It’s bright, zesty, and packed with fruity, fresh, and herby flavors. Serve it on salads, grain bowls, veggies, tacos, and anything Southern or Mexican-inspired. This recipe is inspired by Southern and Mexican cooking, and the dressing is excellent with ingredients such as black beans, sweet potatoes, corn, tacos, and greens. Try it with black bean salad, sweet potato salad, quinoa lentil salad, or Buddha bowl. Similar recipes include chermoula, honey mustard dressing, and chimichurri.
Fresh cilantro
Fresh cilantro or fresh coriander is the main ingredient in this dressing and can’t be replaced.
Lime juice
Substitute fresh lemon juice for lime juice.
Extra virgin olive oil
Substitute regular olive oil or avocado oil for extra virgin olive oil.
Maple syrup
Substitute honey, agave syrup, date syrup, or brown sugar for maple syrup.
Garlic
Substitute garlic powder for fresh garlic.
Ginger
Fresh ginger can’t be substituted.
Salt
We recommend using sea salt or kosher salt. Rinse the cilantro before use and shake most of the water off, or pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor: the thinner stems and leaves of the cilantro, fresh lime juice, maple syrup, fresh garlic, peeled and grated ginger, sea salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Tip: We recommend using a medium-size or small food processor. A large food processor might not be able to catch the ingredients. Use the smaller stems of the cilantro, as they are packed with flavor. Blend until the coriander is finely processed. You might need to scrape down the sides of the food processor once or twice. Taste and adjust for salt and maple syrup. The dressing should be bright and fresh but with a mild, sweet undertone. Tip: The dressing won’t be completely smooth and you should still be able to see small cilantro pieces. Avoid over-blending as this will heat up the fresh lime and cilantro deteriorating their flavor. Refrigerator: Store it in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, for 4 to 5 days. Freezer: Transfer to a freezer-friendly jar or in ice cube trays and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw slowly in the refrigerator. They are delicious with roasted sweet potatoes, corn, bell peppers, grilled vegetables, avocado, quick pickled onions, black beans, white beans, pinto beans, roasted carrots, rice, and quinoa. We recommend trying it with:
Black bean salad with sweet potatoes Mango black bean salad Roasted carrots and cannellini beans Microwave sweet potato Quinoa lentil salad
Another option is to cut the mayonnaise in half and replace it with the same quantity of Greek yogurt or unsweetened non-dairy yogurt. Even sour cream works! Finally, a wholesome way to thicken the dressing is to add a ripe avocado. You’ll have a delicious creamy dressing, and you can even use it as a dip.
Spicy cilantro lime dressing
To make a spicy version of this dressing, add a jalapeño pepper to the blender with the other ingredients.