This Cilantro Lime Dressing is a fresh and zesty dressing for all kinds of salads. The perfect Cafe Rio and Costa Vida copycat recipe!
Cilantro Lime Dressing
This Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Dressing recipe is so fresh and tasty, you’ll want to put it on every salad you eat! Our copycat version uses fresh cilantro, lime and tomatillos blended together to taste JUST like the Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette at Cafe Rio and Costa Vida. I have tried time and again to get this recipe just right, and I can happily report that after years of trying to figure out this recipe, I finally did it! Plus it’s a healthy, fresh alternative to bottled salad dressings. Try it and see for yourself how spot on this copycat recipe is!
What are Tomatillos?
One of the most important ingredients in this Cilantro Lime Dressing is tomatillos. They may look like unripe tomatoes, but these small, green fruits have a slightly more acidic, less sweet flavor than tomatoes and the texture is much thicker than tomatoes. You can find them in the produce section at your regular grocery store. To prepare, remove the tough outer husk, give them a quick rinse, then toss them in the food processor or blender and blend until smooth with the rest of the ingredients listed below. Tomatillos can be eaten raw or roasted, and their fresh flavor is perfect for a light, zesty dressing. If you love tomatillos (I know I do!) try our Homemade Tomatillo Salsa Verde next time you make Mexican food.
Tips for Making Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Using the freshest ingredients available will make all the difference in how this dressing turns out. I can usually find good tomatillos in most grocery stores but you could venture out to a farmer’s market or try growing your own!
- Look for fresh cilantro as well. You can find fresh bunches of cilantro in the produce section of your grocery store, but I love growing it in my garden. It’s easy to grow and it can be used in a million different recipes.
- When you blend this dressing, make sure you mix it REALLY well to get rid of any chunks. This dressing is best served super smooth.
- This recipe makes a huge batch of cilantro lime dressing. You can store it in a bottle or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Use it for salads, a dip for veggies, or as a marinade for chicken, fish, or beef. It’s so delicious!
More Delicious Copycat Recipes
We love a good copycat recipe, and we absolutely adore anything from Cafe Rio and Costa Vida! As much as we love going out to eat, there’s something so comforting about creating a homemade meal in your very own kitchen so are a bunch of our most scrumptious recipes straight from our favorite restaurant.
Complete Sweet Pork Salad Cafe Rio Rice and Beans Copycat Recipe Best Guacamole Ever
- The Complete Cafe Rio Pork Salad Recipe
- Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat
- Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo)
- Cafe Rio’s Chicken Tortilla Soup
- Homemade Flour Tortillas
- Best Guacamole EVER
How to Make Cilantro Lime Dressing (Cafe Rio Copycat)
Ingredients
- 2 tomatillos
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño (remove seeds for less heat)
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice (approximately 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 cup balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing see recipe notes
Instructions
- In a food processor or blender, combine tomatillos, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, sugar, and balsamic vinaigrette dressing.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (overnight is best).
Kelly says
i was looking for a recipe for cilantro lime dressing for our church wide meal that wasn’t mayonnaise base when i found this. This is so good. It looks and taste like the dressing from Costa Vida. After the meal, all the helpers in the kitchen wanted to take some home. Since i made a triple batch, i had plenty leftover. Very yummy and good! It was a hit. this recipe is a keeper.
Echo Blickenstaff says
Yay! I’m so happy this was a win for you!
Natalie says
Best dressing ever!! We use it on everything!! I try to always have some in the fridge!
Trang says
I love how light and refreshing this is! Plus, this is so allergy friendly for my son who is allergic to dairy and eggs!
Donna Batrone says
I love cilantro and lime together! We love this dressing!
Haley Judd says
How do you get this the green color? Balsamic vinaigrette is dark brown mine tastes good but so gross looking.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Oh interesting! I’m wondering if the dressing we use is lighter. Usually the tomatillo and cilantro are enough to turn it green.
Erma Bonilla says
Yes, mine turned out more the color of the vinaigrette with just a touch of green. I’ve checked the recipe and am confidant I hollowed it to a T. Tastes great though.
William Lowe says
I used homemade vegan buttermilk and vegenaise and it turned out great as a vegan option
ry says
As a cook for Arizona’s Cafe Rio, your recipes for our food are close but are wrong
Favorite Family Recipes says
Feel free to post the actual recipe here 🙂 We would love to make adjustments to make it exact!
TERI M CLIFTON says
Can you post the recipe?
Katie says
Thank you so much!! We made the beans, rice, and dressing for a large party and everyone loved it!! The dressing is delicious!
Emma says
Had this for dinner last night and it’s dead on! We made a salad with the dressing, but I also marinated some boneless, skinless chicken breasts in some of the dressing overnight and then browned it in a pan. The result was incredible. It’s just like Cafe Rio, but without sitting in traffic! I have a feeling this will be a new staple for our family.
Echo says
Thanks Emma! I’m so glad you like it. It has definitely become a staple in our family!
Colby says
We have tried SO many different recipes for a cilantro lime vinaigrette and I have never been able to stomach them. This dressing is AMAZING!!! Thank you so much.
Echo says
I’m so glad you like it! We worked really hard on this one to get the taste just right. It really is a favorite!
