This Chipotle Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing is a smoky, tangy, creamy blend that will elevate your meals! With the aggressive heat of chipotle peppers, the fresh tang of lime juice, and the harmony of cilantro, this dressing is a salad changer. Still, also good in tacos, grilled meats, or dip.
Looking for a standard ranch dressing? Try my Cottage Cheese Ranch Dressing (High Protein Low Calorie Ranch) instead.
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Why you’ll love it
- Bold & Smoky Flavor: The chipotle peppers add a deep, smoky heat that complements the zesty lime and fresh cilantro.
- Addictively Good & Tasty: Use salad dressing, taco sauce, vegetable dip, or a marinade for grilled meat.
- Creamy But Light: Rich, creamy, fresh, vibrant, and made with a smooth ranch base.
- Quick & Simple: This dressing takes just a few minutes to mix up with ingredients and a blender.
What you’ll need
This basic dish calls for only a few ingredients. Here are the major items you'll need:
- Mayonnaise & Sour Cream – Delivers a rich, creamy base.
- Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce — add smoky heat and depth.
- Fresh Cilantro – To brighten the flavor.
- Lime Juice – Add acid and brightness.
- Garlic & Onion Powder – Add more savory depth.
- Worcestershire sauce — Adds umami and subtle depth of flavor.
- Salt & Black Pepper – To balance and highlight all the flavors.
- Paprika.
What is adobo sauce?
It is a smoky, tangy, slightly sweet sauce made from dried chili peppers, vinegar, garlic and spices. It’s what you would use to preserve chipotle peppers, infusing dishes with deep, rich flavor and mild heat. It adds its big, smoky essence to marinades, sauces, and dressings in recipes.
How to make chipotle sauce
- In a blender or food processor, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic, honey (if using), salt and black pepper.
- Pulse until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and add more chipotle for heat, lime juice for tang or honey for balance.
- Transfer to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
Substitutions and variations
- Dairy-Free Version – Replace sour cream/Greek yogurt with coconut yogurt or another dairy-free alternate, and replace with vegan mayo as needed.
- Lighter Option — Reduce the number of chipotle peppers, or swap them out for smoked paprika for a less spicy but still smoky flavor.
- Extra Zesty & Herbaceous — Stir in some cilantro or more lime juice for a brighter, more refreshing take.
What to serve with chipotle ranch dressing
- Salads & Bowls — Drizzle over taco salads, grain bowls, or roasted veggie bowls for a smoky, creamy kick.
- Tacos & Wraps – Use as sauce on tacos, burritos, quesadillas or chicken wraps.
- Dipping Sauce – Great for dipping fries, sweet potato wedges, chicken tenders or raw veggies.
- Grilled Meats & Seafood – Use as a tasty topping or marinade for grilled chicken, shrimp, or steak.
Leftovers and storage
- Refrigeration – Chipotle ranch dressing can be kept in an airtight container or jar in the fridge long-lasting for 1 week. Shake before using, as ingredients may separate.
- Not Freezer-Friendly – Is not recommended for freezing due to the dairy content that can cause texture changes, best eaten fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chipotle ranch is a creamy, smoky dressing that has a little kick to it, and it’s made from mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk and chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. It’s seasoned with lime juice, garlic, onion powder, dill, cilantro, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings for a big, tangy kick.
Ranch can be keto, but it all depends on the ingredients. Regular ranch made with mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, and spices is usually quite low carb. But some store-bought varieties may have added sugars, preservatives or thickeners that elevate the carb count.
Homemade chipotle ranch dressing has 1-2 grams of carbs per tablespoon, depending on how high-carb the dressing ingredients are. Store-bought varieties can get in the ballpark of 2–4 grams because of added sugars, so reading labels or making it yourself is the way to go.
If you tried this Chipotle Ranch Dressing or any other recipe on my website, please feel free to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. And remember to tag me on Instagram!
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Recipe
Chipotle Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ⅓ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup mayo
- 1 chipotle chili pepper in adobo sauce
- ⅓ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon Lemon juice
- ⅓ cup cilantro
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a blender or food processor, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt), chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic, honey (if using), salt and black pepper.
- Pulse until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and add more chipotle for heat, lime juice for tang or honey for balance.
- Transfer to a jar or airtight container and refrigerate until needed.
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