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This Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing is so incredibly good! Try it over Cafe Rio style salads, burritos, quesadillas, and more!
Featured With This Recipe
- Ingredients in Cafe Rio Dressing
- What Goes with Cafe Rio Dressing?
- The #1 Site For Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes
- Getting The Right Consistency
- Recipe Tips
- Check Out These Comments From Our Readers:
- Frequently Asked Questions
- More Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes
- How to Make Cafe Rio Dressing
- Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing Recipe
If you’ve followed us for any time at all, you will know we are big fans of Mexican cuisine. When Cafe Rio first opened in 1997 in St. George, Utah, we were some of the very first customers and quickly became their biggest fans. Now they have locations all over the western United States and Maryland, but back in the day, when we lived in California, Nevada, and Washington there were no Cafe Rio’s close by. Because of this, many of our first copycat recipes were from Cafe Rio trying to achieve the “Fresh Mex” flavors at home. We’ve had some success, if we do say so ourselves. Please let us know if you agree!
Ingredients in Cafe Rio Dressing
- Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix (traditional flavor, not buttermilk)
- Mayonnaise – we like Best Foods / Hellmann’s mayo the best
- Buttermilk
- Tomatillos (they look like small green tomatoes wrapped in a husk)
- Fresh cilantro
- Lime
- Jalapeño peppers (if you don’t like spice you can leave the jalapeño out)
What Goes with Cafe Rio Dressing?
Most people say that their favorite menu item at Cafe Rio is the Sweet Pork, but I say without a MOMENT of hesitation that mine is the Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing (also known as creamy cilantro lime dressing, tomatillo dressing, or Cafe Rio house dressing)! It is spicy and tangy and SO GOOD. What I love most about it is that it is so versatile! It can be way more than just a salad dressing. I seriously put it on everything — our Cafe Rio Burrito and Cafe Rio Salad for sure, plus quesadillas, tacos, nachos, sandwiches, I even dip veggies in it! I can’t keep it in the fridge for more than a few days before the bottle gets licked clean!
The #1 Site For Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes
Our Cafe Rio recipes are what first made our site take off. We posted the recipe for Sweet Pork and people went crazy over it. Little by little we figured out more recipes and now we have a huge collection! We get great feedback and positive comments from our fans out there. Check them out and you will see why we are the #1 site for Cafe Rio recipes! Make sure to send us your feedback, too! We have had some great feedback and very positive reviews on all the recipes! Check em’ out and then add your own comments after you try them! We love hearing from our readers! ENJOY!
Read Next: All The Best Cafe Rio Recipes in ONE Place
Getting The Right Consistency
We’ve had some comments about the dressing being too runny. This is easy to prevent. Remember, it is much easier to thin a dressing than try to thicken it later without messing up the flavors. Follow these tips for perfect dressing thickness every time.
- If you are picky about consistency, add the buttermilk a little at a time while blending until you get the right consistency. You may not want to use all the buttermilk if you want a thicker dressing.
- Use real buttermilk – not a substitute. If you don’t have buttermilk and need to substitute milk with lemon or vinegar, start with only ½ cup of the substitute in the blender and then add a little at a time until your preferred consistency is reached.
- Limes can vary in size and juiciness. Typically a juiced lime will yield 2 tablespoons. Start with 1 teaspoon in the blender. After blending, continue to add 1 teaspoon at a time until the consistency is right for you.
Recipe Tips
- Use Best Foods / Hellmann’s Mayonnaise. It has the best flavor and consistency.
- If you want a lighter version of this recipe you can always use Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Keep in mind the consistency and flavor won’t quite be the same but it will still taste delicious.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir well before serving.
- This recipe does NOT freeze well. Freezing will cause the dressing to separate and ruin the creamy consistency.
Check Out These Comments From Our Readers:
“Loved Cafe Rio, moved to Ohio, then California (NO Cafe Rio!) so I have been making this a lot over the past few years. A funny thing happened. I was visiting Utah and we went to Cafe Rio and I was totally disappointed! I think I have perfected my Cafe Rio cooking skills to the point where I prefer these recipes to the original. Thank you so much! Note- I roast the tomatillos and the jalapeno in the oven for the dressing. I also buy raw tortillas a cook them at home. I think it makes a huge difference.” – LIZ
“Wow!!! This was simply amazing! I made this 4 nights ago to try on my mock Cafe Rio chicken salad and my husband and I were just sitting in our chairs going Mmmmmmmmm the whole time we ate. Guilty confession: I have had this everyday since for lunch because he dressing it so divine. Haha. I am going to try more of your recipes – way to go!!!” – ASHLEY
“Couldn’t love this recipe more. I live in NC and there are NO Cafe Rio’s OR Costa-Vida’s. Makes me so sad, so we make this recipe a lot, and have educated all of our friends on its deliciousness!” – ALEESHA
Frequently Asked Questions
The recipe is seriously so simple — just toss all the ingredients in the blender and blend away! But, here I will answer some questions we’ve had from our readers over the years.
