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!
Spinach Avocado Salad w/ Cilantro Parmesan Dressing
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 1/2 cup (30 ml) oil
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup (225 g) mayonnaise
- Zest of 2 limes
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice
- 2 cups (30 g) chopped cilantro
- 2 cloves (2 cloves) garlic , minced
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) kosher salt or sea salt, or to taste
- 3/4 cup (75 g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) 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)
Instructions
- 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.
- Assemble the salad: gently combine the spinach, avocado, and whatever other ingredients you like. Toss dressing into the salad when ready to serve.
Video
Nutrition
Article was originally published in 2018 and was updated in 2020.
This is my favorite cilantro dressing. I don’t think I could ever go back to any other cilantro dressing. This one really beats them all.
Sounds great! Can you sub yogurt for the mayo for my mayo-hating husband?
Hi Sarah, Yes you can use yogurt and it should still be delicious. The bit of tang from the yogurt sounds awesome. Enjoy!
This is the best cilantro dressing ever. I’m never having any other ever again.
I’m a self-proclaimed cilantro fiend and this is the best cilantro dressing recipe I’ve ever tried.
Love it! I want it all!
Great recipe! I’d add some pine seeds to the salad
Love this recipe, looks super, great pics, thanks for sharing.
Wow, that dressing looks divine. Must be sooo delicious! I can’t wait to try it =)
Thank you for another wonderful recipe! I do have a question, though: The first ingredients is “2 T oil *see head note”. I don’t see a note anywhere about oil. I apologize if I’ve just missed it but, if so, could you point me to it?
Thank you, A
@Amy: You can choose to see the ingredients in either US Customary or Metric units – there are two options at the end of the Ingredient List. I guess that’s what the headnote is about.
Summer Perfection at its’ peak ! Thank you so much !