Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
This homemade Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing is unbelievably delicious! Inspired by a salad dressing at Chick-fil-A that I enjoy, but made better using fresh ingredients. I serve this avocado-lime ranch dressing as a salad dressing, as a dip or drizzled over tacos. Incredibly versatile and insanely delicious.
Homemade Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing Recipe
Busy lives tend to steer us toward convenience items. By the looks of the salad dressing choices at the grocery store, they obviously rank very high on most people’s shopping list. I use them as well, my life is just as busy as yours with a family to take care of so, no shame here. I must admit, making a dressing yourself really shows the love and effort you put into something as simple as a salad and elevates it. When time allows it’s certainly well worth the effort.
- Vegetables – Place the onion, serrano pepper, garlic cloves, lime juice and cilantro into a blender. Pulse until chopped.
- Liquid and Seasonings – Add buttermilk, mayonnaise, cup sour cream, ripe avocado, salt, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, sugar, dark chili powder and black pepper.
- Cover and pulse until smooth. Add more buttermilk, if desired to thin.
- Refrigerate – Store chilled in an airtight container for at least 4 hours before serving.
- This can be made up to 3 days in advance, shake well before serving.
- Serve as a dressing, condiment or dip.
How to Make the BEST Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
This homemade Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing isn’t limited only to salads. You can use it as a dipping sauce for tortilla chips, drizzled on tacos, burgers, grilled chicken, pork and beyond. Try using it for a dip with vegetables or as a sauce for seafood.
- Ingredients you’ll need to make easy Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing: One avocado, mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, diced onion, fresh cilantro, serrano pepper, lime juice, cumin, garlic, salt, Mexican oregano, sugar, black pepper and dark chili powder.
- Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A sharp knife and cutting board, a stand blender, measuring cups and spoons and a mason jar or airtight container for storing the dressing.
- You really don’t need high-end equipment to make this salad dressing. A stand blender or food processor is ideal and can whip-up the ingredients with very little effort in a matter of minutes.
- For the most robust flavor, store it tightly sealed in the refrigerator for several hours prior to serving to allow the flavors to fully combine and come to life. It’s like a fiesta in a jar.
- This dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance of serving. It will keep for up to 5 days, possibly even longer, but due to the oxidation of the fresh avocado it will not keep it’s bright green color. Use it within 3-5 days for the best results.
More Dressings and Sauces to Make
There’s nothing like whipping up a homemade salad dressing or sauce using ingredients you already have on hand. More easy recipes you may like to try:
- This mouthwatering Green Goddess Dressing can be served as a dip, too.
- Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing is delicious on a spinach salad with all the fixings.
- Garlic and Herb Buttermilk Dressing is creamy and delicious.
- Make your own Homestyle Cole Slaw Dressing.
- Thick and full flavored Thousand Island Dressing.
- Copycat Chick fil A Sauce for dipping chicken, french fries and more.
- Caesar Salad Dressing for Italian night at home.
- Thousand Island Dressing from Culinary Hill.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sweet onion diced
- 1 serrano pepper seeded and rough chopped
- 3 garlic cloves peeled
- 3 Tbsp lime juice
- 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro rough chopped
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 medium ripe avocado peeled and pitted
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Mexican oregano
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp dark chili powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Place the onion, serrano pepper, garlic cloves, lime juice and cilantro into a blender. Pulse until chopped.
- Add buttermilk, mayonnaise, cup sour cream, ripe avocado, salt, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, sugar, dark chili powder and black pepper. Cover and pulse until smooth. Add more buttermilk, if desired to thin.
- Store chilled in an airtight container for at least 4 hours before serving.
- Can be made up to 3 days in advance, shake well before serving. Serve as a dressing, condiment or dip.
Oh my, this is insane good. The popular chain restaurant has finally came to our neck of the woods, so I just had to try the Cobb Salad with the delicious ALR dressing….deeeelish! However, after turning the pack over and reading all the preservatives etc, I decide to make my own. Can’t thank you enough Melissa!!
I agree it’s nice to know what’s in it. I’m so happy you loved this one!
How long do you think this dressing will last in the fridge? TIA!
The dressing is fine in the fridge for up to 5 days. The issue is that the avocado begins to oxidize and change color rather quickly. So make it close to the time you’d like to serve it.
I have made this dressing twice now and my family loves it! My husband and I love the CFA version, but you’ve really nailed it with this recipe. I have raved about it on Facebook too.
Hi Ashley, your note made my day. I think it’s pretty darn close but, it’s great to hear from someone else who is enjoying it, too! Thanks so much visit anytime.
So happy you enjoy this, Jennifer. Thanks!
Thanks for a spot-on take on a great dressing! Now in my permanent dressing rotation!
This is fabulous. Recently, my mother in law and I were at Chick Filet and I ordered one of their salads and this was one of the dressings I tried. Your take on it is quite spot-on and will now be on permanent rotation in my refrigerator! Many thanks for a wonderful post!
Hi Hope, if you use fresh dairy it will keep. However, the avocado can begin to oxidize and change colors.
Melissa,
Any idea how long this will keep in the fridge or 3 days is the max?
I just wonder of I made it on Sunday for my salad at work each week.
Thanks!
Hope
I look at your recipes on FB all the time and this one really looks good. Girl, you must live in the kitchen.
Keep up the good work!
Hi Gus, it’s great to meet you thanks for stopping by! I appreciate your kind comment, I love sharing them with you. ~ Melissa
There are many online calorie calculators to assist with that information. It varies depending on the ingredients used.
I’ve found the recipe makes about 2 cups – figuring 2 TBS / serving this is what you get:
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 44.3
Total Fat: 2.8 g
Cholesterol: 5.3 mg
Sodium: 82.8 mg
Total Carbs: 2.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1 g
Protein: 1.8 g
This is based on a few variations – when I made it originally it was too spicy for me – so I left out the chili powder and pepper. I also use the following:
Duke’s light mayo and greek yogurt for the sour cream. I also “made” buttermilk with skim milk and lemon juice (1 T and 1 scant C milk)
This was great – I tweaked it a little to serve my tastes and to cut down on fat/calories but you gave me exactly what I was looking for! Don’t leave out the cumin, & fresh cilantro makes a difference, although I do usually use mediterranean oregano only because I haven’t been able to find mexican oregano (but use maybe half)
Do you happen to know the calories and fat content of this recipe? Sounds delicious but have to watch my calories.
Sounds great, thanks Hedy!
Hello Melissa, another great recipe! Just made it but instead of mayo I used a light chili flavoured cream cheese. It tastes Great, can’t wait to serve it.
Thanks Linda, the dressing they feature is so tasty. However, I’m a bit biased, but, I like this one even more. I can whip it up anytime, gotta love that! ☺
Love you for posting this Melissa. Can’t wait to try it. We don’t have a Chick-fil-A around here, but I hear so many good things about their flavor combos, it’s on my list!
Thank you for sharing this recipe! On a whim one day, I had this dressing at Chick-fil-a and LOVE it!!
H Mary, I love it too, but, wanted a fresh version to have at home. My husband told me not to share this recipe to bottle and sell it. ☺ Enjoy!
Hi Carol, I agree, homemade is better if you have time. I do use store bought as well, but, this one is special.
Yum! I eat a lot of salad. I find store bought dressings—okay—some of them anyway. But homemade are scads —and a scad is a lot—better.