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Tomatillo Lime Ranch is a lick the plate, punchy & tangy, savory salad dressing from Cafe Rio. All you have to do is throw the ingredients in the blender and you’re on your way to flavor town.

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Cafe Rio Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

I know this is technically a salad dressing, but don’t keep it in that box, okay? Tomatillo Ranch Dressing is ridiculously versatile. And yes, it is magic in copycat Cafe Rio salads. But it is also the MVP in Mexican rice bowls, an A+ dip for quesadillas and a “I can’t believe how good this is” sauce on tacos. I seriously love this stuff!

I recommend pairing this with my other Cafe Rio Copycat Recipes: Sweet Pork and Cilantro Lime Rice. You’re welcome.

A full spread of cafe rio recipes. A bowl of cilantro lime rice with a spoon sticking out of it next to a carafe of tomatillo ranch dressing.

Ingredients in Tomatillo Ranch Dressing

Jalapeño, deseeded – You can also use the pre-cut jarred version!
Small tomatillos, husked, washed and cut in half
Buttermilk – Don’t have buttermilk on hand? No problem! You can make your own buttermilk substitute.
Milk
Mayonnaise
Ranch dressing mix – I use one packet of the hidden valley ranch mix!
Garlic powder
Lime juice – You can use a fresh lime, but I just use the bottled lime juice for ease.

Close up of a pile of cilantro next to a serving bowl of cafe rio style sweet pork and tomatillo lime ranch.

How to Make Creamy Tomatillo Ranch

Get ready for the easiest recipe ever!

Place all of the ingredients into a blender. Pulse until well combined.
Store in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to allow the ranch to thicken a bit.
Enjoy!

How should I store Tomatillo Ranch Dressing?

I pour excess Cafe Rio dressing into a mason jar and store in the fridge. This dressing will last until your milk expires, usually a week or so.

A serving dish of Tomatillo lime dressing. Across the bottom it says "cafe rio tomatillo ranch. copycat | from scratch | easy"

Pair this with…

A carafe of tomatillo lime ranch dressing sitting on the counter.

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Tomatillo Ranch Dressing (Cafe Rio)

By: Karli Bitner

Tomatillo Lime Ranch is a lick the plate, punchy & tangy, savory salad dressing from Cafe Rio. All you have to do is throw the ingredients in the blender and you’re on your way to flavor town.

Prep Time: 10

Servings: servings

Ingredients

Instructions

Place all of the ingredients into a blender. Pulse until well combined.
Store in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving to allow the ranch to thicken a bit.
Enjoy!