Shake up your salad routine with this zesty chipotle ranch dressing with lime and cilantro! All you need is a few inexpensive ingredients and less than 5 minutes to make homemade salad dressing.
This chipotle ranch dressing is one of my favorite dressings to make at home because it is popping with flavor thanks to the addition of lime juice and cilantro. You're going to want to pour this on everything!
Recipe features
- Filled with classic ranch flavors and smoky, spicy flavor from chipotle peppers
- Made lighter with half Greek yogurt and half olive oil mayonnaise
- Ready in just 5 minutes using 10 ingredients
- Great on salads, bowls, tacos and as a dip!
Ingredients and customization
This dressing uses just a few ingredients but it can easily be customized to meet your preferences.
- Greek yogurt and mayonnaise make up the base. If you are looking for a lighter option you can use 100% Greek yogurt by volume. This will yield a tangier dressing.
- Cilantro and lime add flavor, zest and brightness. One small lime yields about 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
- Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add spice, so if you don't love spicy food I would recommend adding adobo sauce to taste. Chipotle peppers are actually just jalapenos that have been smoked and dried, so they are less spicy than raw peppers.
- Garlic powder, onion powder and salt are added for that true ranch flavor. Adjust these to taste.
How to make
You can make this recipe in a blender or by hand with a whisk.
Blender method: This is really as easy as dump all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Whisking method: If you're using a whisk (I like to use these mini whisks for dressings), I recommend chopping the chipotle peppers up very finely before adding them to the dressing.
Use a whisk to whip the ingredients together until cohesive. Add in an extra tablespoon of water lime juice (depending on your taste preference) to thin as needed.
Recipe FAQ and expert tips
- To use as a sauce or dressing add water a teaspoon at a time to the chipotle ranch dressing thin to drizzle-able consistency.
- Spiciness: This dressing is relatively spicy because of the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce (both ingredients add spice). I recommend starting with the recommend amount of chipotle chili pepper and increasing from there.
- Adjust to taste! Salt, sugar, lime and adobo sauce are the biggest flavor contributors in this recipe. Increase as needed to meet your preferences!
- Waiting vs. eating right away: I recommend letting the dressing chill in the fridge for an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld. You can definitely enjoy it right away if you're like me and can't wait!
I don't have a vegan version of this recipe but this vegan ranch dressing is a good starting point.
Store refrigerated in a closed container for up to a week. It will thicken up a bit in the fridge so you may need to add a small amount of water before using again.
Transfer the chipotle peppers and adobo sauce to a pint sized ball jar or another small freezer-safe container. Keep frozen for up to 3 months. You can let it thaw overnight in the fridge before using or just pop in the microwave for a minute to soften when you're ready to use it again.
Servings ideas
Chipotle ranch goes well pretty much anywhere that classic ranch dressing goes. Here are my favorite ways to enjoy it:
- On green salads, especially any kind of chef's salad
- Fajita veggie bowls
- Served as a dip with tofu nuggets or any kind of nugget
- With veggies like celery, carrots and cucumbers
More recipe ideas
Looking for ways to use up the leftover chipotle peppers? You might like this corn chowder and black bean soup recipe or check out these vegetarian bean burritos for a similar sauce.
This tahini goddess dressing is another of my favorite salad dressings!
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Homemade Chipotle Lime Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 5 ounces plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup olive oil mayonnaise regular will also work
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 finely chopped chipotle chili pepper from a 7 ounce can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon adobo sauce from the can of chipotle peppers
- 1 tablespoon lime from ~½ small lime
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- If whisking, add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Whisk until evenly combined. Add additional lime juice as needed to thin. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- If blending, add all ingredients to a blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional lime juice as needed to thin. Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Refrigerate in a closed container, such as a pint ball jar, for up to one week. If you have time, let chill an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Video
Notes
- Vegan options: If you're looking to make this recipe dairy-free I recommend starting with this vegan ranch dressing as the base.
- Leftover chipotle chili peppers can be frozen in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge or pop in the microwave for a minute when ready to use.
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