This Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing adds zest, flavor, and creaminess to any dish. Drizzle it on your salad, spoon it on meats, or use it as a dip for vegetables. This quick and easy recipe is low-carb, gluten free, and suitable for keto, Atkins, or Banting diets.
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The Recipe
Consider yourself warned! This Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing is addictive! When I tasted my last test batch, I first tested a tiny bit. The first taste of that creamy goodness scented with lime, garlic, and cilantro made my tastebuds crave for more.
So, then I went in for a spoonful and licked that spoon clean. The next thing I knew, I had eaten half the batch. Using a rubber scraper, I transferred the rest into an airtight container and then licked off that spatula and scraped every last bit of what was left in the bowl and licked that off as well.
But I couldn’t stop there, I spooned some on a hamburger for lunch and drizzled it over a salad as well. It’s officially gone. Every last drop.
While I love this Cilantro Lime Dressing on almost anything, it really shines when it’s paired with spicy foods. The dressing provides a cooling balance to these dishes. It works perfectly for my recipe for Grilled Fajita Chicken Kabobs, my recipe for Shrimp Cakes, and my Grilled Chili Lime Shrimp Kabobs. You could also try it over this recipe for Keto Chicken Enchiladas from Tasteaholics.
This recipe doesn’t take long to make. Just whisk the ingredients together and you’ve got a delicious condiment. It’s so easy, I didn’t even bother with process photos.
The inspiration
This recipe was inspired by a taco I had at a Mexican restaurant when I was in St. Thomas over spring break. I ordered a spicy shrimp taco and it came with a delicious creamy sauce with a touch of garlic and lime. A sprinkle of cilantro on top made it taco perfection.
Why does cilantro taste like soap to some people?
Of course, not everyone loves cilantro. If someone in your family doesn’t like cilantro, you may want to try a different dressing, like my Low-Carb Blue Cheese Dressing (Dip) or my Low-Carb Bacon Vinaigrette Recipe.
Of course not every person likes every food, but in the case of cilantro, some people actually have a genetic variation of an olfactory receptor that makes them more sensitive to the aldehydes in the plant.
People with this variation find that cilantro tastes like soap or tastes metallic. They tend to have an aversion to even small amounts of cilantro.
I absolutely love cilantro now, but I remember disliking it when I was younger. It tasted strangely metallic then. Since then, I have had all of my metallic tooth fillings removed. Now, cilantro tastes completely different. I’m not sure if it had anything to do with the fillings or not. I’d be interested to know if anyone else has had this happen.
What can I use to substitute cilantro?
If cilantro isn’t your favorite herb, or if you don’t happen to have it in your refrigerator, you can use a substitute. Each one of these will give the dressing a different flavor.
Parsley makes a perfect alternative to cilantro. While the two herbs aren’t closely related, they have similar herbaceous flavors.
Even though celery may not be thought of as an herb, celery leaves are flavorful and can step in as a substitute for cilantro.
Are coriander and cilantro the same thing?
While coriander and cilantro come from the same plant, they are not the same thing. Cilantro is the herbaceous leaves of the plant and has bright, herbal notes. The seeds of the plant is coriander. They are ground into the spice and have warm exotic flavors.
Since the flavors of coriander and cilantro vary considerably, they can’t be substituted for each other in recipes.
Final words
I hope you love this dressing as much as I do. A drizzle of it can add creamy cilantro garlic goodness to any dish. Enjoy!
-Annissa
Add some zest to your salad with this quick and easy Cilantro Lime Dressing. Low-carb and keto-friendly.
Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing (Dip)
Our quick and easy Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing recipe adds zest, flavor and creaminess to any dish! Low-carb, gluten free, keto and Atkins diet friendly.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon cilantro minced
Instructions
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, black pepper, and sea salt together.
Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while whisking. Stir in the cilantro. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. If you would like the dressing to be thinner, add in additional olive oil.
