This bold and vibrant Thai Cilantro Dressing is packed with fresh herbs, zesty lime, and savory fish sauce. Perfect for salads, grilled meats, noodle bowls, or as a dipping sauce—it’s fresh, flavorful, and easy to make!
More Thai dressings and sauces to try: Thai green seafood sauce, Nam Jim Jeow, Prik Nam Som, Prik Nam Pla, easy Pad Thai sauce, and tamarind dipping sauce.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Bright, fresh, and herbaceous flavor
- Perfect balance of tang, sweetness, and umami
- Quick and easy to blend in minutes
- Customizable heat level for every palate
Ingredients
- Fresh cilantro (leaves and stems) – The star of the show! This vibrant herb brings bright, citrusy, and slightly peppery flavor that’s essential in Thai sauces and salads. Don’t toss the stems—they’re full of bold flavor too!
- Fresh lime juice – Adds a zesty, citrusy brightness that’s essential in Thai salad dressings and sauces.
- Garlic cloves – Brings bold, aromatic flavor—classic in Thai chili sauces and dipping sauces.
- Shallot – Adds mild sweetness and depth, perfect for balancing spicy Thai flavors.
- Salt – Enhances all the other ingredients and rounds out the tangy-sweet-spicy profile.
- Fish sauce – A must-have in Thai cooking, this umami-packed ingredient adds salty, savory depth.
- Honey, palm sugar, or agave – Brings the signature sweetness to Thai sauces. Choose your favorite natural sweetener.
- Green Thai chilies (optional) – For that fiery kick! Use as many or as few as you like to control the spice.
- Water – Helps thin the sauce to the perfect pourable consistency for tossing with salads or dipping.
How to Make Thai Cilantro Dressing
- Prep the cilantro. Wash the whole bunch thoroughly and roughly chop—stems included! They hold tons of flavor.
- Blend everything. Add cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce, sweetener, garlic, shallot, chilies, and a splash of water to a food processor. Blend until it’s your desired texture.
- Taste and store. Adjust lime, saltiness, or sweetness to your liking. Use right away, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Shake well before using!
Ways to Use This Cilantro Dressing
- Drizzle over fresh salads or grilled meats
- Toss with rice noodle bowls or vermicelli salads
- Use as a dipping sauce for spring rolls or grilled seafood
Helpful Tips
- Layer your blending – Add liquid ingredients first to help the blades catch everything more easily.
- Double the batch – This dressing goes fast! Make extra and use it throughout the week.
- Use it as a marinade – It’s not just a dressing—try it on chicken, tofu, or shrimp for bold Thai flavor.
- Freeze leftovers – Pour extras into an ice cube tray and freeze for single-serve portions later.
Top Tip
For less heat, remove the seeds from the chilies or use milder green peppers like banana peppers, poblano, shishito, Cubanelle, or green bell peppers. Leave the seeds in for extra spice!
How to Store Leftovers
Shake or stir well before each use. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze in small containers for easy thawing.
Other Thai Recipes You’ll Love
- Moo Yang Recipe (Thai Grilled Pork Neck)
- Easy Thai Beef Salad Recipe
- Authentic Spicy Thai Shrimp Salad (Pla Goong)
- Mango Ice Cream (No Churning!)
FAQ
Yes, substitute with soy sauce or tamari for a vegetarian version.
Yes! The flavors actually get better after chilling overnight. You can make it up to 2 days in advance—just give it a good shake before using, as it may settle while sitting.
More Thai Sauces to Check Out
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
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Easy Cilantro Dressing
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
This bold and vibrant Thai Cilantro Dressing is packed with fresh herbs, zesty lime, and savory fish sauce. Perfect for salads, grilled meats, noodle bowls, or as a dipping sauce—it’s fresh, flavorful, and easy to make!
Ingredients
- 1 bunch (about 2 scup) fresh cilantro leaves and stems, packed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 6 cloves of garlic
- 1 oz shallot, chopped into chunks
- 1–10 small green chilies (optional, for heat)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey, palm sugar, or agave
- ⅓ cup water
Instructions
- Prep the cilantro. Wash the whole bunch thoroughly and roughly chop—stems included! They hold tons of flavor.
- Blend everything. Add cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce, sweetener, garlic, shallot, chilies, and a splash of water to a food processor. Blend until it’s your desired texture.
- Taste and store. Adjust lime, saltiness, or sweetness to your liking. Use right away, or refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days. Shake well before using!
Notes
- Layer your blending – Add liquid ingredients first to help the blades catch everything more easily.
- Double the batch – This dressing goes fast! Make extra and use it throughout the week.
- Use it as a marinade – It’s not just a dressing—try it on chicken, tofu, or shrimp for bold Thai flavor.
- Freeze leftovers – Pour extras into an ice cube tray and freeze for single-serve portions later.
- Prep Time: 8
- Cook Time: 2
- Category: Sauces
- Method: food processor
- Cuisine: thai
Hi there, I’m Suwanee!
I'm the person behind this Thai food blog. I spent thirteen years of childhood in Thailand, where I was first introduced to the flavors of Thai cooking. You are in the right place if you: Love to cook Thai food. Come by often, and let's get cooking!
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