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Are you bored with your usual salad dressings? Looking for a flavorful recipe that will add a little zip to your greens? Enter this delicious cilantro citrus salad dressing. It’s easy, bright, tangy, loaded with flavor, and, as a bonus, loaded with vitamins and antioxidants!
Cilantro citrus salad dressing ingredients
- Cilantro. Use fresh and bright green cilantro. Stems included; they are very flavorful as well. Not everyone likes cilantro (aka coriander), but for those who do, it contains vitamins A, C, and K, and the leaves also have folate, potassium, and manganese.
- Garlic. Can’t have a Mediterranean Diet recipe without garlic. You already know how good it is for you… In this dressing, it adds a nice little bite.
- Lime juice. Cilantro and lime are a match made in heaven. It acts as the acid of this vinaigrette style dressing. Fresh squeezed, please (none of that bottled stuff)!
- Orange juice. I find that adding orange juice balances the acidity of the lime juice and adds a touch of sweetness without adding any sugar. When I don’t have a fresh orange on hand, I use a little bit of frozen orange juice diluted in water. Yes, it’s OK. Frozen orange juice is just that: concentrated orange juice, nothing added, just water removed. I always keep some in an airtight container in my freezer.
- Olive oil. Extra virgin of course. In case you don’t know it yet, my go-to is Partanna Sicilian Olive Oil. Whatever your favorite is, you may want to use a mild tasting oil, not a bold one as it could be overpowering. You can also substitute avocado oil, it’s a good pairing with cilantro and citrus flavors as well.
A few tips to make cilantro citrus salad dressing
- Make sure you process the cilantro and garlic first with the citrus juices until well broken down. Add the oil later and process only a short amount of time, otherwise your oil may turn bitter.
- A food processor works well, especially if you have one with a hole in the pusher tube that lets the oil drip in while the blade is running. But a blender is just as good, you will just have to open it to add the oil.
Variations
You can make this dressing creamy by adding half an avocado or 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt to the food processor along with the cilantro and garlic.
That’s about it! This dressing goes particularly well with “Southwestern” or “Tex-Mex” salads, especially on burrito or taco bowls. But I honestly like it with any kind of salad, or as a topping for roasted vegetables. It’s a nice change from plain old vinaigrette. Give it a try!
Other recipes to try:
Cilantro citrus salad dressing
This zippy fresh cilantro citrus salad dressing comes together in no time. Its bright and tangy flavor is a great addition to any salad.
Servings: 16 tablespoons
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (packed tight)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/4 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Place all ingredients except the olive oil in a blender or food processor. Pulse until the garlic and cilantro are broken down but you still have some bright flecks of green.
- Add the olive oil and pulse until emulsified but no longer than 10 seconds, otherwise the oil may turn bitter.
- Use immediately or refrigerate up to 5 days
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Cilantro citrus salad dressing
Amount per Serving
Calories
63
% Daily Value*
Total Fat
7
g
11
%
Saturated Fat
1
g
6
%
Sodium
73
mg
3
%
Total Carbohydrate
1
g
0
%
Dietary Fiber
0.1
g
0
%
Total Sugars
0.4
g
0
%
Includes Added Sugar
0
g
Protein
0.1
g
0
%
Vitamin A
77
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
3
mg
4
%
Calcium
2
mg
0
%
Iron
0.1
mg
1
%
Potassium
19
mg
1
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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