3-Ingredient Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing (no blender!)

This 3-ingredient magical creamy cilantro lime dressing is tangy, garlicky and perfect for summer salads! It only takes a minute to stir together and tastes so much fresher than pre-made salad dressing.

You read that right: you only need garlic aioli, cilantro, and lime juice to make this dressing! The aioli gives it creaminess, while the other ingredients add some brightness, acidity, and depth of flavour. I know you’ll love this one, so lets get into it!

No equipment needed

As much as I love making my own sauces and dressings, I can’t lie and say I don’t dread pulling out my food processor for the task. While homemade dressings and vinaigrettes are always worth the extra effort when it comes to taste, it is sometimes a pain to clean all those parts!

That’s why I love this recipe: it’s just 3 ingredients, stirred together. Then you’re ready to pour it over your Mexican street corn kale salad, drizzle it on a taco tower (yep, that’s a real thing!) or use it for dunking a slice of crispy sheet pan quesadilla.

Garlic aioli: is it vegan?

Traditional aioli is vegan as it is made with olive oil, garlic, and salt. Many modern and store-bought aioli recipes use egg yolks as an emulsifier, making them not vegan. 

The pre-made vegan garlic aioli I use is by Hellmann’s and has the certified vegan logo right on the bottle. They have both plant-based mayo and garlic aioli.

Why garlic aioli is the perfect dressing base

• Rich, creamy texture – it provides a luscious, velvety consistency that coats salads beautifully
• Bold, savoury flavour – the garlic-infused aioli adds depth and umami, enhancing the overall taste of the dressing
• Versatile & customizable – it pairs well with various herbs, spices, and acidic elements (like lime juice and cilantro)
• Works beyond salads – it’s not just for leafy greens! This creamy dressing also works as a dip for French fries, a sandwich spread, or for drizzling on tender steak fajitas!

As this is a thicker dressing, I find it is best for more robust salads. It is perfect for sturdier greens like all varieties of kale, chard and even spinach. For the delicate greens like arugula, I personally prefer a vinaigrette-style dressing so the salad doesn’t feel weighed down and clumpy. And while we’re at it, don’t let the word dressing limit you: you can drizzle this one on burrito bowls or tacos, or use it as a dip for quesadillas.

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