Spinach Avocado Salad with Cilantro Parmesan Dressing

This cilantro dressing has parmesan and is always a team favorite on our studio lunch days. That what makes our salad bar special! 

Best Creamy Cilantro Dressing Recipe

We always get requests from all the creative teams we work with for our creamy cilantro dressing. Previously it was all about our homemade caesar salad dressing and to fulfill another big request, today is about our creamy cilantro dressing. Seriously guys, we’re obsessed with homemade dressings because our team lunches usually always has a big salad. Our salad bars always have all the trimmings, especially with jars of homemade dressings. It’s one of the easiest things to make and folks sometimes are daunted by it but seriously it’s one of the best things you can do for yourself. Homemade dressings can be customized to your own tastes and flavors. Besides, so many store bought dressings have so much sugar so when it’s homemade, you can literally eliminate so much of the sugar and make it your own.

Video of Our Spinach Avocado Salad Recipe

Some folks are turned off by the smell and taste of cilantro, which is totally understandable! Yes, for some, cilantro makes people gag and leaves a really bad soapy taste in their mouths. Do you know of friends like this? If so, this dressing is totally adaptable to using parsley or another herb like basil! Make it a green goddess dressing by using your favorite fresh herbs! There’s so much to enjoy from this dressing because it’s savory, bright and beautiful. Any fresh herb you use will pair well with the lemon, garlic and parmesan. But it’s really the Parmigiano-Reggiano in our version that makes the flavors outstanding. Treat yourself to some fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano and you’ll be in love forever with this dressing or any homemade version you decide to create.

-diane and todd

Folks love our spinach bacon salad with avocado vinaigrette! 

This creamy avocado dip recipe doubles as a dressing!

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5 from 2 votes

Spinach Avocado Salad w/ Cilantro Parmesan Dressing

Yield: 8 Servings

Prep Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

10 mins

 

Some folks are turned off by the smell and taste of cilantro, which is totally understandable! Yes, for some, cilantro makes people gag and leaves a really bad soapy taste in their mouths. Do you know of friends like this? If so, this dressing is totally adaptable to using parsley or another herb like basil! Make it a green goddess dressing by using your favorite fresh herbs!

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

For the dressing

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• Zest of 2 limes
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 cups chopped cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt, or to taste
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan
• 1 teaspoon sugar

For the Salad:

• 6 cups Spinach or Your favorite greens
• Lots of chopped avocado (usually about 2 whole avocados)
• 2 ea Tomatoes , carrots, cucumbers, etc…
• Optional Croutons
• 1/2 cup parmesan shavings
• black pepper , to taste
• lime wedges (optional)

Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a blender (oil, water, mayonnaise, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, black pepper, salt, parmesan, and sugar) until everything is smooth.

2. Assemble the salad: gently combine the spinach, avocado, and whatever other ingredients you like. Toss dressing into the salad when ready to serve. 

Recipe Video

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Article was originally published in 2018 and was updated in 2020.