I think I talked last week about being a little obsessed with my spice mixes & concoctions – If you’re a follower, you probably already know I’m just as obsessive about my salad dressings! Today, though, I’m obsessed with this Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing in particular.
Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
Yep. I love my Salads and Dressings, but not just plain old ordinary salads & and everyday old basic dressings. For me, it’s all about big salads loaded with big flavors and fun, bold dressings & add-ins. This Avocado Cilantro dressing is one of those dressings. Creamy, bright, and flavorful, this will totally transform anything you dollop or drizzle it over or in.
About Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing:
Avocado & Cilantro dressing is everything. Fresh, creamy, bright, and flavorful, it’s transformative! Please excuse these pictures! Don’t judge – it is so much better than it looks here.
But hey, don’t limit yourself to salads, here! Add this to tacos, burritos, or bowls. Dollop it over fish. Try it with eggs, cooked just about any way. Dip veggies or crudites in it. Use it in wraps. Heck, dip your tortillas into it.
Just use it on/with anything that could use a bit of bright, tangy, creamy, limey freshness. I know it looks a little thick but it’s light and almost mouselike and that makes it so versatile. You can easily thin it out if you want to. See Making, below.
It does shine with salads, though, and this is the salad I developed the Avocado Cilantro Dressing for, my Southwestern Steak Salad. Now that salad is an extravaganza, but very doable when broken down into pieces. I urge you to make it.
- You’re looking at beautifully cooked Carne Asada, which is actually a cook-once-eat-twice make-ahead recipe. First, there were tacos, next there came this salad.
- Southwestern Steak Salad is topped with Roasted Corn & Black Bean Salsa, avocado, and this dressing – and all of that is topped off with lovely tangles of tortilla strips. I’d eat the salad just for the tortilla strips, but the dressing would be my next favorite part!
Southwestern Steak Salad
Making the Dressing:
I love that this recipe takes just a few quick minutes in the blender to make and is perfectly easy to customize. You can lean into any of the flavors. Try adding more cilantro (or less if you’re a hater or parsley if you’re really a hater). Maybe you’d like more zingy lime? Do it! And if you’d like it even richer, and want this a little looser, add more olive oil.
If you’d like to make this dressing more of a vinaigrette, that’s fine, too. It’s all up to you. I would personally be hesitant to keep adding more and more oil, but instead, advise dropping water in by the tablespoon while pulsing to blend. Just stop when it’s at your perfect consistency.
Storing:
Three or five days in the fridge doesn’t do this dressing any harm, and it still beats the pants off any bottled or jarred version.
When storing in the fridge, a very thin layer of oil on the top helps discourage any oxidization. There’s a good amount of lime which helps as well. You’ll have no worries about any browning.
Saving Money on Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing:
I love it when I can help you bring groceries home for a little less. Here are my favorite hints on some of the ingredients for this dressing. While we’re here talking money, I’d like to mention that this dressing is a great less expensive alternative for more expensive guacamole in some cases.
avocado:
It feels sometimes that that the act of simply finding a decent Avocado has eclipsed any thoughts about price. For ripe avocados look for dark green to nearly black skin, bumpy skin, and flesh that will yield to a gentle but firm squeeze. It should not feel mushy and the squeeze should not leave dents. Check the stem. If it falls off in your hand or there is brown under it, your avocado is too ripe. If it’s green underneath it is just right. If it’s yellow it has a ways to go.
- At the grocery do watch for sales and if the sale is a good one, buy ripe avocados for this week and harder ones for next week.
- Whether at the regular or discount grocery, beware of small avocados; they are often not worth the money, not just because they are small but because they’re usually not great once opened. The same goes for the avocados bagged in nets.
persian limes:
The best pricing is at the peak of the season, June through August, when they are at the most plentiful. Great pricing can be had at the regular or discount grocers.
- When buying, measure the weight of several limes in your hand and pick the heaviest; they’ll be the juiciest. Don’t be concerned about yellowish areas, but do not buy any limes that are browning or dried in spots. Check bagged limes in green tinted packaging very closely.
- Once home, store in the fridge, loosely covered in a shallow container lined with a paper towel. Try not to stack. Turn them from time to time.
- To get the most out of your lime, grate, and freeze or dry the rind if not using, Using a lot of pressure roll the lime on the count or microwave for about 30 seconds (or do both) to get the most juice.
yogurt:
Look for the best value and purchase decent, not top of the line, large cartons of plain (preferably full fat) yogurt with live probiotics. It’s versatile and can eaten in both savory & sweet dishes, cooked and baked with. It can often sub in for sour cream. (Tip: add fruit, jelly, or jam to plain yogurt to make your own flavors.)
Store opened yogurt just like cottage cheese and sour cream, upside down in the fridge. It will stay fresher longer. Make sure the lid is airtight to prevent accidents. Yogurt is good for weeks past the “Best Buy” date.
- Whatever kind of yogurt is purchased, best pricing will always be in the larger cartons.
- Better yogurt is more available, easier to find, and can be found at a range of price points.
- To beat grocery store prices, shop buyer’s clubs and discount stores like Lidl and Aldi. If interested in exploring, check out ethnic markets catering to populations who rely on yogurt as a staple.
- To save even more money, if you are up to a project, you cannot beat Making Your Own Yogurt.
Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
Avocado Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: about 1 cup 1x
- Category: Salad Dressing
- Cuisine: Mexican or Southwestern
Ingredients
- 1/2 avocado
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup yogurt, your preference plain or Greek, non-fat, low-fat or natural
- 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped (don’t worry about any stems since it will be blended) or an equivalent amount of parsley
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional, but some oil helps carry the flavors and nutrients)
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 clove garlic or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, if desired
- salt & pepper to taste (I use about 1/4 teaspoon each)
- pinch of sugar or drizzle of honey, optional
- enough water to thin to desired consistency
Instructions
Drop all ingredients except water into a blender and blend. Add water to thin to desired consistency.
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I’ll be bringing this recipe to Angie’s Fiesta Friday, hosted this week by the incomparable Jhuls @ The Not So Creative Cook. Do stop by and take a peek at all the bloggers linking up their best creations.
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