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    Home » Sauces

    Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing

    By Emmeline Kemperyd on August 18, 2020, updated March 12, 2022 - 10 Comments

    Total time: 5 minutes minutes
    5 from 6 votes
    Jump to Recipe

    Done in just 5 minutes this avocado lime ranch dressing is delicious served as a salad dressing, sauce or dip. Avocado and lime combine with the classic ranch flavors to create a delicious, lighter, new twist, and it's easy to make with store bought mayonnaise.

    side view of a bowl full of avocado lime ranch with garlic in the background

    Why you will love this recipe

    • It's quick - 5 minutes from start to finish, or less!
    • It's easy - just mix and serve, we even use store bought mayo!
    • Fresh lime flavor lightens up this classic ranch
    • Avocado makes it healthier than your classic ranch with an all-dairy base

    What you need to make it

    ingredients needed to make avocado lime ranch dressing

    Ingredient notes

    • Mayonnaise - store bought is fine, and can be swapped for greek yogurt for a healthier version
    • Cilantro can be omitted or swapped for parsley
    • Avocado should be perfectly ripe but not over-ripe

    How to make it

    collge showing how to make avocado lime ranch
    1. Place salt and minced or pressed garlic in a bowl
    2. Mash together with a fork
    3. Add the avocado, mash it with a fork and mix with the salt and garlic
    4. Add the mayonnaise, ground black pepper, paprika powder and cayenne pepper and mix well
    collage showing how to add lime and cilantro to avocado lime ranch
    1. Squeeze in the lime
    2. Mix together
    3. Mix in the cilantro
    4. And done! Refrigerate for 15 minutes if you have the time, or serve immediately.

    Tips & tricks

    • To deepen the flavor, refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving
    • Adjust seasoning to suit your taste - maybe you like more or less lime or more or less cayenne pepper?
    • Adjust the thickness depending on what you're using it for. To make it thinner, add some milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. To make it thicker, use less sour cream.
    • Store in the fridge for up to 5 days - it might change color slightly due to the avocado, but will still have all the taste.
    • Make it healthier by using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise

    Recipe FAQ

    How do I know if avocados are ripe?

    First of all - the color has nothing to do with it. Some avocados are brown, and some are green.

    Perfectly ripe avocados are soft, but not too soft. To find these, start by checking the little knob at the top of the avocado, where it came off the branch. Press it lightly and if it gives easily, the avocado is at least ripe - but if it gives too easily it can be over ripe.

    So I like to do a second test - I place the avocado in the palm of my hand and squeeze it gently using my whole hand (if you poke it with your fingertips you risk damaging the avocado) and if it gives only slightly, it's good. If it gives a lot or unevenly it's over ripe or damaged.

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    How do I ripen avocados quickly?

    To make avocado ripen faster, place them in a paper bag together with an apple. Check a few times a day and within a day or two the avocados should be ripe.

    How do I store avocados?

    Unripe avocados are best stored in room temperature, either as they are or in a brown paper bag with an apple to make them ripen quicker. They should never be stored in the fridge as this will stop the ripening process.

    Ripe avocados should be stored in the fridge, as this stops the ripening process and will keep them from going bad for longer.

    top down view of a bowl full of avocado lime ranch with garlic in the background

    How to serve it

    • Drizzled over salmon tacos
    • Instead of a guacamole to dip chips or veggies in
    • With chicken quesadillas
    • As a side sauce: for example for Lemony Barbecued Chicken
    • On top of a salad: for example, swap out the tahini dressing for this roasted sweet potato salad

    More 5-minute sauces

    Love quick & easy sauces, like this one? Then I think these are just what you need:

    • Chipotle Ranch Dressing
    • Whipped Feta Cheese (Tyrosalata)
    • 5-minute Blue Cheese Sauce [Keto, Vegetarian, Gluten Free]
    • 2-minute Gluten Free BBQ Sauce
    • Lime Aioli from Scratch

    Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
    ...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.

    Recipe

    side view of a bowl full of avocado lime ranch with garlic in the background

    Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing

    5 from 6 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Sauce
    Cuisine: North American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 168kcal
    Cook time: 5 minutes mins
    Total time: 5 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 1 garlic clove minced or pressed
    • â…› teaspoon salt
    • 1 avocado ripe, pitted and peeled
    • ½ dl mayonnaise*
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika powder
    • â…› teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • ½ lime juice of
    • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro chopped
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Place minced or pressed garlic and salt in a bowl and mash together with a fork.
      1 garlic clove, â…› teaspoon salt
    • Add the avocado, mash with a fork and mix with the garlic and salt.
      1 avocado
    • Add mayonnaise, ground black pepper, paprika powder and cayenne pepper and mix well.
      ½ dl mayonnaise*, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon paprika powder, ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • Mix in fresh squeezed lime juice followed by chopped cilantro.
      ½ lime, 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
    • (Optional) Refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving, to let the flavors deepen. Then serve as a salad dressing, sauce or dip.

    Equipment (may contain affiliate links)

    • Garlic press*
    • Measuring spoons*
    • Measuring cups (metric or US)*

    Video

    Notes

     

    Ingredient notes

    • Mayonnaise - store bought is fine, and can be swapped for greek yogurt for a healthier version
    • Cilantro can be omitted or swapped for parsley
    • Avocado should be perfectly ripe but not over-ripe
     

    Tips & tricks

    • To deepen the flavor, refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving
    • Adjust seasoning to suit your taste - maybe you like more or less lime or more or less cayenne pepper?
    • Adjust the thickness depending on what you're using it for. To make it thinner, add some milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. To make it thicker, use less sour cream.
    • Store in the fridge for up to 5 days - it might change color slightly due to the avocado, but will still have all the taste.
    • Make it healthier by using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise

    Nutrition

    Calories: 168kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 244mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

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    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Soniya

      August 18, 2020 at 8:24 pm

      Wow! Love homemade dressing and this looks amazing..live the addition of avocado 🥑

      Reply
      • Emmeline Kemperyd

        August 20, 2020 at 8:36 am

        Thank you Soniya!

        Reply
    2. SHANIKA

      August 18, 2020 at 7:52 pm

      5 stars
      I'm so loving the creaminess of this sauce! Avocados + Lime is such a great combo!

      Reply
      • Emmeline Kemperyd

        August 20, 2020 at 8:37 am

        Thank you, Shanika! Love that combo!

        Reply
    3. Amy Desrosiers

      August 18, 2020 at 6:14 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so good! I love how avocado and lime pair together so perfectly! This is no exception!

      Reply
      • Emmeline Kemperyd

        August 20, 2020 at 8:37 am

        Thank you, Amy! Yep avocado & lime makes anything awesome!

        Reply
    4. Sharon

      August 18, 2020 at 6:06 pm

      5 stars
      This avocado lime ranch dressing is my new favorite to top everything from salads to tacos and dipping appetizers in.

      Reply
      • Emmeline Kemperyd

        August 20, 2020 at 8:37 am

        Love to hear that, Sharon! Thanks!

        Reply
    5. Haley D. Williams

      August 18, 2020 at 6:04 pm

      5 stars
      I want to put this on everything! It's so creamy and zesty. Delicious!

      Reply
      • Emmeline Kemperyd

        August 20, 2020 at 8:37 am

        Me too girl, me too! Thanks for commenting!

        Reply
    5 from 6 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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