This Cilantro Lime Pesto is so versatile you can make dip, dressing, or mayo from it! Using fresh herbs takes the flavor of this cilantro pesto recipe over the top! Forget about traditional pesto recipes and dips, and try these great recipes. They’re the perfect toppings for a variety of foods!
These are all low carb, gluten free, sugar free, & THM friendly. The pesto & mayo are dairy-free – and the addition of fresh cilantro is always a good thing.
The dip is excellent with cut veggies, and the dressing goes really well with taco or grilled chicken salad. The mayo is wonderful on turkey and cheddar lettuce wraps. And to be honest, cilantro lovers will agree that any of them could be used as a delicious sauce, sandwich spread, or perfect topping. The best part? Each option is super simple to make and is a nice twist of flavor to add to any great recipe.
Be sure to check out my Keto Taco Dip and this Jalapeno Popper Dip for more fun flavors.
In this free 5-day email series learn all my tips for incorporating a low-carb lifestyle into the life of your family.
Or use this pesto in my Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad shown below!
Ingredients
Most of the ingredients listed below are used in several recipes, but I’ve broken them up in sections to see.
Pesto Ingredients
- Cilantro leaves – Fresh cilantro can be found easily at the grocery store.
- Cloves of garlic – For flavor.
- Lime juice – I recommend using 1-2 fresh limes.
- Lime zest – Use the zest from your limes.
- Olive oil – To thin out the pesto.
- Salt – For flavor.
Dip Ingredients
- Cilantro lime pesto – Use the homemade pesto for this.
- Mayonnaise – To add a thicker texture for dipping.
- Sour cream – You can also use Greek yogurt.
- Salt – For flavor.
Mayonnaise Ingredients
- Cilantro lime pesto – Use the homemade pesto for this.
- Mayonnaise – Use your favorite brand.
Dressing Ingredients
- Cilantro lime pesto – Use the homemade pesto for this.
- Mayonnaise – Adds texture.
- Greek yogurt – Sour cream can be used, too.
- Almond milk – Thins out the dressing so it can be poured or drizzled.
- Salt – For flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Cilantro Lime Pesto Mayo, Dip, & Dressing
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the steps to each individual recipe. The one directly below is for the Cilantro Pesto.
Step One: Add the pesto ingredients to the food processor.
Step Two: Pulse until smooth. You can chop the cilantro by hand, but it’s much quicker to toss it into a food processor and pulse it for just a couple of minutes. Don’t over-pulse because then it will turn into a paste.
Top Tip💡
Discarding the center of the garlic clove makes the raw garlic less sharp.
Substitutions
- Fresh basil – You can also use fresh basil in place of cilantro to give this recipe more of a classic pesto flavor.
- Sour cream – In the recipe that calls for yogurt, sour cream can be used in its place.
Variations
- Add heat – Red pepper flakes are a simple way that you can add heat to the easy cilantro pesto, or sauces.
- Add nuts or seeds – If you want to add more texture, sunflower seeds, pine nuts, or pumpkin seeds are a great option that also gives flavor.
- Add spinach – Making this into a spinach pesto sounds super yummy – and easy to do!
See this Nut Free Pesto for a great option that anyone can make!
Equipment
A measuring cup, food processor, and airtight container are the most-needed supplies and equipment.
Storage
You have to be sure to store the pesto sauce, dip, and dressing in an airtight container and keep it stored in the fridge. It’s also super important to remember that you might need to stir it before using it – and always use a clean spoon to dip into it to get it out.
Common Questions
I love to actually freeze this in ice cube trays! Then, when you want some sauce, just pop out a cube, and add it to pasta, or your favorite recipe. It’s literally as simple as that.
That really is up to your own personal preference. Since you’re adding the fresh cilantro to the food processor to pulse, you can add the thinner stems and all and it should be good to go. If you are worried about the stems, just cut them off and toss in the leaves of the cilantro.
It has likely separated a bit in the fridge. Just give it a good stir before using it and it should combine back together.
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Cilantro Lime Pesto Mayo, Dip, & Dressing
This Cilantro Lime Pesto is so versatile you can make dip, dressing, or mayo from it!
Ingredients
Pesto Ingredients:
- 1 cup cilantro leaves
- 2 cloves of garlic cut in half and remove and discard the center
- 1 oz lime juice 1-2 limes
- zest from one lime
- 2 oz olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Dip Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon cilantro lime pesto
- ½ cup mayo
- ½ cup sour cream
- pinch salt
Mayo Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon cilantro lime pesto
- ½ cup mayo
Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon cilanto lime pesto
- ⅓ cup mayo
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2-3 tablespoon almond milk
- pinch salt
Instructions
-
Pesto Directions: Process in a food processor until the cilantro and garlic are finely chopped.
-
Dip, Mayo, & Dressing Directions: Whisk ingredients listed for any of the recipes together until smooth.
Nutrition
Calories: 130Carbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 148mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 270IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 5mgIron: 1mg
Originally Published May 10, 2016. Revised and Republished June 17, 2024.