Five minutes is all you need to whip up the Creamy Avocado Dressing! Delicious, healthy and perfect on your favorite salad!
I’m always looking for a new way to dress my salad. I LOVE making my own salad dressings and I just went back to the archives and counted about 50+ different salad dressings. Obsessed much?
Usually when I have salad I tend to take the ranch route because I love the way it clings to the lettuce leaves. And also because, well it’s ranch and ranch dressing is just plain awesome. The downside is that it isn’t so easy to whip up from scratch on a whim. However, since I’ve been consuming my weight in avocados lately I wanted to make a salad dressing out of a lonely ripe avocado that only had a day or so left before it became too soft, and eventually inedible.
Got five minutes? Then I suggest you make this healthy and lusciously creamy avocado salad dressing for sure!
To make This Creamy Avocado Dressing you will need:
- avocado – Use 1 large or 2 smaller avocados.
- garlic – Use 1 to 2 cloves depending on preference.
- lime juice – Freshly squeezed is best.
- avocado oil – Or use extra light olive oil.
- kosher salt – Start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust to preference.
- freshly ground black pepper – Adds distinct bite and flavor.
How to get Ripe Avocados to LAST:
The trick to storing ripe avocados so they last is a no-brainer, it’s easy and effective and has saved me SO much money. First buy hard to the touch, bright green avocados and allow them to ripen on the counter. Once they are black, soft to the touch (NOT squishy) pop them into the fridge. Here is where they will last for quite a few days! You guys this has changed my life and I owe this trick to my sisters. No more wasted avocados!
Start by scooping out the flesh of 1 large avocado and add it to your mini food processor with 1 to 2 cloves peeled garlic, 1/2 a lime (juiced), 2 tablespoons avocado or olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon. salt and pepper to taste.
Alternatively, if you don’t have lime juice, lemon may be substituted.
Having a mini food processor will help make this whole process easier. I use mine ALL the time and it’s one essential kitchen appliance I highly suggest owning. They’re fairly cheap and great for small batch recipes like this one.
Next, secure the lid and puree until smooth. Also, make sure to scrape down the sides as you go.
Thin out dressing:
Lastly, if you want thinner dressing, pour in a little water at a time to thin it out to a desired consistency, I like to add 1/4 cup.
Finally add this dressing to your favorite leafy green salad or substitute it for mayo in a chicken salad! You could also eat it with tortilla chips or even a spoon. With that said, this may be the best creamy avocado salad dressing ever!
Enjoy! And if you give this Creamy Avocado Salad Dressing recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Creamy Avocado Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 large avocado
- 1 clove garlic, peeled
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, or avocado oil
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- water, as needed (I add up to 1/4 cup)
Instructions
- In a mini food processor add the peeled clove of garlic, avocado, lime or lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides a few times. Thin the salad dressing out with a little bit of water (1/4 cup or more) until it reaches a desired consistency.
- Keep in an airtight container for at least a week, but 3 to 4 days is best.
Notes
This recipe was originally posted on April 14, 2014 and has been updated with clear and concise instructions, new photography and helpful information.
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This avocado dressing looks wonderful, I eat several avocados a week and never seem to tire of them. Will try this dressing next. Looks very healthy.
I have all these ingredients at home, minus he lime but I do have lemons. This is going on my salad tonight and for the rest of the week. It looks divine. Saved and pinned!!
Love this! Avocado’s are one of my favorite foods! And I’m with you on the ranch dressing. I’m excited to try this soon!
This looks amazing and so healthy!
With snow on the ground this morning, you have no idea how much this dressing makes me happy!
Ikr? I really love to visit beaches in LA, but sadly I’m stuck in London
That’s funny! My food processor is called “The Beast”. I usually have my avocados in the salad, not on top. Will definitely have to try this.
I love how creamy this dressing is! Sounds absolutely amazing!
Gorgeous dressing, Laurie! We adore avos at our house and I cannot wait to make this! Thanks for sharing, girl.
This dressing! Oh my gosh, so beautiful! Definitely making this this weekend—I had a sad experience with an avocado the other day (brown, despite seeming perfect on the outside), so I need to make up for it with this!
That color! Girl, this is avo-friggin-mazing!!!
I might have to go the spoon route with this dressing because I don’t think I’d have the patience to wait to even pour it on a salad. It looks too good!
