Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing: Five Minute Recipe

Name: Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Ingredients: 3 scallions (white and green parts); 2 garlic cloves; ½ cup Greek Yogurt (full fat or low fat); 1 cup cilantro (fresh); 2 tbsp lime juice (fresh); 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt; Black Pepper (to taste)

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This creamy Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing will give you a protein and probiotic boost and comes together in just five minutes. It's great as a salad dressing or as a sauce on your favorite tacos.

Photo of cilantro lime Greek yogurt dressing in a small glass bowl, surrounded by a cut lime, cilantro, scallions and garlic peels.

We love a hard working dressing — that's a dressing that looks innocent enough, tastes delicious, and delivers in the protein department.

If you've been told by your healthcare professional you have insulin resistance, pre-diabetes, or diabetes, you know the importance of eating foods that help balance your glucose levels. Like all our recipes, this dressing does just that. Be sure to read the section by our dietitian, Jen, regarding why this recipe is dietitian approved!

Ingredients for Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing

We love an herby dressing for perking up any salad. The unsweetened Greek yogurt not only makes this dressing creamy and silky, it's also great for combating insulin resistance. So, here we go:

Photo of ingredients, including Greek Yogurt, cilantro, scallions, lime juice, kosher salt and garlic powder.

Greek Yogurt: Fage Yogurt is my absolute favorite brand. It's so creamy and smooth, but use your favorite. I used the 2%, which has a little more protein, but 5% works too.
Fresh Cilantro: I love cilantro's fresh, citrusy, herbal flavor. If cilantro isn't your thing, swap out any fresh herb you prefer, such as dill, parsley, or basil.
Scallions: Also known as spring or green onions, they add a peppery bite.
Fresh Lime: Always, always, use fresh juice. Lemons and limes are constantly on my shopping list.
Garlic: I opt for fresh garlic in my sauces because it's more pungent and sharp than garlic powder. (I typically turn to garlic powder for certain cooked recipes where fresh garlic can easily burn and turn bitter.)
EVOO: Extra virgin olive oil makes it extra smooth and silky, but it's optional.
Salt: You'll definitely need it to round out the flavors. See our notes on salt.
Pepper: While optional, freshly ground black pepper adds a nice final touch.

How to Make Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. That's it! I really love my Nutribullet blender (affiliate link) for making dressings. The small blender cups (affiliate link), which are part of a set I purchased separately, are the perfect size for blending and storing dressings and sauces.

Photo of the ingredients for the cilantro lime Greek yogurt dressing inside of a blender cup.

Photo of the ingredients for the cilantro lime Greek yogurt dressing being blended.

Common Questions

How long will the dressing last in the refrigerator?

3-4 days

Can I use regular yogurt?

Yes, but note that regular yogurt contains less protein per serving and the consistency is more watery, so you wouldn't need to add any water.

Can I use this dressing for meal prep?

Yes! Keep a fresh batch (or two) of cilantro lime Greek yogurt dressing in the fridge for easy meal prep.

Photo shows a batch of cilantro lime Greek yogurt dressing in a glass bowl with a small wooden spoon on a linen napkin. We also see limes in the background, as well as cilantro, scallions and fresh garlic.

Variations

If cilantro isn't really your thing, try swapping it out with fresh dill, parsley or basil.
Adjust the thickness of dressing by using less water or none at all, and use it as a spread on a sandwich or wrap.
Try drizzling it on your favorite soup to infuse it with herbs and to add creaminess and protein.

What to Pair With Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing

We love pouring it over our Southwest Chicken Salad.
Check out our Flank Steak Salad for another great recipe that uses this dressing.
Keep a fresh batch in the refrigerator to ladle over roasted vegetables served with a portion of our marinated chicken thighs recipe.

Recipe

Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing

A creamy and silky dressing that will add a little protein and probiotic boost to any salad, wrap or veggie dish.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: Sauces and Dressings

Prep Time: 5

Servings:

Calories: 60kcal

Ingredients

3 scallions white and green parts
2 garlic cloves
½ cup Greek Yogurt full fat or low fat
1 cup cilantro fresh
2 tablespoon lime juice fresh
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
Black Pepper to taste

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Slice the scallions into thirds and peel the garlic.
3 scallions, 2 garlic cloves
Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth.
½ cup Greek Yogurt, 1 cup cilantro, 2 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Add water, one tablespoon at a time to thin to desired consistency and blend again briefly.
Refrigerate and then shake vigorously before using.

Notes

Not all salt is equal. I test all our recipes with Diamond Crystal Kosher salt, (affiliate link). The flaky crystals dissolve more readily than regular table salt or other kosher salts, making it easier to use. Note that Diamond Crystal Kosher salt is about half as salty as most other salts, so adjust accordingly when substituting!

Nutrition

This Recipe Is Dietitian Approved by Jen Birge, MS, RDN, CDCES

Here's another delicious dressing by Jackelin that is glucose friendly and only takes 5 minutes or less to prepare. The Greek yogurt provides some protein (about 3 grams per serving) and also some probiotics to the dressing.

The Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing is free of added sugar and other unhealthy ingredients like preservatives and emulsifiers. I am guessing it takes you less time to buy the ingredients and make than it does to read food labels searching for a "clean" dressing in the grocery store.

Image lists the reasons why this recipe is dietitian approved. It is glucose friendly with a balanced protein to carb ratio, it's versatile and can be used as a sauce or substitute for mayo, it's has probiotics without added sugar and is fast and easy to make.

Check out our article on why it's important for anyone with insulin resistance, prediabetes or diabetes to follow a good protein to carb ratio. This recipe has a great protein to carb ratio of 1:1. Definitely a thumbs up from this dietitian!

We love it when you make our recipes and give us feedback, so please comment below and rate our Cilantro Lime Greek Yogurt Dressing if you make it! And if you know others who would benefit from recipes that can help improve insulin resistance, please share our blog with them!

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