Creamy Cafe Rio Dressing
A zesty, creamy dressing featuring fresh cilantro, lime, and a smooth cottage cheese base, perfect for salads, tacos, and dips.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: About 1 1/2 cups (approximately 8 servings of 2 tablespoons each) 1x
- Category: Condiment
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves, packed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- Salt to taste (start with ½ teaspoon)
- Freshly ground black pepper, a pinch
Instructions
- Rinse the cilantro leaves thoroughly and pat dry. Mince the garlic finely.
- In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Blend for about 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.
- Add cilantro leaves, lime juice, and minced garlic. Pulse 3-4 times until cilantro is incorporated but still vibrant.
- Add ground cumin, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Blend briefly to mix evenly.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime juice, salt, or sugar as desired. Blend briefly again.
- Transfer dressing to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- If dressing is too thick after chilling, thin with a splash of water or milk to desired consistency.
Notes
Use fresh cilantro for best flavor. Pulse herbs instead of continuous blending to keep color bright. Adjust lime juice gradually to avoid overpowering acidity. Chill at least 30 minutes for best flavor. Thin with water or milk if too thick after chilling. For dairy-free, swap cottage cheese and sour cream with coconut yogurt or cashew cream and use avocado mayonnaise.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
- Calories: 70
- Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 2
- Protein: 5
Keywords: Cafe Rio dressing, creamy dressing, cilantro lime dressing, homemade salad dressing, zesty dressing, easy dressing recipe