Does this look delicious or what..!!! I’d love to have this some time really soon. I can truly imagine myself adding this to my summer salads. Thank you!
I am all for consuming more avocados. This gloriously green dressing looks amazing!
All I can say is THANK YOU!! This dressing is amazing. Instant classic for my family!
I’m so completely ecstatic that you made this! Thank YOU Kathryn!
I am SO making this Laur! WOWOW!
Brilliant idea! I bet it would be great on tacos, as a dip, spread on sandwiches…
Delish! Just made it and called Liquid Avocado for Ceviche tostadas. Did not have olive oil so used avocado oil and doubled the lime juice.
Yay! So happy to hear it!
Yum!!!!! Will this keep in fridge if you make it in advance (or have leftovers)??
Had a taste for an iceberg wedge with bleu cheese, classic. Wanted to use a perfect avocado with a tang of pico. This is the perfectly light and luscious recipe! I addedroasted garlic, fresh cilantro and slice of red onion when I pureed it. Add chopped Kumato (Trader Joes always has them) tomatoes on top of the dressed lettuce then sprinkle chunky bleu or gorgonzola and a nice warm bagette with a glass of pinot gris, and voila! Elegant, fresh decadent dinner. Macerated balsamic strawberries for dessert. Thanks for the recipe. It is a keeper!
Yummm. This dressing is delish!! Do you have any recommendations of recipes you can put this dressing on? I’m trying to eat more salads and would like to vary them up a bit.
I wanted some kind of avocado dressing for the salad I made for dinner tonight. I’m so glad I ran across your recipe, my fiancé and I agree that this is freaking awesome! I made asparagus (blanched & shocked in ice water) with cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, and feta. Then I mixed in the avocado dressing, and WOW, what a great combo! Thanks so much for sharing!
Also – LOVE the idea for using this to make chicken salad, definitely going to try that sometime!
Great picts- love the commentary. How long do will it last in the refrig?
Hi Pamela! If kept in an airtight container in the fridge, it should last about a week 🙂
Would you be able to post the nutrition facts for this? I tried this dressing on a spinach salad with chicken, cheese and tomatoes and it’s now my favourite! But I am doing Atkins diet and am wondering how many carbs are in it 🙂
I also added a little bit of coconut milk to the dressing and it was awesome. Thank you for posting!
Has anyone tried freezing this? I’m thinking of making a larger batch.
I made this today.
My son and I loved it ,will be making this a lot I’m sure
Made this tonight for my salad. Love it…Next time I will make a larger batch!
Super easy and delish! I’m going to drizzle it over veg & black bean tostadas. A little cumin would be a good addition.
This looks great, and I am definitely going to try making this tonight. I wonder, if you wanted a bit of tang to it, would it taste okay to sub half the water for rice wine vinegar?
this looks like the recipe from bon apetite that was served over poached salmon ,chilled.. excellent
Just made this and it was delish! Thanks.
Just wanted to thank you for this fabulous recipe. Ever since I had avocado dressing at a local restaurant I’ve been trying to find bottle or a recipe that would do. This fits the bill wonderfully. My avocados were rather small so I used 2, and added a bit more lime juice. Voila! And it even looked like your picture. Thanks again.
I did the same because i only had 2 small avocados. Instead of water, I used oat milk that i had made earlier. I think it made this amazing dressing even more creamy and decadent!! Loved it! Thanks for this recipe!
How long can I keep this in the refrigerator?
Do we know how many calories this is per Tablespoon? We are making this tonight…but was curious about calories.
Hi June! I just entered the ingredients into an app and it’s telling me it’s roughly 100 calories per serving (or 2 tablespoons). I hope this helps! 🙂
I’ve made this dressing 3 times this week. Also nice with coriander stalks or sub lime for the lemon. So delicious
This reminds me of my Avocado Pesto. I love it!
The only difference is I add a few pine nuts, some basil and a jalapeño.
Serve at room temperature over your favorite pasta and you can freeze any remaining Pesto in a jar.
As long as you use a few tablespoons of either lime or lemon (I use lemon), it will not brown.
Sounds divine!
This is seriously a 5 minute recipe people!!! I was looking to replace a ranch dressing since I cannot have dairy and just figured out I have a coconut sensitivity….this fit the bill of creamy and tasty!!! I used my immersion blender and it worked just fine.
I’m so glad Lynnea! Thanks for coming back and leaving a comment! <3
how long does it last in the fridge??
