A copycat of Cafe Rio dressing (or Costa Vida dressing), this Tomatillo Ranch Dressing is so easy and so flavorful! It takes minutes to make, and is delicious on salads or as a dipper.
Perfect for serving on salads or burrito bowls, this tomatillo ranch dressing is a family favorite!
This is one of those recipes that definitely isn’t new to the world, but I’ve been making is so long that I knew it needed a permanent place here on the blog.
My son constantly asks for this. It’s great on tacos, salads, bowls, and even as a dipping sauce. And the recipe makes a decent amount, so it’s great to make when you are serving a crowd. I love regular ranch dressing, but I really love this Mexican version!
Ingredients
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is a common ingredient in ranch dressing, so it is necessary for that ranch flavor.
- Mayonnaise: The mayonnaise will help to thicken the dressing.
- Sour Cream: Instead of doing all mayonnaise, I like to cut it with some sour cream. It thickens the dressing, but it also helps to make the dressing creamy.
- Tomatillos: Fresh tomatillos are fairly easy to find at most grocery stores. You’ll want to remove their papery skin and rinse them well before adding them.
- Garlic: This recipe calls for both fresh and granulated garlic. If you aren’t a fan of fresh garlic, feel free to omit the fresh garlic.
- Cilantro: This recipe calls for 1/2 of a bunch of cilantro, and I know that is kind of vague, but this is an ingredient that is harder to measure. Plus, the recipe is very forgiving.
- Jalapeno: 1/2 of a fresh jalapeno is usually pretty perfect for us. But if you want more spice, feel free to add in the whole pepper. Remove the seeds and ribs for less heat, or leave them in if you like it spicy.
- Lime Juice: Fresh lime is the best here.
- Spices: This is a typical mixture of ranch spices – garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dill, salt, and pepper. You most likely have all of these in your pantry.
How to Make Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
STEP 1: Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor.
STEP 2: Blend until everything is combined and smooth. Taste the dressing, and add more salt or pepper, if needed. Refrigerate the dressing until you are ready to serve it.
Tips and Tricks
- This dressing might seem a little thin after you first blend it. I like to make it at least a few hours in advance because it will thicken up in the refrigerator.
- If it thickens up too much after being refrigerated, you can stir in some extra buttermilk.
- The jalapeño can also become spicier the longer the dressing is refrigerated, so keep that in mind.
- This will last up to a week in the refrigerator. But we always go through it much faster than that!
- You can easily halve the recipe if you don’t want to make as much.
More Salad Dressing Recipes
Blue Cheese Dressing
Chipotle Ranch Dressing
Avocado Ranch Salad Dressing
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Tomatillo Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 medium tomatillos husks removed and cleaned
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 bunch cilantro
- 1/2 jalapeño seeds and ribs removed for less heat
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- pinch of dill
- pinch of salt
- Black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 medium tomatillos, 1 clove garlic, 1/2 bunch cilantro, 1/2 jalapeño, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, pinch of salt, Black pepper, pinch of dill
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to use. It will thicken up a bit as it is refrigerated.
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