pre-made ranch seasoning packet if you want to, but I like to use my own spices so I can control exactly what goes into it.
Blend on high until smooth and creamy. The amount of time may depend on how high-powered your blender or food processor is.
Don’t skip the salsa verde! It’s so easy to find in the international section of the grocery store. You can also use diced green chilis if you have those on hand.
Customize your consistency by adding more or less almond milk at the end.

creamy cilantro lime dressing blended in the food processor

How to make cilantro lime dressing:

Start by gathering all of your ingredients and placing them all in the bowl of a food processor. Add everything but the almond milk and blend on high until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the almond milk a few tablespoons at a time until you reach your desired consistency. Place in a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use.

What can I put this dressing on?

I think the real question is…what can’t you put this dressing on?! It really goes with so many things and we love to have it in the fridge to spice up so many meals. Here are a few of my favorites:

Salads
Bowls: Sheet pan burrito bowl, veggie quinoa power bowl
Tacos: Taco stuffed sweet potatoes, turkey taco stuffed peppers
Burgers
Fajitas: sheet pan chicken fajitas, sheet pan steak fajitas

cilantro lime dressing being poured on a fiesta salad

If you love this recipe as much as I do, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and tag me with @what_mollymade so I can see it and feature you.

What to put this dressing on: