This fun dressing for Spring and Summer goes by several names online; in essence it’s a riff on the sauce you’ll find at the likes of Cafe Rio and Cost Vida. It’s a creamy, zesty, salty and herbaceous riot that works well on a range of Tex-Mex dishes. It would work well on salads and sandwiches too.
My own recipe is slightly spicier and more robust than others you will find.
Once made, the sauce will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator but I find it will start to split around day three or so. I usually toss it at that point. Due to that, I tend to make the dressing in smaller quantities. I typically use half the following recipe:
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dip packet
- 2 large tomatillos
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 lime juice of
- 2 jalapeños
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Peel and rinse tomatillos, roughly chop.
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Peel and roughly chop garlic. Roughly chop cilantro (leaves and stems are fine) and jalapeño.
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Add all ingredients to blender, and blend until creamy smooth, about one minute.
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Transfer to refrigerator immediately and chill before using for ideal results.
Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC – Utah’s biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows.
I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen. Follow along on Instagram too!