This Lemon Balsamic Cilantro Dressing is bright, zesty, and bursting with fresh flavor. The tangy lemon and rich balsamic vinegar pair perfectly with the fresh cilantro, creating a dressing that’s light yet bold.
About This Recipe
If you’ve been around here for any amount of time, you know my secret to making all macro-friendly foods taste delicious is the sauces and dressings!!
This Lemon Balsamic Cilantro Dressing was originally written for my Wild Rice and Kale Salad, but is delicious on any salads, bowls, or grilled meats!
For this dressing, I use lemon balsamic vinegar from Baker and Olive, but you can definitely use regular balsamic vinegar in this salad recipe. To get that sweet lemon flavor, you’ll just want to use lemon juice instead of water and add a little honey to taste.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cilantro: Fresh cilantro brings a vibrant, herby flavor that brightens up the whole dressing and pairs perfectly with the citrus and balsamic.
- Low-fat cottage cheese: This provides the creamy base while also keeping the dressing (oh, and adds protein too!).
- Balsamic vinegar: The star of the dressing! I love using fruity vinegars from Baker and Olive, especially the lemon-flavored one. it adds incredible flavor, but if you don’t have it, any light balsamic will work just fine.
- Dijon mustard: Adds a subtle tang and helps the dressing blend together smoothly.
- Olive oil: Use a high-quality olive oil here.
- Water: Swap for lemon juice if your balsamic isn’t lemon-flavored.
- Ground cumin and salt: A touch of spice and seasoning that ties all the flavors together, giving the dressing warmth and balance.
Dietary Adaptations
GF/DF: To make dairy-free, swap the cottage cheese for plant-based sour cream or Greek yogurt.
How To Make
- Add all ingredients to the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth!
More Healthy Dressing Recipes To Try
- Jalapeño-Avocado Dressing
- Herb Yogurt Dressing
- Creamy Lemon-Basil Dressing
- Macro-friendly Green Goddess Dressing
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Lemon Balsamic Cilantro Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup cilantro 40g
- ½ cup low-fat cottage cheese 113g
- ¼ cup balsamic vinegar 60g, extra delicious if you have lemon balsamic*
- 1 Tbsp. dijon mustard 15g
- ½ Tbsp. olive oil 7g
- 1 Tbsp. water 15g, swap for lemon juice if your balsamic isn’t lemon flavored
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the jar of a blender. Blend until smooth!
Notes
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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This looks amazing but I live in Costa Rica where cottage cheese is expensive. Could I use a yogurt instead?
Brit- YES! I sub Greek yogurt in for cottage cheese for all of Lillie’s sauces. It works well but depending on the brand or type of yogurt you use, the sauce could be more runny or thick. Still, a very good sub.