The spiciness is all in the jalapeño seeds. You can eliminate the seeds completely for no spiciness at all, or add as many as you want to turn on the heat.
A tomatillo is a small, tomato-shaped, green fruit with a leaf-looking husk for an outer layer. It is also known as the Mexican husk tomato for this reason. Tomatillos have a similar taste and texture to tomatoes, but they are less sweet and more acidic. There are tomatillos in the photo above on the bottom left.
Remove the husks from the outer layer. You’ll find the tomatillo has a sticky skin on it. Rinse it under warm water and then dry with a dish cloth. Use a sharp knife to remove the stem, then dice as you would a tomato.
Yes. But, a substitute is usually a thinner consistency. Make the substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of either vinegar or lemon juice to a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill the remaining cup with milk – preferably whole. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. Add only ½ cup of the buttermilk substitute to the blender. Blend. Gradually add a little at a time until the dressing is the consistency you prefer.
This recipe only has 3g carbs per serving (2 tablespoons).
There are 133 calories per serving in this Cafe Rio dressing recipe.
More Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes
- Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo)
- Cafe Rio Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette
- Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Burrito
- Homemade Flour Tortillas
- Homemade Tortilla Strips
- Cafe Rio’s Cilantro-Lime Rice and Black Beans
- The BEST Guacamole EVER
To view ALL of our Cafe Rio / Costa Vida copycat recipes, click HERE.
How to Make Cafe Rio Dressing
Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
Video
Equipment
- Blendtec Blender
Ingredients
- 1 (1-ounce) packet Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning (original, not buttermilk)
- 1 cup Best Foods mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk (If you like a thicker dressing only use ½ cup)
- 2 tomatillos, husked and diced
- ½ bunch fresh cilantro fresh
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1 jalapeno, stem removed
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender.
- Blend until smooth. Chill for 1 hour.
- Serve as a dressing over salad or as a dip for veggies and chips.
Notes
Nutrition Information
How long does this last? Have you ever frozen it or canned it?
It usually lasts about a week. I have never frozen it or canned it. I don’t think either would work too well 🙁
Need to feed a large group and will need to make several batches. Does anyone know how far in advance I could make this. My son is leaving for 2 yrs and he wants sweet pork salad at his going away event. I would like to get as much done in advance as possible. Any suggestions for the other ingredients in the salad would be helpful. Thanks.
You can probably make it 5-7 days in advance and be fine! Hope this helps!
I haven’t tried this recipe yet, but I moved back to Louisiana 3 years ago after living in Wyoming for 5 years and we had a cafe rio in our town…it was my families FAVORITE place to eat! Since leaving I’ve been looking for copycat recipes for cafe rio and I’m so relieved to have found some now!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!
I am trying not to eat dairy products. Any ideas for substituting the mayo and buttermilk?
I honestly don’t know how to direct you with this one. You could try using milk substitutes but I can’t promise it will turn out the same. Sorry I’m not of more help here!
I make this same recipe abut instead of the tomatillos I use one cup of green salsa because you now can have pretty much of the ingredients on hand. It’s yummy!
The recipe I follow says to blend everything but the mayo, then just wire whisk the mayo in. When I do this it is plenty thick.
Thanks for the tip! I used half Best Foods regular mayo and half Best Foods olive oil mayo. So yummy!
Wow!!! This was simply amazing! I made this 4 nights ago to try on my mock Cafe Rio chicken salad and my husband and I were just sitting in our chairs going Mmmmmmmmm the whole time we ate. Guilty confession: I have had this everyday since for lunch because he dressing it so divine. Haha. I am going to try more of your recipes – way to go!!! And yes, the dressing was runny- but I just took a large spoon and applied it to the lettuce that way. I’ll try some flour next time or maybe even some corn starch or X.gum. 🙂 thanks!!
Glad you like it! If it is too runny for you– you can blend the tomatillos first and then use a fine mesh strainer to drain them. Just use the pulp. That should thicken it up a little!
Loved Cafe Rio, moved to Ohio, then California (NO Cafe Rio!) so I have been making this a lot over the past few years. A funny thing happened. I was visiting Utah and we went to Cafe Rio and I was totally disappointed! I think I have perfected my Cafe Rio cooking skills to the point where I prefer these recipes to the original. Thank you so much!
Note- I roast the tomatillos and the jalapeno in the oven for the dressing. I also buy raw tortillas a cook them at home. I think it makes a huge difference.
