Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing

This avocado lime ranch dressing is made with buttermilk, avocado, fresh cilantro, spices, and lime for a tangy, zesty twist on a classic salad dressing.

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This recipe was inspired by Chick-fil-A's avocado lime ranch dressing, a southwest-style ranch dressing. My version has no added sugar and is made with avocado, sour cream, buttermilk, mayo, fresh cilantro, spices, and fresh lime juice.

Making this dressing from scratch is worth it! Not only do the fresh flavors POP, but the homemade version is a lower calorie option.

The Chick-fil-a version has about 77 calories per tablespoon. This recipe has 31 calories per tablespoon.

This avocado lime ranch dressing is also low carb at only 3 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of dietary fiber per 3 tablespoon serving.

Use as a salad dressing or dip. Try a drizzle on top of these buffalo chicken thighs.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Equipment
• How to serve
• How to store
• 📖 Recipe
• Knife safety

Ingredients

This recipe calls for a few basic ingredients.

• avocado
• sour cream
• buttermilk
• mayonnaise
• fresh lime juice
• fresh cilantro
• dried dill
• garlic powder
• cumin
• salt
• ground black pepper

See the recipe card below for quantities.

Instructions

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender at low speed until fully combined.

Tip: You can also use a food processer for this step.

Pour into a storage container and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Hint: Allowing the dressing to chill in the refrigerator will thicken the dressing and allow all of the flavors to come together.

Substitutions

While I love this avocado lime salad dressing recipe exactly as it is, I also know that sometimes you gotta work with what you have. Here are a few substitution suggestions:

• Milk - This recipe calls for buttermilk because it gives you that classic tangy flavor of a good ranch. In a pinch, this can be replaced with regular milk and a very small splash of vinegar.
• Sour cream - Sour cream makes this recipe tangy and gives it a thick texture. Plain Greek yogurt is a good alternative.
• Mayo - Mayo tempers the sour ingredients to balance out the flavor of the dressing. For this reason, I do not recommend swapping out this ingredient.
• Cilantro - If you want to replace the fresh cilantro with dried cilantro, use 2 teaspoons instead of 2 tablespoons.

For a vegan option, try this recipe from Debra Klein.

Equipment

• Blender or food processor: I have a Ninja blender that I love.
• Citrus squeezer: A lime juicer is optional. You can juice the lime by hand.
• Dressing container: This is for storing the dressing. I use a mason jar.

How to serve

Serve this dressing on your favorite greens or use it as a dipping sauce for veggies or french fries. This is perfect for carrot sticks and celery.

I've even used it as a dipping sauce for chicken nuggets and my Italian chicken cutlets.

If you're like me, you might just want to lick the spoon.

How to store

Dairy-based salad dressings will last in the refrigerator for up to one week. Using freshly opened sour cream and buttermilk will help it last as long as possible.

Because avocados change color slightly after being exposed to air, it is normal for the dressing color to change slightly.

Store in an air-tight container. I use a 16-ounce wide-mouth mason jar.

📖 Recipe

Knife safety

Always be careful when using a knife in the kitchen.

• Do not hold the avocado in your hand when cutting it. Use a medium-sized knife and keep the avocado on the cutting board rather than in your hand.
• Gently press the back of the avocado to release the pit. It's tempting to whack your knife into the avocado pit, but it's just as effective (if not more effective) to press the back of the avocado with your thumbs to pop out the pit.

To learn more about how to cut an avocado, watch this video from California Avocados.