Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette (Copycat Recipe)

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This Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette is a tangy, fresh dressing made with tomatillos, cilantro, lime, and just a little jalapeño. It’s a copycat of the light vinaigrette served at Cafe Rio and is also very similar to the cilantro lime vinaigrette at Costa Vida. It’s especially good on taco salads, but there’s plenty more you can do with it!

Jar of cilantro lime dressing surrounded by fresh limes, tomatillo, jalapeño and cilantro. Pork salad in the background.

5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“This is so good. It looks and taste like the dressing from Costa Vida.” – Kelly

“Had this for dinner last night and it’s dead on!” – Emma

“This tastes even better than Cafe Rios! I try to always keep the ingredients on hand to make this.” – Kristyn

How I Finally Got This Vinaigrette Right

I tried for years to figure out the cilantro lime vinaigrette at Cafe Rio. It took a lot of attempts, but I finally came up with a homemade version that tastes so close to the one I order at the restaurant. The fresh cilantro, lime, and tomatillos make all the difference.

Costa Vida serves a very similar cilantro lime vinaigrette, too, so this recipe is a great option for fans of either restaurant. And if you’re thinking of the creamy cilantro dressing, that’s a different recipe! This one is a pourable, oil-and-vinegar-based vinaigrette, not the ranch-style dressing. You can find that version in our Cafe Rio Ranch Dressing recipe.

🩷 Erica

5 Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How I Finally Got This Vinaigrette Right
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
How to Make Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
Recipe Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Make Ahead and Storage
Serving Ideas for Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
More Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes
Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette Recipe

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make Cilantro Lime Dressing including balsamic vinaigrette, limes, jalapeno, tomatillos, sugar, garlic and cilantro.

Tomatillos: Remove the papery husks, rinse off the sticky coating, and roughly chop them. You can use them raw in this dressing. If you love their tangy flavor, try our Homemade Tomatillo Salsa Verde, too.
Fresh cilantro and limes: Use fresh cilantro and freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavor. I also love growing cilantro in my garden when I can.
Garlic and jalapeño: Fresh garlic is best. Remove the jalapeño seeds and membranes for a milder dressing, though the pepper can still have a little heat.
Sugar: Just enough to balance the tangy lime and tomatillos.
Balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing: This is the important one! Use a prepared, bottled balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing, not straight balsamic vinegar. A light-colored vinaigrette will help keep the dressing greener. Darker brands may give it a brownish color.

Ingredient Additions and Substitutions

A different balsamic vinaigrette: Readers have had success with lighter bottled dressings, including Newman’s Own white balsamic vinaigrette and Panera’s bottled balsamic dressing. The color and sweetness can vary depending on the brand.
More or less heat: Start with the amount of diced jalapeño in the recipe. Add more if you like a spicier dressing, or reduce it for less heat.
Honey or maple syrup: Either can replace the sugar, but start with a little and taste before adding more.
Salt and pepper: Taste after blending and add a little if your bottled vinaigrette needs extra seasoning.
Creamier dressing: A little avocado or Greek yogurt will change the texture, but it won’t be the same vinaigrette. For the creamy restaurant-style option, make our Cafe Rio Ranch Dressing instead.

How to Make Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

Blender with balsamic vinaigrette, limes, jalapeno, tomatillos, sugar, garlic and cilantro.

Prepare the fresh ingredients and add them to a blender. Remove the husks from the tomatillos, rinse and chop them, and prepare the cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, and fresh lime juice. Add everything to a blender or food processor along with the sugar and balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing.

Blender with blended cilantro lime dressing.

Blend until smooth. Blend until the tomatillos and cilantro are finely mixed and the dressing is smooth and pourable, with no large pieces remaining.

Pouring cilantro lime dressing from a blender to a jar.

Refrigerate the dressing. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to let the flavors come together.

Shake and serve. Give the dressing a good shake or stir before serving. Pour over your favorite salad or serve on the side.

Recipe Tips

Use prepared balsamic vinaigrette, not balsamic vinegar. Several readers have accidentally used straight vinegar, and the dressing turns out much too sharp.
Don’t worry if yours isn’t bright green. The color depends quite a bit on the bottled dressing you use. A darker balsamic vinaigrette can make the finished dressing look brown even when it tastes good.
Blend it really well. The tomatillos and cilantro should be thoroughly broken down for a smooth dressing.
Taste before adding more sweetener or salt. Bottled balsamic vinaigrettes already vary in sweetness and seasoning.

Pouring cilantro lime dressing onto pork salad.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are tomatillos, and are they the same as green tomatoes?

Tomatillos are small, tart fruits covered in papery husks. Although they look like green tomatoes, they’re actually different. They have a slightly tangy, citrusy flavor that works really well in this vinaigrette. You can usually find them in the produce section of your grocery store. We also love them in our Homemade Tomatillo Salsa Verde.

Can I roast the tomatillos and jalapeño before blending?

Yes, you can try roasting them first for a deeper, slightly smoky flavor. One reader shared that she roasted both in her air fryer before making the dressing and loved the results. Let them cool before blending. Keep them raw if you want the fresher flavor of the original recipe.

Is this the actual Cafe Rio or Costa Vida dressing recipe?

This is our homemade copycat recipe, not an official recipe from either restaurant. I spent years trying to recreate the flavor of Cafe Rio’s cilantro lime vinaigrette, and the result is also very similar to the vinaigrette served at Costa Vida.

Pork Salad with cilantro lime dressing on top and on the side in a cup.

Make Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: I recommend making this at least 2 hours before serving, or the night before. The chill time helps the flavors come together.

Storing: Pour the dressing into a covered jar or airtight container and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Because this recipe contains fresh herbs and vegetables, don’t use the longer storage time listed for some bottled dressings.

Before serving: The dressing may separate in the refrigerator. Give the jar a good shake or stir before using.

Serving Ideas for Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

This is the dressing I reach for when putting together a Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Salad at home. Add some Cafe Rio Sweet Pork, Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo), Best Guacamole, Cilantro Lime Rice, Black Beans, and crunchy Tortilla Strips in a Homemade Flour Tortilla for a restaurant-style meal. It’s also good drizzled over burritos, tacos, rice bowls, or bean salads. You can use a separate portion as a marinade for chicken or fish, too. Just don’t reuse any dressing that has touched raw meat.

More Cafe Rio 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.

Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes

Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

Cafe Rio Tortilla Soup

Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Burrito

If you make this vinaigrette, I’d love to know how it compares to your favorite Cafe Rio or Costa Vida dressing. Leave a comment and a star rating below! 💛