Thank you so much for this comment! That is a great idea roasting the tomatillos and jalapeno. I am sure it gives it an even better flavor. Definitely trying that next time! We lived in Washington where there wasn’t a Cafe Rio and I remember going back to Utah and having it and thinking the same thing! I love that when you make your own you can make it perfectly how you want.. with as much or as little of everything as you like. Thanks again for the nice comment! – Erica
I live in CA and there are 2 or 3 Cafe Rio close to my home. I remember the day in Provo, when Cafe rio was still a solo shop, now it’s a franchise. Sad.
The original Cafe Rio was in St. George, not Provo. And to this day they are not a franchise – they are only expanding. How is that sad?? I say the more the merrier! Way to go small business growth and more delicious Cafe Rio for everyone!
Sara is right…..Cafe Rio is NOT a franchising company and has carefully planned their controlled expansion. How do I know this? I inquired of the owners if they would franchise and the answer was no.
How much does the Cilantro Ranch Dressing recipe make?
It should make about 2-3 cups.
Yummy, I just made it and it tastes awesome! I love it, thank you!
I also have trouble with this being VERY runny EVERY TIME and I have made this SEVERAL times. I ALWAYS make it the night before in hopes that it will thicken up, but, it NEVER does. Obviously we still eat it cuz it’s SOOO yummy, but, it would be nice if it would be thicker like the restaurant version. Someone suggested flour….I’ll try that next time. Honestly, that seems a little weird…..was wondering if there were any other suggestions?
Half the buttermilk next time.. it should thicken up a lot. Slowly add more buttermilk until you get the consistency you are looking for.
You could try maybe 3/4 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup sour cream. That should help, too.
I threw in a habanero… so yummy!! Was thinking so I added another cup of mayo and then added cornstarch. Thickened up a bit but still not as much as I wanted. Will try less buttermilk next time.
Can you freeze this? I always have leftovers!
I have never frozen it before so I don’t know how well it would freeze. If you try it please comment back here and let us know how it turns out!
I froze mine. It separated once thawed. I tried to recombine it but it didn’t work. It became soupy and looked spoiled.
Does the brand of mayonnaise matter? I normally don’t eat it so I’m clueless 🙂
I would say Best Foods… But I am a mayo snob! Others may say a generic brand is ok but I like the Best Foods.
OK…I gotta comment here. I tried this. Too thick. Ditch the Jalapeno — Cafe Rio’s isn’t that spicy — seeds or not. Way off.
What?! I dunno what planet your cafe rio comes from but it is spicy! Blend it longer and it will thin it out…if you’re whipmy try a half jalepeno but there is for sure spice in there!
I know people who work at Costa Vida and it is buttermilk ranch packet..you make, as package says (I reserve some buttermilk to mix jalapeños and cilantro and tomatillos in blender with) after you blend you add the two together and, add lime juice..if you do them separate and don’t mix all ingredients in blender..then it doesn’t go runny!
I live in Australia now so don't have access to fresh tomatilllos. I order the canned ones Forman American import shop here. Anyway, I found that four canned tomatillos do the trick for this recipe. I thought it would be too runny as the canned ones have a lot of liquid in them but as long as I make it a day ahead it thickens up just right. Just a tip for those who may not have fresh tomatilllos at hand!
thanks so much for the cafe rio recipes!!
It also helps to thicken it if you add a little flour to it. Not alot just a little. You can't taste the difference but it does give it more of a creamy texture.
Raw flour can make you sick, cornstarch is a much better option
I would maybe suggest using a little less buttermilk. If you let the ranch sit overnight it should thicken up a little too.
I always have trouble with this being too runny. Any suggestions?
Mine was runny too, and with guests already at the house I added a LITTLE bit of sour cream. It thickened it just enough and didn’t affect the flavor.
Using Best Foods mayo was much better for the consistency than Kraft.
Agreed! We love Best Foods!
The real stuff has cayenne not jalapeno
Just my opinion, but the jalapeno gives it a better flavor.
Thanks for sharing this! What’s the shelf life and can it be canned for long term storage?
It can’t be canned for long term– lasts in the fridge for about a week 🙂 Hope this helps!
Love! Thanks for sharing! Tastes just like the cafe rio dressing
The real stuff has jalapenos.
Why not buttermilk ranch packet?
For some reason the buttermilk ranch powder makes it taste.. off. When I worked at a restaurant that made crazy good ranch dressing, we never used the buttermilk kind. It just doesn’t taste right. It’s best to use the original and then add buttermilk. I don’t know why it tastes better, it just does haha
I am so glad that this isn’t a privage blog. I love this salad, and actually like your rice better than mine. The lime really gives it a nice kick. Thank you for sharing your recipes.