No wonder Cafe Rio Salad Dressing is so popular. This creamy cilantro-lime dressing is hard to beat! My flavor-packed copycat is simple to make. Just blend and go!
author’s note
This Cafe Rio Copycat Dressing Is Spot-On!
If you live in Utah, there’s a really good chance you’ve tried Cafe Rio at least once. It’s basically a local legend. The chain started in Salt Lake City and has spread all over the U.S., but for me, it’ll always feel like home. I grew up eating it and loving every bite. It’s known for sweet pork, saucy black beans, and that creamy cilantro ranch dressing that somehow makes everything better. My go-to order is all of that piled over lettuce with tons of dressing, no holding back. It’s unbeatable. Think Chipotle, but with a twist.
As far as I know, you can’t buy their dressing anywhere, so I finally made my own. This version gets a big thumbs up from my kids, my husband, and pretty much anyone who tries it. They all say it tastes just like the original.
Quick Tip
Try some of my favorite recipes with a variation of this dressing — these Shrimp Tacos, this grilled Honey-Lime Chicken, or these one-pot Chicken Burrito bowls.
Cafe Rio Salad Dressing Ingredients
| Ingredient | Simple Tip |
|---|---|
| Ranch mix | I like original Hidden Valley best. |
| Mayo | Hellmann’s/Best Foods is my go-to. |
| Sour cream | Low-fat or regular both work. Greek yogurt is too tangy for me. |
| Cilantro | Use about half a bunch. Loosely scoop into a measuring cup. |
| Garlic | Pre-chopped garlic saves time. |
| Lime juice & zest | Use a microplane for zest and a citrus juicer for juice. |
| Jalapeño | Remove seeds if you want less heat. |
| Salsa verde | Adds tomatillo flavor with no extra prep. Great for using leftovers in this soup! |
| Buttermilk | Sub milk or homemade buttermilk if needed. |
How To Make Cafe Rio Salad Dressing
This recipe is as easy as throwing everything in a blender and letting it whirl.
That said, the secret to a creamy, thick dressing is to blend the ingredients in stages. If the mayo and sour cream are blended with everything else, it will make the dressing much too thin.
Break up the blending into three different phases and be amazed by the results!
Storage
Can I Freeze This Dressing?
Freezing dairy-based dressings isn’t recommended since the texture changes and can become lumpy. If you won’t use it all, make a half batch instead.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. Stir or shake before using. If it thickens, add a little buttermilk to thin. Keep it tightly covered to avoid fridge odors.
Quick Tip
Looking for a vegan version of this sauce? Try the sauce from these Mexican Chickpeas. It’s creamy, flavorful, and vegan!
More Mexican-Inspired Favorites:
Cafe Rio Salad Dressing
Video
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning mix
- 3/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped jalapeño see note 1
- 1/4 cup salsa verde see note 2
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Zest lime with a zester to get 1 teaspoon zest. Juice lime using a citrus juicer to get 2 tablespoons lime juice. Set aside. In a blender or food processor, combine the dry ranch mix, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, zest, jalapeño, salsa verde, salt, and pepper. Blend until well combined.
- Add in mayo and sour cream. Blend until incorporated; don’t overblend or mix. Finally, add in the buttermilk and pulse just enough to mix through. If you’d like a thinner dressing, add a few additional tablespoons of buttermilk until you reach desired consistency.
- Taste and add any additional seasonings to preference. Chill until ready to serve. As you chill the dressing the flavors intensify!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If this is Cafe Rio Tomatillo dressing, why aren’t there any tomatillos in it? Tomatillos are healthy.
Salsa verde is made from tomatillos 🙂
Hi, How long would you say a batch is good for once made?
About 5-7 days, but you will need to re-blend/stir it up after a day of sitting in the fridge 🙂
I have made this a few times and it so delicious! Thank you for sharing it.
So great to hear!! I’m glad you enjoy it! Thank you for the comment! 🙂
OMG!!! I am so making this ASAP. Cafe Rio is my fave 🙂
I’ve never had the cafe rio dressing before but I love how creamy and delicious it is!
Pouring all over my salads!
Thanks Katalina! 🙂
Oooh, this looks yummy! I’m not familiar with cafe rio, but I trust that this is delicious! Thanks for sharing Chelsea!
Thank you Amber! 🙂
I’ve never heard of cafe rio dressing before, but this does look delicious! I love that it’s easy to adjust the spices to your preference. I think I would pour this dressing over everything!
Thank you Gayle 🙂
That is so bizarre.
I just came here to see if you had any good dressing recipes, as I’m making a tortilla thing with split peas and lentils tonight for dinner and this looks perfect. Can’t wait to try it out 🙂 Thanks.
Haha too funny!! 🙂 I hope you LOVE this! Thanks for the comment!
This is so creamy and delicious! I love remaking recipes at home 🙂