Hi Andrea! I’d say it would last up to a week in a container with a tight fitting lid, but in my opinion it’s best within 3 to 4 days. Enjoy!
I just made this and it was a bit bland for my tastes so I added an 1/8th of a tsp of whole mustard seed, upped the garlic, and a tablespoon of Amatriciana (Dried onion, tomato, and chili pepper). It’s wonderful thank you.
Ooooh I like your additions!
Thought of this recipe randomly and looked it up to find that it’s a real thing! I added sriracha and paprika and chili powder for extra taste and spice. Also, I was out of olive oil so I used coconut oil instead and still turned out great.
Hi Crystal! I love your add-ins, especially the coconut oil!
A thickened version of this can be used as a non-mayo alternative for tuna salad or chicken salad – so yummy!
Great tip, Liz!
Hello! How long does this keep, and what’s your recommendation for storage? Just want to know if i can make a batch for a week of lunches on Sunday and still have it be good by friday!
Hi Gina, keep the dressing in an airtight container for at least a week, but 3 to 4 days is best. 🙂
OMG so delicious and fast to make.. I can’t stop eating it. ; ;
This is amazing. Take out the garlic and us apple juice instead of water. Pour to taste and then add water to get the consistency you like.
Loved your dressing! Thanks for sharing. I’m thinking of the various versions I can make for each week…add cilantro, change up lemon juice for orange juice, etc.
I’m so glad! I’d love to hear which versions you give a try!
I just made this. It is delicious!
Amazing
Never buying vegan mayo again!
This is soooo good!
I made this but kept it a little thicker and added on my BLT. Was soooo good
I made this today as a mayonnaise for my salad it was so good. Thanks will sure be making it again.
Great idea, Nicole!
Just made this dressing and used it on a bed of mixed greens topped with grapefruit and orange pieces, slivered onion, feta cheese and sprinkled with chopped nuts. Very yummy!
You are right. I could eat the dressing with a spoon!
I’m so glad Verlene!
Love this! Avocado’s are one of my favorite foods!
Just made this and it was delish! Thanks.
I’m so glad! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
This is so delicious. i put it on baked salmon with a few diced tomatoes on top. . Yum, yum, yum!!!
That sounds amazing, Missy!
OMG! I just made this and I added some sun dried tomatoes from my garden…. so so yummy! I also added more salt and pepper
Ooooh! I love the sundried tomato addition!! I’ll have to try that next time!
I started making my own salad dressings last summer and I can no longer eat the store-bought ones. I found this looking for an avocado dressing without mayo. It is delicious. Next time I’m gonna try adding some herbs or spices to give it a little kick.
I’m so with you! In fact, here’s a link to all my dressing and vinaigrette recipes, in case you’re interested. 🙂
Just added a heaping tbsp of full fat plain Greek yogurt. Yum.
Brilliant!
This dressing is awesome. Thanks for the recipe. I was looking for something quick and simple for my salad and most of the ingredients I already had. It is
delicious…Mmmmm.
I’m so glad, Jackie!
Have a question about the food processor will it chop up like chia seeds and other seeds too. Like if you want to make smoothies?
Can it be used for that too?
Hi Penny, I haven’t had to test that out before so I don’t know. Sorry!
Can you use this immediately after making?
Yep!
This is SO good! If you love avocados I definetly recommend making this. It was hard to resist to just eat this as is lol thank you for this great recipe 🙂
I’m so happy to hear it, Alexia!
Looking good! Thanks.
I’m glad!
I made this fabulous smooth and tasty dressing today and it came out great.
I’m so glad, patreese!
I absolutely Love the taste!! I want to eat it on everything! Thanks for this recipe!
How many carbs does it contain?
Hi Kate! I haven’t figured it out, but I believe there are apps out there that can. 🙂
My avocados were starting to spoil and there was no way to eat them all in one sitting-problem solved! Prepared this avocado dressing and made pasta salad, w/ a few of my fave veggies and grilled salmon: delish! Best part, my littles love it! Thank you!
That’s amazing! I’m so glad you all enjoyed this recipe.
I love your creamy avocado salad dressing, its soo easy to make. Thanks
Thank YOU, Sue!
Is it possible to make your creamy avocado dressing and freeze it in individual portion sizes? Thank you
Hi Kay! I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure but I would think so!
