Name: Cafe Rio Salad Dressing from the Pot
Yield: 12

No wonder Cafe Rio Salad Dressing is so popular. This creamy cilantro-lime dressing is hard to beat! My flavor-packed copycat is simple to make. Just blend and go!

author’s note

This Cafe Rio Copycat Dressing Is Spot-On!

If you live in Utah, there’s a really good chance you’ve tried Cafe Rio at least once. It’s basically a local legend. The chain started in Salt Lake City and has spread all over the U.S., but for me, it’ll always feel like home. I grew up eating it and loving every bite. It’s known for sweet pork, saucy black beans, and that creamy cilantro ranch dressing that somehow makes everything better. My go-to order is all of that piled over lettuce with tons of dressing, no holding back. It’s unbeatable. Think Chipotle, but with a twist.

As far as I know, you can’t buy their dressing anywhere, so I finally made my own. This version gets a big thumbs up from my kids, my husband, and pretty much anyone who tries it. They all say it tastes just like the original.

Quick Tip

Try some of a reliable recipes with a variation of this dressing — these Shrimp Tacos, this grilled Honey-Lime Chicken, or these one-pot Chicken Burrito bowls.

Process shots-- images of the ingredients being added to the blender and it all being blend together

Cafe Rio Salad Dressing Ingredients

Ingredient	Simple Tip
Ranch mix	I like original Hidden Valley best.
Mayo	Hellmann’s/Best Foods is my go-to.
Sour cream	Low-fat or regular both work. Greek yogurt is too tangy for me.
Cilantro	Use about half a bunch. Loosely scoop into a measuring cup.
Garlic	Pre-chopped garlic saves time.
Lime juice & zest	Use a microplane for zest and a citrus juicer for juice.
Jalapeño	Remove seeds if you want less heat.
Salsa verde	Adds tomatillo flavor with no extra prep. Great for using leftovers in this soup!
Buttermilk	Sub milk or from-scratch buttermilk if needed.

Images of the cafe rio dressing getting buttermilk added and then it being poured into a jar

How To Make Cafe Rio Salad Dressing

This recipe is as straightforward as throwing everything in a blender and letting it whirl.

That said, the secret to a creamy, thick dressing is to blend the ingredients in stages. If the mayo and sour cream are blended with everything else, it will make the dressing much too thin.

Break up the blending into three different phases and be amazed by the results!

Overhead image of Cafe Rio Dressing drizzled over a salad

Storage

Can I Freeze This Dressing?

Freezing dairy-based dressings isn’t recommended since the texture changes and can become lumpy. If you won’t use it all, make a half batch instead.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. Stir or shake before using. If it thickens, add a little buttermilk to thin. Keep it tightly covered to avoid fridge odors.