This Creamy Lime Cilantro ranch dressing is a great Cafe Rio Copycat for their Creamy Tomatillo Dressing. There are a lot of recipes out there for this type of thing and a lot of the good ones call for fresh tomatillos. However, after experimenting quite a bit, I decided, in this instance, I didn’t like the fresh tomatillos. For one thing it’s not something I have laying around my kitchen on a regular basis, so I have to plan in advance to buy them. Then I didn’t like the weird, watery texture they added to the dressing. So I started using a much easier substitution: green salsa. This dressing takes just minutes to buzz up in a blender and it’s perfect on salads, drizzled on nachos, as a dip for veggies or taquitos, or Latin-themed grain bowls.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Ranch dressing mix – Just the dry packet of mix, ignore the directions on the package. I only use Hidden Valley brand, personally. That’s not to say another brand might be just great, but that’s the brand I always use! Grab the buttermilk recipe packet if you can, but the regular will work just fine as well.
- Mayonnaise – I personally use Best Foods/Hellmann’s. I suggest using a mayo that you like the flavor of otherwise. I’m not a fan of most light mayo so I don’t think the flavor is optimal, but as long as you like the flavor on its own, it will work just fine here.
- Buttermilk
- Fresh lime juice – I suggest using juice from fresh limes here, as opposed to pre-bottled lime juice, which tends to be bitter. If you don’t have access to fresh limes, I suggest using one of my pantry staples- True Lime. It’s granulated fresh lime and absolutely wonderful. You’ll notice it in my photo below.
- Fresh garlic
- Green salsa
- Cilantro
- Hot sauce
How to Make Creamy Lime-Cilantro Ranch
- This isn’t difficult, you literally just blitz everything up in a blender! It’s so simple, and so fast. Feel free to adjust liquid for consistency and remember that dressing usually thickens a bit after standing. This copycat Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing will be your favorite condiment!
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 5-7 days for best results.
- This dressing is obviously awesome on salads, but also as a dip for things like chicken fingers, veggies and steak fries. If you’re making our Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos, this is pretty much required to go along with them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Use salsa verde or tomatillo-based green salsa. In a pinch I’ve even used green enchilada sauce!
Yep. In fact, the flavors develop even more after a few hours in the fridge, making it an ideal dressing to prep a day in advance.
Only if you want it to be! You determine the level of spice with the spice rating on your salsa and any additional hot sauce you might add.
Dairy based recipes like this usually do not freeze well and separate upon thawing. This one is best enjoyed fresh!
Lime-Cilantro Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1- ounce package ranch dressing mix ignore directions on package
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup buttermilk plus more if necessary to thin out the dressing
- 1-2 limes enough for 2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice
- 2 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- ¼ cup green salsa
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- Hot sauce to taste
Instructions
- Place buttermilk, mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of lime juice, and ranch mix in a blender. Add the garlic and green salsa and blend until smooth. Add the cilantro and pulse until the cilantro is well combined. Add hot sauce to taste. Chill for several hours before serving (if possible).
Notes
- Store finished dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 5-7 days for best results.
- This dressing is obviously awesome on salads, but also as a dip for things like chicken fingers, veggies and steak fries. If you’re making our Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos, this is pretty much required to go along with them.
Questions & Reviews
Does anyone know about how many servings this recipe makes? We are making “costa vida/cafe rio” type salads for a bridal shower and we need enough for 75-100 people. Thanks!
It makes about 2 Cups Jenny. That’s a big shower!
WOW!!! love this recipe! i made it, and took it to my sisters house, and they gobbeled it all up! you ladies are awesome! thank you
I made this dressing yesterday and tried it side by side with the dressing from Cafe Rio I’d gotten a day or two earlier. It was almost identical except this recipe is missing one thing: grated Cotija cheese. Add a tablespoon or two of this and it’s perfect. So, so good. Thank you!!!
Made this dressing and put it on a Pasta Chicken Salad and it oh-so-o-good! My son suggested that I might also make it thicker with maybe Sour cream so that he can eat it like a dip with chips. Whatever works! Thanks for your great site!!
WOW! I can’t believe I just barely found your site!!! We made the Creamy Chicken Tacquitos last night, along with this dressing, and can I just say AMAZING! But you know that! Thanks for all the great recipes! I can’t wait to make more!
Hi!!
I was wondering if there was any way if you could add a “recipe box” function to your site. I have so many recipes I’d like to have all in one place.
Thanks!
kd
hey kate!
Your idea was great but for now, just copy and paste the recipes into one document and then in order t find a recipe open the find and replace box then type in the name of the recipe! Hope this is a help! 😀
Lexi
Loved this dressing as a dipping sauce for chicken taquitos!
Ok, love this dressing but HATE Mayo, I could still taste it in the dressing too and it made me a little queasy. So, substituted plain greek yogurt and it was awesome! And way healthier too! 🙂
Love that Idea, and will try that-We just stay away from mayo in general! Thanks for the idea
I don't often comment on recipe blogs- but I just had to tell you that I just made this and it's AMAZING! My husband, who ate at Cafe Rio 5-6 times a week his senior year in high school, tried it and exclaimed "that's Cafe Rio dressing!" Thanks for the awesome (and easy) recipe!
Thank you! Right after I got your answer I had a little "aha!" Moment and remembered a little Mexican market. Sure enough, they had some! DELICIOUS STUFF! I served it with your creamy baked chicken taquitos & they were a HUGE HIT with my picky family!