• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
My Sequined Life logo
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Dips, Sauces, Spreads, and Spices

    Healthy Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

    Published: Aug 8, 2019 · Modified: Jul 18, 2020 by Alyssa · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Share via Email

    Homemade cilantro lime ranch dressing is a delicious and healthier way to kick up your leafy greens! This creamy salad dressing is made healthier by using plain Greek yogurt as its base, and by mixing up your own homemade ranch seasoning.

    Homemade ranch dressing in a glass jar with a spoon

    One game I've recently been playing in the kitchen is seeing how many different ways I can use up a certain ingredient. This makes me think outside the box for recipe ideas, and helps make sure I have a plan to use up all of something and not let leftover bits languish in the fridge or pantry.

    But seriously, though. Why are we saving three tablespoons worth of salsa, a quarter cup (if that) of pizza sauce, and the tiniest amount of dry couscous for weeks? Let's just use it and recycle the containers.

    Lately my sights have been set on Greek yogurt. Thirty-two ounce tubs of plain Greek yogurt, to be exact.

    An overhead shot of a bowl of lettuce topped by chopped tomatoes, croutons, and cilantro lime ranch

    It's such a versatile ingredient, working its way into both savory and sweet recipes no problem. It's an integral part of my healthy tartar sauce, helps produce a seriously moist citrus loaf cake (recipe coming soon), lightens up healthy buffalo chicken dip, and makes a mean dressing for kale caesar salad.

    Today I'm sharing this healthy cilantro lime ranch dressing, another recipe where Greek yogurt shines. Lighter on both fat and calories, Greek yogurt easily takes the place of mayonnaise/sour cream in a homemade ranch dressing flavored with fresh cilantro, lime juice and lime zest.

    The herbs and spices used in homemade ranch dressing in a small bowl

    Recipe instructions

    Before we get to the cilantro lime part, this salad dressing recipe begins as Greek yogurt ranch. The first part is to prep your homemade ranch seasoning. No MSG and you can control the sodium levels. Perfect.

    At the base of homemade ranch seasoning is buttermilk powder. It adds an extra bit of tanginess that ranch dressing is known for. Next are the dry herbs and spices, of which all (or almost all) are pantry staples.

    You can stir everything together, or you can whiz everything in the food processor. Even though it creates extra dishes to wash my preference is usually to pulse it. This way the dried herbs are broken up finely and everything gets a chance to really combine well. Of course you can just stir everything well if you'd rather not (which is what I did with the dressing in the photo below).

    Ranch seasoning added to the bowl of dressing in progress

    Once the dry ranch seasoning is prepped, add it to the Greek yogurt in a mixing bowl. Pour in the olive oil, lime juice, and lime zest and whisk everything to combine. The dressing will likely be thicker than you want, so pour in some milk and whisk well to thin it out.

    All that's left is to stir in the chopped cilantro. Each time I make this spin on ranch dressing I add a different amount of cilantro to try and see which quantity I like the best, but I really can't decide. I went with three tablespoons in the recipe card below, but after adding it do take a taste and see if you'd like there to be more. Better to start small and increase.

    The same can be said for all of the seasonings, really. Homemade salad dressing is usually very forgiving that way. Tweak it (more lime, garlic, salt, etc.) to your liking.

    An overhead picture of cilantro lime ranch dressing mixed together in a bowl with a spatula

    Serving suggestions

    One of our favorite proteins to add to a salad with Greek yogurt ranch dressing (this flavor or any others) is buffalo chicken. Spiced up chicken pairs so well with the tangy flavors of ranch!

    Slow cooker buffalo chicken or Instant Pot buffalo chicken are our go-to recipes to make a large quantity of pulled buffalo chicken either for a gathering or for meal prep. For a super speedy shortcut, shredding a rotisserie chicken and tossing with buffalo sauce always works, too.

    As for salad toppers, homemade croutons or baked tortilla strips are two crunchy options that are better for you than their store-bought fried counterparts. Those are my favorite baked Italian five-grain bread croutons you see in the first photo in this post.