Steph says
This looks great! But I’m just curious, I’m on a sugar free diet and I wonder if I can use substitute the sugar with honey, agave, or splenda? Thanks!
Erica says
You could probably use something like Truvia… that is the closest to sugar that I have found.
Kai says
Erica, I really like your recipe. One thing I did add though was 2 tsp. of honey. If you like it sweeter (like me) it works really well.
Jenny S says
I’m really excited to try all of these recipes! I need to feed 39 people for a family reunion and I’m wondering if it is a safe bet to times all recipes by 6 or should I do less for some, like the dressing?
Erica says
Yeah you might be able to get away with doing less dressing– maybe 4x the amount?
Melinda says
I’m just going to write on this post, but I used ALL of your recipes (except for the tortillas, I’ll explain later) for the cafe rio sweet pulled pork with only a few tiny improvisations (like subbing cream soda for coke because that’s what I had on hand) and adding some onion to the cooking pork (discarding it with the liquids). We made the pulled pork salad paired with some enchiladas and mexican rice my brother in law and his wife made for our mother’s day dinner for my mother in law who is in love with cafe rio. OH. MY. GOSH. This whole thing is SO good. The guacamole is psychotically amazing, the pork insane, I made the tortilla strips fried in coconut oil and they were the best, and this dressing totally brings everything together. My husband and I love it so much that I’m making it again tomorrow just for us. Thank you so much for sharing your talent to know what flavors are being used to re-create these awesome dishes!!
Erica says
@Melinda- Wow! THANK YOU! What a nice comment!!! You are so sweet and you totally made my day. I am so glad that you liked all of the recipes that you tried! I know it can be a little time consuming but as you found out, it is SO worth it! Thanks again for the kind words! Please come back often for more recipes!
mandy says
I just tried it my husband and I both love it!! We can't wait to eat it again. Thanks!
Brooks and Heather Lively says
I seriously LOVE your cafe rio copy-cat recipes! Cafe Rio might be what I miss most about Utah. I tried this dressing recipe for the first time yesterday and couldn't believe how good it was. AMAZING!!!
Erica says
Yes, DO NOT use balsamic vinegar!! I put an extra reminder on the recipe just in case. Sorry!
andreacarruth says
Well that was disappointing… I made the same mistake as someone above and read the balsamic vinaigrette as balsamic vinegar. OOPS! Yuck. Had to throw it out.
dee says
CAFE RIO ROCKS!!! I AM SO EXCITED TO FIND THIS RECIPE BECAUSE I MISS THAT PLACE SOOOOO MUCH. NOW MY FAMILY AND I CAN ENJOY IT FROM SEATTLE!!! THANK YOU
Erin says
I'm so excited to find this recipe! Now I can enjoy the wonderful taste of Cafe Rio from Washington D.C.!!!
Carly says
HA! Of course I would read it incorrectly. I'm lame. Thanks for the fix!
Erica says
@ Carly— I hope you didn't use balsamic vinegar! It's a cup of Balsamic Vinaigrette, the salad dressing. You can use Newman's Own or we just use Kraft vinaigrette. One cup of balsamic vinegar WOULD be too much vinegar.. sorry!!! I hope this helped!
Carly says
I was so excited to find this recipe, so I made it tonight. Mine looks NOTHING like yours, however, and I feel like there's way too much vinegar in it. Is it really supposed to be a full cup of balsamic vinegar? It doesn't taste quite right. HELP! I think I screwed it up! Leave it to me to do it wrong…..
Jolene Tanner says
1 pkg of ranch dressing mix
1 cup mayo
1 cup buttermilk, (You can use 1 TBLS of vinegar and add enough milk to make 1 cup.)
2 Tomatillos
1 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove of garlic
juice of one lime
1 jalapeño.
Blend all in blender and use. Refrigerate left overs.
My sons friend works at Cafe Rio, he said this is the best copy cat recipe he has ever tried. He said they use “a crap load of mayo.”
Jennifer says
It says balsamic vinaigrette dressing—not vinegar. That probably would have been very strong…
Camille says
Thank you!!!! I have been looking for this recipe for years also!!!! Your recipes are definitely the closest. Thanks for your hard work. I really appreciate it. I LOOOOOOVE Cafe Rio.
Amy@ServingPinkLemonade says
Thank you! I've been looking for this recipe for years. I'm so glad I found your site. I made the dressing Sunday and it was perfect.
Amy says
Erica, your Cafe Rio recipes are the closest and best I've ever tried. in fact our whole Memorial Day party last year was centered around all of your Cafe Rio recipes. My huge extended family (lives in CA and don't have a Cafe Rio) now all use YOUR recipe to recreate! Thank you for perfection!
the mama monster says
yay yay yay. really and truly? i have made the creamy dressing befor but never seen the vinegarette. thanks!
Allison says
Screech! YAY! I can't wait.
Candace says
Awesome! I'll be trying this one out soon.
http://www.thecooknextdoor.blogspot.com
Gourmified says
Oh YUM! This is my favorite dressing at Cafe Rio! Can't wait to try it!!!! Thank you Thank you!
Melody says
I've heard so much about this dressing and I LOVE cilantro. I better just whip up a batch!