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Looking for a Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing that’s healthy and delicious? Ready in 10 minutes, this easy recipe combines the best of guacamole, Green Goddess, and Ranch dressings into one magical sauce.
If you love Chick-Fil-A Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing, you’ll love this healthy copycat version.
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Why We Love This Avocado Ranch Dressing
- Avocado dressing is fresher and more flavourful than bottled varieties.
- So easy to make you can whip it up in just 10 minutes!
- With this copycat Chick-Fil-A Dressing recipe, you’ll save yourself a whack of sodium and saturated fats! A one-serving package of Chick-Fil-A Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing contains 310 calories, 32 grams of fat, and 520 mg of sodium. This dressing features buttermilk and yogurt, which are lower-fat options.
- Avocados contain good-for-you, heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, and almost 20 vitamins and minerals.
- Lots of variation and versatility. The ingredients can be changed up a bit to match your personal tastes. Get creative and enjoy it on salads, tacos, grilled vegetables, or as a dip for tortillas and crackers.
- There’s no cilantro in this dressing! For some people, a genetic quirk means cilantro tastes like soap! They’ll be grateful there’s no cilantro in this dressing.
Ingredients
Making avocado lime ranch at home uses mostly staple ingredients with the addition of a few fresh produce ingredients. Everything is easy to find in most grocery stores.
- Avocados: The best avocado for dressing is the Hass avocado (persea americana), easily identifiable by its dark green bumpy skin. It’s the creamiest, richest in taste, and easiest to remove from the skin. It also happens to be widely available in supermarkets across North America.
- Aromatics: A bit of chopped onion and fresh garlic create a nice rich base of flavor in this dressing.
- Creaminess: The consistency of the dressing is made creamier by the addition of yogurt, buttermilk, and Hellman’s light mayonnaise.
- Acidity: Apple cider vinegar and freshly squeezed lime juice add a nice amount of acid to add a tangy flavor to the dressing.
- Olive oil: Just a touch to give the dressing additional volume.
- Seasoning: Oregano, salt, and pepper.
If you have a bounty of avocados, you can also use them to whip up a batch of Easy Guatemalan Guacamole.
How to Store Avocados
Do you wonder how to store avocados and keep them fresh longer after buying them at the store or cutting into one? Here are some tips for storing them.
- Store leftover avocado in the refrigerator.
- To prevent it from turning black after it’s cut, store it with the seed inside and cover the inside flesh to prevent air from discolouring it. I love to use the Evriholder Avo Saver Avocado Holder, 2 pack. Not only does the holder have a strap for holding the avocado in place, but there’s a nice indentation for the seed.
- It’s also possible to freeze fresh avocados. Just wash the avocado thoroughly, slice it in half, remove the seed, cover each half tightly in plastic wrap, and place it inside a freezer bag. Remove the air with a straw or vacuum sealing machine. Store in the freezer for three to six months.
Variations
- For a lower-calorie version of this avocado dressing, increase the amount of plain yogurt and substitute water for the buttermilk. Add the water slowly, one tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.
- Turn it into a guacamole dip. Reduce the amount of buttermilk for a thicker consistency that’s a terrific dip for vegetables, crackers, or tortilla chips.
- Add cumin, thyme, and more mayo to get a version closer to Chick-Fil-A’s Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing.
If you enjoy making homemade dressings, you might also like to try Taco Bell Creamy Jalapeno Sauce or Prickly Pear and Chia Salad Dressing.
How to Make Avocado Lime Salad Dressing
Here’s an overview of making this easy avocado lime dressing. See the recipe card for detailed instructions.
- Wash the avocado thoroughly. Then, slice each one in half, remove the pit and scoop out the pulp.
- In a food processor or blender, puree the avocado, onion, mayonnaise, garlic (crushed), yogurt, and buttermilk until smooth.
- Add the vinegar, olive oil, oregano, fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper.
- Blend the mixture until everything is incorporated and it’s creamy.
- Add water until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Serve immediately. Or chill and store covered in the refrigerator.
How to Store
- Avoid using metal salad dressing containers as they will cause a reaction and discolour your dressing. Opt for a plastic or glass container.