    Salad in a bowl with a healthy cilantro lime ranch dressing drizzle

    Recipe notes

    • This recipe is very customizable. Add/subtract/alter ingredients as you like. I always prefer to start small with bold ingredients like fresh cilantro or salt and add more, than have to bump up the base ingredients in the right ratio to mellow a flavor out.
    Cilantro lime ranch in a glass jar with a spoon

    Healthy Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing

    Homemade Greek yogurt ranch dressing, flavored with cilantro and lime, is a delicious and healthier way to kick up your leafy greens! This creamy salad dressing is made healthier by using plain Greek yogurt as its base, and by mixing up your own homemade ranch seasoning.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dressing
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 6 (estimated)
    Calories: 52kcal
    Author: Alyssa

    Ingredients

    Ranch seasoning:

    • 2 tablespoon buttermilk powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon dried chives
    • ½ teaspoon dried dill
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Dressing:

    • ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • 1 lime, zest and juice
    • ¼ cup milk, any variety
    • 3 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add all ranch seasoning ingredients to a food processor and pulse until powdery and mixed together. Set aside for now. **Alternatively you can skip this step and simply stir them up. The ingredients won't be as finely mixed together, but will work just fine.**
    • Add Greek yogurt, olive oil, lime zest, and lime juice to a bowl and whisk together. Add the ranch seasoning and whisk until combined.
    • Add milk and whisk. Stir in chopped cilantro. Add more milk one tablespoon at a time if you'd like a thinner dressing. Refrigerate, then shake or stir it up before serving.

    Notes

    The nutritional info listed is an estimate for about three tablespoons of dressing, calculated using 4% milkfat Greek yogurt and 2% milk. The amounts will vary depending on the varieties and brands you use, as well as serving size.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 3tbsp (est.) | Calories: 52kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 2.8g | Fat: 3.4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 123mg | Potassium: 78mg | Sugar: 2.1g | Calcium: 50mg
    Tried this Recipe?Tag @mysequinedlife - I love to see what you're making!

    Nutritional information is provided as an estimate. As it can vary due to many factors (brands used, quantities, etc.), we cannot guarantee its accuracy.

    Food Safety and Nutrition Disclaimer
    « Baked Honey BBQ Chicken Meatballs
    Baked Chili Lime Salmon »
    • Facebook
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jennifer L Gilland says

      August 23, 2020 at 11:11 am

      5 stars
      Made it for my husband's birthday barbeque for veggie tray. Everyone loved it. I added a quarter of a jalapeno for a little spice. Next time I will try with oat milk and let you know how it comes out

      Reply
      • Alyssa says

        August 24, 2020 at 9:56 pm

        So glad you liked it! Happy you could tweak it a little spicier with the jalapeno - great idea. I'd be curious to hear how oat milk works as I don't have much experience with it yet.

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    A picture of a woman smiling with a text overlay reading well, hey there.

    Hi! I’m Alyssa and welcome to my food blog. Here you can find a variety of food and drink recipes, running the gamut from better-for-you main dishes to holiday fare, and from lighter bites to some serious desserts. All with the occasional cocktail recipe thrown in for good measure, too. ♥ Learn more →

    As Featured In...

    A collage of publication logos.

    Simple, Tested Basics

    • The Best Homemade Taco Seasoning
    • Oven Roasted Sweet Potatoes
    • Oven Roasted Frozen Broccoli
    • How to Caramelize Onions
    • How to Make Croutons
    • Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
    • Air Fryer Baked Potato
    • How to Roast Garlic

    Popular Recipes

    • Instant Pot Buffalo Chicken
    • Healthy Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Italian Baked Turkey Meatballs
    • Southern Instant Pot Collard Greens
    • Italian Anise Cookies
    • Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Contact

    Policies

    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • Accessibility Statement

    More

    • Recipe Index
    • Dinner Hall of Fame
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Air Fryer Favorites

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2013 - 2023 My Sequined Life