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    Home » Recipes » Condiments & Dips

    Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

    August 19, 2022 • Updated: August 19, 2022 • by Renée B. • This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe   Print Recipe
    Creamy green dressing on a bowl. Smaller, empty ingredeints bowls on the edges of the image. Pin text reads: Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing | Trader Joe's Copycat Recipe.

    Cilantro Lime Dressing is easy, delicious, and versatile! Great on bowls, burgers, fish, veggies, pasta, tacos, and so much more! (Trader Joe's copycat recipe)

    Closeup of cilantro dressing poured over ummer salad of beans, cilantro, pasta, onions, tomatoes, and corn.
    Jump to:
    • What's the Story Behind this Recipe?
    • What Goes into this Recipe
    • How to Make this Recipe
    • Serving Suggestions
    • FAQs & Expert Tips
    • Related Recipes
    • Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

    What's the Story Behind this Recipe?

    Years ago, my friend Val introduced me to a delicious Cilantro-Lime Dressing from Trader Joe's. It was bright, light, and vibrantly tangy, and low in calories. Mr B and I loved this dressing so much that I made 30-minute trip to our local Trader Joe's just to buy a bottle, which turned out to be $3.50 (at the time) - for 12 ounces!

    I took the bottle home, enjoyed every drop, and decided then and there to figure out how to make something like it that didn't require fighting traffic or paying so much for so little. After a little experimenting, I came up with this refreshing alternative, which we like much better than the bottled version.

    What Goes into this Recipe

    This recipe has a simple list of fresh ingredients.

    Dressing ingredients on a tray, labeled: oil, mild green chilis, cilantro, lime, Greek yogurt, cumin, salt.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    ★ Greek yogurt: We use full-fat plain Greek yogurt when we make this dressing. You can also use 2% Greek yogurt with good results.

    We do not suggest using non-fat yogurt: it makes the dressing too runny for our tastes.

    ★ Diced green chilis: You can roast a couple of mild chilis yourself, or use a small can of diced green chilis. In this case, either one is a good choice.

    When I use canned chilis, I try to buy the whole ones in a big can and distribute them into freezer bags to be used as needed. This ends up being much less expensive than buying the little cans.

    ★ Lime zest: Make it a habit to zest every piece of citrus that goes through your kitchen before juicing it. When sealed in a small, air-tight bag, citrus zest freezes very well, and will keep for up to three months in the freezer.

    ★ Oil: We use a light-tasting olive oil or Canola oil. Use any light, neutral oil.

    How to Make this Recipe

    This dressing is embarrassingly easy to make: simply layer all the ingredients in a blender cup and blend until smooth.

    Recipe ingredients in a tall blender cup, unmixed.

    Serving Suggestions

    We love this stuff on so many things! Here are just a few ideas:

    • Burrito Bowls
    • Fish Tacos
    • Chicken Strips
    • Buddha Bowls
    • Pasta Salad
    • Fried fish
    • Falafel
    • Chicken salad
    • Rice
    • Baked potatoes
    • Steak & burgers
    • Eggplant fingers
    • Raw veggies (i.e., crudité, for the fancy folks.)
    • Cuban salad

    One of our favorite ways to use cilantro dressing is to make one of our summer go-to dinners - an easy, garden-fresh summer pasta salad. It takes just minutes to pull together, and you can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

    Summer salad of beans, cilantro, pasta, onions, tomatoes, corn, dressed with cilantro dressing and ready to mix.

    FAQs & Expert Tips

    How long does Cilantro dressing last?

    Properly stored in an air-tight container, this cilantro dressing lasts about a week in the refrigerator.

    How does this recipe compare to Trader Joe's Cilantro Dressing?

    The most significant difference between our recipe and Trader Joe's dressing is the base: our recipe starts with Greek yogurt, while Trader Joe's has a mayonnaise base. From there out, the two taste pretty close (aside from the obvious fresh vs. bottle flavor, of course). Our recipe results in a slightly creamier dressing, with just the right amount of lime to brighten whatever you use it on.

    The one change we consciously made was to leave out the the cotija cheese. We like to add cheese as needed, and adding it directly to the dressing didn't seem to do a lot to improve either the overall texture or flavor.

    Creamy green dressing on a bowl. Smaller, empty ingredients bowls on the side.

    Related Recipes

    • Garden-fresh Summer Pasta Salad
    • Crispy Quinoa Patties
    • Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad (Applebee's Copycat Recipe)
    • Potluck-Worthy Big Cuban Salad

    For more recipes and cozy living tips, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for all of the latest updates.

    Closeup of cilantro dressing poured over ummer salad of beans, cilantro, pasta, onions, tomatoes, and corn.

    Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

    This Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing combines fresh cilantro, green chilis, and lime into a delicious, versatile condiment. Great on bowls, burgers, veggies, pasta, tacos, and so much more!
    Inspired by Trader Joe's Cilantro Dressing
    Print Pin Add to Shopping List Go to Shopping List
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Prep Time:10 minutes
    Total Time:10 minutes
    Servings: 16 servings
    Calories: 50kcal
    Author: Renee
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    Equipment

    • 1 Blender or immersion blender

    Ingredients

    US Customary - Metric
    • 1½ ounces cilantro 1 cup, roughly chopped
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 4 ounces roasted mild green chilies one small can
    • 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
    • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • Zest & Juice of 1 Lime

    Instructions

    • Layer all the ingredients in a blender cup and blend until smooth.

    Notes

    Properly stored in an air-tight container, Cilantro Dressing lasts about a week in the refrigerator.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 50kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 0.4mg | Sodium: 78mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.5g | Vitamin A: 193IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.2mg
    This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
    Have you tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details.

    Originally published June 17, 2013. Post has been updated with new content, images, and recipe instructions to improve reader experience.

    More Condiments & Dips

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    About Renée B.

    Renée is writer, music maker, artist, and storyteller. In her spare time, you can find her writing love songs about cowboys, exploring the moss-covered nooks and crannies of the Pacific Northwest, and making music with her talented singer-husband.

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    1. Matt Van Wyen says

      June 20, 2013 at 12:24 am

      Great to meet you tonight! Can't wait to make this!

      Reply
      • Renée ♥ says

        June 21, 2013 at 9:06 am

        You and Christina were so much fun to talk with, Matt! Good luck in your search for a blender! (You really do need one, you know!)

        Reply

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