This five-minute cilantro dressing is light and easy to make. What’s best? I eat a lot more greens than I would have otherwise because it tastes so nice. And before you worry about a creamy dressing’s caloric content, keep in mind this:
As many vegetables contain fat-soluble vitamins, dietitians generally concur that it’s beneficial to consume your greens with fats. (Alternatively, a creamy yogurt or olive oil aids in improved absorption of the nutrients in vegetables.) Are you willing to give this tangy dressing a try?
Test the recipe listed below.
Make Creamy Cilantro-Lime Dressing at Home
Depending on what you have in your kitchen, you can make either the yogurt-based or the olive oil-based variations of this dressing. Both are fantastic on meat and greens and each is delicious in its own way. Simply combine all of the prepared ingredients in a blender to make either one.
Here’s what you’ll need to make the yogurt-based recipe:
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 3 large or 4 medium garlic cloves
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons sour cream
- Juice of 2 to 3 limes
- Zest one lime
- ¼ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Here’s what you need to make the olive oil-based recipe:
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- Juice of 2 to 3 limes
- Zest one lime
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup cold water
- Salt and pepper to taste
This dressing can also be made with tahini as a basis. To do: Instead of using 14 cups of olive oil, substitute 12 cups of tahini and 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
Why You Should Prepare Ahead of Time
Preparation is the most difficult step in either dish. If you’re not cautious, peeling and chopping the garlic, separating the leaves from the stems of the cilantro, and juicing and zesting the limes can take an eternity. Thus, I advise peeling your garlic in advance in large quantities and freezing it. The frozen cloves taste exactly as nice as fresh ones and defrost rapidly.
The same instructions apply to freezing cilantro leaves and lime juice for up to three months of dressing storage. (Unsure about the best way to freeze lime juice? Use an ice cube tray if you can. Lemon juice also works well with this technique.) If you’re really rushed for time, you can get away with using garlic-infused olive oil (use the same quantity and measure out 2 teaspoons of lime juice from a bottle you bought at the shop).
The cilantro is the only component that must be completely fresh; dry cilantro won’t produce the same flavor.