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This Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette is a fresh and zesty dressing for all kinds of salads. The perfect Cafe Rio and Costa Vida copycat recipe!
Featured With This Recipe
- Ingredients in Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- What are Tomatillos?
- Additions and Variations
- Tips for Making Cilantro Lime Dressing
- Uses For Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- Storing Leftovers
- What Our Readers Are Saying About This Vinaigrette
- More Delicious Copycat Recipes
- Frequently Asked Questions
- How to Make Cilantro Lime Dressing (Cafe Rio Copycat)
- Cilantro Lime Dressing (Cafe Rio Copycat) Recipe
This Cafe Rio Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette 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!
Ingredients in Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- Tomatillos
- Cilantro
- Garlic
- Jalapeño peppers
- Limes
- Sugar
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
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.
Additions and Variations
- For a slightly healthier alternative, swap out the sugar for a little honey or maple syrup
- Add extra jalapeño or some red pepper flakes for more of a kick
- To make a creamier dressing, add an avocado or some Greek yogurt.
- To make the Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing, swap out the balsamic vinaigrette for ranch dressing or simply use our Cafe Rio Ranch Dressing recipe.
- Add a little kosher salt and black pepper to the dressing if needed to make it more savory
Read Next: Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes
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!
Uses For Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
This vinaigrette doesn’t just have to be for taco salads, it can be used in a variety of ways! Try it over tacos, as as seasoning over rice, in burritos, as a dressing for bean salads, and more! When mixed with Greek yogurt it makes for a great dip for chips.
Storing Leftovers
Keep leftover dressing in a glass mason jar with a lid or an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to a week. When ready to use, shake well before pouring over salad.
What Our Readers Are Saying About This Vinaigrette
“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.” – Kelly
“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.” – Emma
“I’m just going to write on this post, but I used ALL of your recipes… 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!!” – Melinda
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.
Even More Delicious Recipes to Pair with This Dressing
- Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Copycat
- Salsa Fresca (Pico de Gallo)
- Homemade Flour Tortillas
- Best Guacamole EVER
Frequently Asked Questions
A vinaigrette base (usually with olive oil and vinegar), fresh limes, cilantro, garlic, jalapeños (optional), and a pinch of sugar.
Vinaigrette is a type of salad dressing. Salad dressing can be defined as anything that you “dress” a salad with. A vinaigrette dressing is a type of salad dressing that is oil and vinegar based, as opposed to “creamy dressings” such as a ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Dressing (Cafe Rio Copycat)
Cilantro Lime Dressing (Cafe Rio Copycat)
Ingredients
- 2 tomatillos, husked and diced
- ½ bunch fresh 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 all ingredients. Mix well.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Notes
- Make sure you use balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing, not balsamic vinegar.
- If you want less heat, remove the seeds from the jalapeno before dicing.
- Store leftovers in a mason jar with a lid and shake well before serving.
Omgoodness! This is so delicious!! I made this tonight and it is so refreshing and so good!! I did use coconut sugar in place of regular sugar, you’d never know!! So tasty! Thank you so much!!
*I also chose to use the bottled balsamic vinegar dressing from Panera (at my local Ralph’s in the cold salad dressing area by the produce). It came out bright green and so good!!! I saw some reviews that said their dressing wasn’t the same color as your photo but mine came out perfect, creamy lime green color.
I put it on a salad about an hour after making it and it’s so good! I’m sure it’s going to be even better by tomorrow. Thank you so much for this wonderful wonderful dressing recipe.
It was tasty but not visually appealing and didnt quite taste like the real deal. My husband really enjoyed his salad (not ever having been to Cafe Rio himself), but the dressing turned out a terrible brown from the balsamic. I made a homemade balsamic salad dressing and all of the recipes I’ve found are brown from the balsamic. Your dressing looks beautiful in light green, maybe there’s something I missed? Tasty though!
The balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing we use is really light. The dressing you used may have had a higher concentration of vinegar.
What brand lighter balsamic is used? Thanks!
Newman’s Own has a white balsamic vinaigrette that works great!
This tastes even better than Cafe Rios! I try to always keep the ingredients on hand to make this.
Best dressing on the planet!! We use it on so many things! It’s so easy to make!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
We absolutely love this dressing! So delicious on salad and so much more!
When you say, ” and so much more”, what do you use it for? Just curious.
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.
Yay! I’m so happy this was a win for you!
Best dressing ever!! We use it on everything!! I try to always have some in the fridge!
I love how light and refreshing this is! Plus, this is so allergy friendly for my son who is allergic to dairy and eggs!
I love cilantro and lime together! We love this dressing!
How do you get this the green color? Balsamic vinaigrette is dark brown mine tastes good but so gross looking.
Oh interesting! I’m wondering if the dressing we use is lighter. Usually the tomatillo and cilantro are enough to turn it green.
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.
I used homemade vegan buttermilk and vegenaise and it turned out great as a vegan option
As a cook for Arizona’s Cafe Rio, your recipes for our food are close but are wrong
Feel free to post the actual recipe here 🙂 We would love to make adjustments to make it exact!
Can you post the recipe?
Thank you so much!! We made the beans, rice, and dressing for a large party and everyone loved it!! The dressing is delicious!
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.
Thanks Emma! I’m so glad you like it. It has definitely become a staple in our family!
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.
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!
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!
You could probably use something like Truvia… that is the closest to sugar that I have found.
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.
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?
Yeah you might be able to get away with doing less dressing– maybe 4x the amount?
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!!
@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!
I just tried it my husband and I both love it!! We can't wait to eat it again. Thanks!
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!!!
Yes, DO NOT use balsamic vinegar!! I put an extra reminder on the recipe just in case. Sorry!
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.
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
I'm so excited to find this recipe! Now I can enjoy the wonderful taste of Cafe Rio from Washington D.C.!!!
HA! Of course I would read it incorrectly. I'm lame. Thanks for the fix!
@ 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!
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…..
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.”
It says balsamic vinaigrette dressing—not vinegar. That probably would have been very strong…
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.
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.
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!
yay yay yay. really and truly? i have made the creamy dressing befor but never seen the vinegarette. thanks!
Screech! YAY! I can't wait.
Awesome! I'll be trying this one out soon.
http://www.thecooknextdoor.blogspot.com
Oh YUM! This is my favorite dressing at Cafe Rio! Can't wait to try it!!!! Thank you Thank you!
I've heard so much about this dressing and I LOVE cilantro. I better just whip up a batch!