- Store it in the refrigerator in a container that doesn’t allow much air space. I’ve found that a 12-ounce (355 ml) plastic or glass container works perfectly for leftover dressing. If there’s any space at the top, cover it with plastic wrap.
- This dressing will look and taste delicious for up to five days when stored properly
How to Serve Avocado Lime Salad Dressing
In addition to pouring this velvety avocado dressing over green salads, tacos and tostadas, grilled vegetables, and grains, scoop it up with crackers and tortilla chips.
- Add it to salads and grain bowls with all sorts of ingredients. Prepare all the elements of your salad in advance. But dress it just before serving to preserve its bright green colour.
- Use it as a topping for tacos, tostadas or burrito bowls. I love it drizzled on Salpicón de Pollo – Chicken Salad Tostadas. It’s also tasty on a Chicken Burrito Bowl.
- Add it to wraps and sandwiches. Slather it inside chicken, beef, or veggie wraps before you roll them up.
- Enjoy it as a topping for grilled meats, vegetables, and side dishes. It adds a wonderful creamy lime-infused tang to Black Beans and Rice – Arroz Negro.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- Make sure to use fresh, ripe avocado for the best color, flavor, and creaminess.
- Store leftovers well covered in the fridge to make them last longer.
- Get creative with ways to use it to add a punch of flavor to all types of foods!
This is important to know because at many markets in Guatemala, Mexico, and around the world, vendors don’t want you touching the fruit or vegetables. They will choose for you or you can visually look for a perfectly ripe avocado. Choose one where the stem has fallen off and the skin is not wrinkled, blemished, or dented.
Generally, if an avocado has tough skin or cascara on the outside, it will be soft on the inside. A ripe avocado should yield to firm, gentle pressure, but not collapse or feel mushy.
If your avocados aren’t yet ripe, ripen them on the counter or in a brown paper bag, never in the fridge. Within a few days, it will be ready to use in your avocado salad dressing.
More Delicious Sauce and Salsa Recipes
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a comment further down if you REALLY like it. Thanks!
Creamy Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
Equipment
- blender or food processor
- Knife
Ingredients
- 3 ripe avocados hass
- 1/3 cup onion white and chopped finely
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup Hellman's light mayonnaise or homemade
- 1 clove garlic (small) crushed
- 1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the avocados, cut each in half, remove the pit. Scoop out the pulp.
- In a food processor or blender, puree the avocado, onion, mayonnaise, garlic (crushed), yogurt and buttermilk until smooth.
- Add the vinegar, olive oil, oregano, fresh lime juice and salt and pepper and blend until incorporated.
- Serve immediately or chill and store covered in refrigerator.
Notes
- Store avocado salad dressing in a plastic or glass container to preserve its bright green colour.
- Another tip for preventing the avocado dressing from discolouring is to store it in the refrigerator in a container without much air space. I’ve found that a 12-ounce (355 ml) plastic or glass container works perfectly for leftover dressing. Cover with plastic wrap.
- If stored properly, this dressing will look and taste delicious for up to five days.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in 2014 and was retested, updated and rephotographed in 2021 and 2023.
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Dividing her time between Canada, Guatemala and Mexico (or the nearest tropical beach), Michele Peterson is the founder of A Taste for Travel. Her award-winning travel and food writing has appeared in Lonely Planet’s cookbook Mexico: From the Source, National Geographic Traveler, Fodor’s and 100+ other publications.
Read more about Michele Peterson.
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Sangita
What a delicious recipe!
Chef Dennis
I am really loving this dressing! It looks really tasty.
ANGELA
Delicious! Never missing on my salads is this Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing. Thank you
Maureen
This dressing can literally go on almost anything. Love!
Addison
So creamy and delicious!! Yum!
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
This salad dressing looks so creamy and delicious!
Lilly
I love this dressing! I put it on everything!
Kristina Tipps
Everything about this salad looks and sounds so refreshing. I am not particularly fond of mayo, so I am going to double up on the yogurt. Do you think this will work? I absolutely love using yogurt for marinades and dressings. I love how healthy this salad is, right in time for spring and summer. I think it’s going to become one of my weekly lunch salads.