I made this today and it was absolutely delicious! I didn’t add the oil since avocados already contain a lot of oil so I just added creamy coconut milk until the whole thing was the consistency I like (didn’t add water, either). It didn’t take much and the coconut flavor did not come through (which I wouldn’t have wanted). I also added a bit of raw onion to the processor. Thank you for sharing the recipe; it’s a keeper, for sure!
I’m so glad to hear it, Annie! Thank YOU for taking the time to make this recipe and leave such a stellar review! I appreciate it!
If this recipe yields 2 cups of dressing and you use 1/8 cup on your salad, the calorie count for the serving is 48. Not bad!
We are big avocado fans and I get tired of store bought dressings with so many preservatives. Made this and used on top of romaine lettuce with some craisins. Put dressing on top of that and the topped with sautéed salmon. Absolutely delicious and without the preservatives. I can see how easy it will be to custom for different menus. Thank you for this easy, healthy recipe. I only use avocado oil for everything.
I’m so glad, Paula! Thank you for taking the time to not only make the recipe but leave such an excellent review as well!
Made the recipe tonight with an overly ripe avocado. I followe the recipe exactly but had some fresh cilantro on hand. It’s delicious! The mini processor made it really easy to throw together in no time. Will definitively make it again. Yummy!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this dressing, Sarah! Thanks for taking the time to leave such a great review. I appreciate it!
So I made this today to go with my salad and had a couple extra avocados laying around. I changed it up a bit…added some peel from the lime to get the more texture and a half of serrano chili to give it a little kick, lastly I used heavy cream instead of the water delicious
I had a couple of avocados that I need to use up so I found this recipe with a google search. It’s my first time making it, but it’s really good after mixing it all up. Next time I might try extra light olive oil, but I would hesitate to make this again when I don’t want an avocado or two to go bad, good find!
This was incredible! I made it last night subbed lemon for lime. I added two cloves of garlic and it had a little kick to it. Thanks so much for this delicious and easy recipe.
This dressing is absolutely delicious! I rarely comment on recipes but had to leave one. A nice creamy recipe with wonderful flavour. Healthy and so easy to put together. Thanks.
So glad you liked it, Joy!
Made this tonight, and served it over a spinach salad. It was REALLY good! The only thing I did different was to double the amount of garlic, and sauté the garlic in the olive oil (and chill it a bit) before making the dressing. Yum!
So glad to hear it, Kevin! I’ll definitely try your method, sounds amazing!
Yum!
I used buttermilk to thin the dressing, because I had 1/2 a pint needing use.
Left it the consistency of mayob& put on a roast beef sandwich with homegrown tomato.
2 Die 4
Sounds incredible, Debby!
I tried this dressing excellent. I found some nice avocados at the store just the right amount of ripe and on sale too! I might add that it makes a great dip for tortilla chips. I also added a touch of hot sauce to the recipe for a little zip. I will be saving this recipe as I plan on making it again.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Daria! Love the addition of hot sauce too!
Delicious! I add some white wine vinegar to thin it out a bit more.
I’ll have to make adjustments. I’m in Miami, Florida and will use avocadoes from the yard . Thwy don’t turn black whe rpe; just a lighter shade of green and I believe they are laarger. Would I need to double the ingredients to accomodate the largeer size?
I make essentially the same thing. I add a bit of chopped jalapeno or powdered chipotle. I add chopped red onion to the pureed mix if it is just for me.
Thanks for sharing this Creamy Avocado Dressing!
Thanks for sharing this Creamy Avocado Dressing recipe , will love to try this one. Definitely gonna try this recipe.
This looks amazing! Thank you for sharing the recipe! I will definitely try it some day:))
Yummy and easy…Quick to create!
I only had 1/2 avocado but used whole clove garlic juice of 1 small lime 1 tablespoon of olive oil salt, pepper to taste and h2o to thin and popped in the frig. Thank you it’s creamy and tart. Best recipe I have tried so far
I just made your dressing. It was very easy to make. I added extra garlic. It taste great! One question. The extra ripe has brown spots on the inside. I removed them prior to making the dressing. Should they be removed ?
Hi John! Glad you enjoyed the recipe! I personally would remove them as they gross me out ! But I think it’s up to the person.
AMAZING!
Would love recommendations on mini food processors please
Rich and creamy. We loved it. I USED 1/2 A LEMON AND MORE THAN 1/4 C WATER JUST TO MAKE IT A LITTLE LESS THICK. YUM
Can you freeze this dressing?