Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

With fresh cilantro and lime, this vinaigrette is simple to make but a great addition to any salad. You could also use this as a marinade.

Summer is here so today is about bright flavors. I realize most people don’t bother making a homemade salad dressing as it’s just easier to buy from the grocery store, but if you’ve never made your own, you’re missing out. While I’ve had cilantro vinaigrette multiple times at my favorite fast casual salad restaurant in Baltimore, Nalley Fresh, I never made it from scratch.

So today I decided to make my own and share with everyone here reading. It’s so easy to make something like this. You might be able to tell just by the one line of directions!

But as I said, something fresh makes all the difference. And now that I think about it, I’ve never seen cilantro lime vinaigrette at the grocery store, but maybe I’m just looking in the wrong spot! I’m sure it is, but I’m choosing to believe it doesn’t exist.

If you’re feeling like a fresh summer salad, then I would give this cilantro vinaigrette a try. I decided to just use some kale, peppers, mango, corn and fresh avocado and it tasted great. You will not be disappointed. And if you are craving Caesar but want to stay healthy, try this lime Caesar dressing.

Jump to:

• Recipe Ingredients
• Instructions
• Do I Need a Blender to Make a Vinaigrette?
• How Long Does Homemade Vinaigrette Last?
• What if I Don’t Like Cilantro?
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Salad Recipes to Use this Vinaigrette With
• Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Recipe Ingredients

• Cilantro – the star of the show.
• Olive oil – helps emulsify the vinaigrette.
• White vinegar – adds acidity.
• Honey – adds some sweetness.
• Lime – adds freshness that works well with the cilantro.
• Garlic – more flavor.
• Salt – enhances the flavor.

Instructions

Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth and emulsified. Add water 1 tbsp at a time if you need to thin it out.

Do I Need a Blender to Make a Vinaigrette?

No although it makes life easier. You’ll want to finely chop the cilantro and then throw all of the ingredients in a glass jar that you can close. Just shake until it starts to emulsify.

How Long Does Homemade Vinaigrette Last?

It will last for 2 weeks if you place in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

What if I Don’t Like Cilantro?

I know cilantro is one of those things you either love or hate. Some think it tastes like heaven (like me), while others think it tastes like soap. It actually comes down to your genes.

If you have the gene that codes for the receptor that picks up scent of aldehyde chemicals then you won’t like cilantro as it will smell/taste like soap. So if you’re in the latter group, you can easily just replace the cilantro with more Italian parsley, but the flavor will be different.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Use quality olive oil as part of the taste comes from it.
• While store-bought bottles can be quite convenient, they lack in flavor compared to the real thing. It really isn’t that much extra work to freshly squeeze the lime and you’ll notice a difference in flavor.
• Puree just until the cilantro starts to break up and the vinaigrette emulsifies. You wants bits of cilantro throughout it.
• If the cilantro vinaigrette is too thick, just add water 1 tbsp at a time.

Salad Recipes to Use this Vinaigrette With

• Mango, Kale and Quinoa Salad
• Edamame, Chickpea and Apple Salad
• Summer Quinoa Salad

If you’ve tried this cilantro lime vinaigrette or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I’m up to.