Michele Peterson
Yes, you can totally vary the combination of mayo, yogurt and buttermilk according to your taste preference.
Raquel
This dressing looks fantastic for salads and as a nice sauce for Mexican dishes too!
Emily Kydd
Great photos, Atitlan is gorgeous! Loved it when I was there, and mmmm the foooooood!!!!
Heather
This looks scrumptious – trying it out tonight!
alison @GreenWithRenvy
Nothing better than a good recipe inspired by a wonderful travel experience. Can’t wait to try this as a dip with all the great vegetables appearing at the farmers market this time of year. Looks delicious!
Suzanne Jones
She was a savvy vendor! There’s nowhere like a local market for picking up a real feel for a place. The dressing looks delicious…
sarah
Your photos are beautiful and bring back memories of our recent stay at Lake Atitlan. We only had 3 weeks in Guatemala but we absolutely loved it and can’t wait to go back. I never got even a whiff of the crime that is reported to be so prevalent…not to say it isn’t there but it certainly isn’t as in your face as some report. I will definitely be trying that recipe!
Susan
You had me at “avocado”….
Kristin Henning
Thanks for the recipe, and gorgeous photos.
Agness
It looks delicious and very easy to make. I love avocado and I have it regularly in my smoothies :).
Lori Bosworth
I have to bring a summer salad to the annual family barbecue so I think I’ll make your avocado dressing for that occasion! Amazing that the women are still washing their clothes in the lake. It must be quite clean!
A Cook Not Mad (Nat)
That looks like a great recipe! Will definitely try it.
Anita @ No Particular Place To Go
We visited Santiago Atitlan and three other villages located on Lago Atitlan for a few days last year and I have to agree with you that it’s one of our favorite destinations as well. The colorful dress of the people who live there, the beauty of the weavings that the women’s co-ops make and the stunning scenery are hard to describe. Great job with the photos!
Carole Terwilliger Meyers
What a yummy souvenir!
Michelle
Guatemala looks so heavenly and I’m so happy to find a recipe that me ( a vegetarian) can eat that looks so mouth watering! Thank you for the directions on how to make this dressing!
Anda@ Travel Notes & Beyond
What a gorgeous picture of Lake Atitlan! Your recipe sounds very tasty. I love avocado, so I think I’ll try it for my next party.
esperanza
Such a beautiful country and so much sorrow which I hope is just a sad memory. The recipe for avocado dressing sounds delicious and I wish I could buy a big bag of them as pictured. Will have to make do with the local produce but I’m sure it will taste lovely
Neva @ Retire for the Fun of it
Beautiful and amazing views of this place that you captured so well. I’m curious now if the women want to continue washing clothes and not change or if the new area doesn’t have the cleanest facilities for them to want a change.
Michele Peterson
Hi Neva…thanks for stopping by! From what I heard the women prefer to wade right into the cool lake waters and wash their clothes on a rock rather than do their laundry beneath a hygienic (but sterile) washing facility. I don’t blame them….the water looked very inviting. I noticed abandoned washing facilities in other villages and heard the same reason so I suspect it may have some truth to it.
Lesley Peterson
Glorious photos! I’d love to visit Guatemala someday. Oh to have so many fresh avocadoes at hand. The dressing sounds delicious.
noel
That dressing looks nice and easy, something I would love to try making…i love visiting markets like this and tasting local foods.
Patti
Whenever I get the perfect avocado it just makes me happy happy happy. I love Hass avocados, there is just something about them; give me some salt and pepper and a fork and I’m in heaven. And as much as I love avocados, I’ve never made a dressing with them so I guess it’s about time to start!
Corinne
I will definitely have to try this dressing. It looks yummy. I need to go to Guatemala still.
Linda ~ Journey Jottings
We’re blessed with avocados growing on the trees around us here on the east coast of Australia so I’m always grateful for new avocado recipes!
Another one I tried recently was avocado/cacoa mousse which seemed like an odd combination for a dessert, but which was delicious!! 🙂