Creamy Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing (Copycat Recipe)

This creamy Cafe Rio tomatillo dressing is made with tomatillos, ranch seasoning, cilantro, lime, jalapeño, mayonnaise, and buttermilk. This recipe is as close as you’re going to get to the original. So creamy and delicious, you’re going to want to drink it. Fresh tomatillos really give this dressing the amazing flavor that you’re going to love.

What is a tomatillo?

A tomatillo is a small, green, spherical fruit that looks like a small tomato. In fact, tomatillo means “little tomato” in Spanish. The tomatillo plant, which is a relatively disease-resistant member of the nightshade family, originated in Mexico. Tomatillos can be eaten raw or cooked. They’re perhaps most often associated with salsa verde.

The famous Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo dressing is part of the Cafe Rio experience. This “fresh mex” restaurant started out in Utah and is now located all over the western United States and several locations now in Maryland.

This Cafe Rio Tomatillo dressing is not only delicious on a salad but yummy

poured over burritos
tacos
quesadillas
sandwiches
and used as a creamy vegetable dip

Cafe Rio Dressing Ingredients

1 (1 ounce) packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix or better yet my HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING MIX
Buttermilk / 1 cup
Mayonnaise / 1 cup
Tomatillos / 2 (husks removed and chopped)
Garlic clove / 1 minced
Cilantro / ½ bunch chopped
Lime juice / 1 tablespoon (more to taste or if you want the dressing a little more runny)
Jalapeno / 1 seeds removed (if you prefer a more spicy dressing, leave the seeds in)

Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing Instructions

1- Place all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor.

2- Blend until smooth.

3- Place in the refrigerator for an hour to chill before serving.

4-Serve as a dressing over the salad or as a dip for veggies and chips.

Recipe Tips

Use real buttermilk. If you need to substitute milk and vinegar, start with only ½ cup of the mixture and then add a little at a time until you get your preferred consistency.

Creamy Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing (Copycat Recipe)

Jan Howell

A delicious creamy dressing with tomatillos, ranch seasoning, cilantro, lime, jalapeño, mayonnaise, and buttermilk.

Prep Time10 min
Total Time1 hr 20 min
Ready in1 hour 10 minutes
Yield10 servings

Cuisine
- Mexican
Course
- Salad

INGREDIENTS

- 1 (1 ounce) packet if Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix or better yet my HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING MIX
- Buttermilk / 1 cup
- Mayonnaise / 1 cup
- Tomatillos / 2 (husks removed and chopped)
- Garlic clove / 1 minced
- Cilantro / ½ bunch chopped
- Lime juice / 1 tablespoon (more to taste or if you want the dressing a little more runny)
Jalapeno / 1 seeds removed (if you prefer a more spicy dressing, leave the seeds in)

INSTUCTIONS

1

Place all the ingredients together in a blender or food processor.

2

Blend until smooth.

3

Serve as a dressing over salad or as a dip for veggies and chips.

Jan Howell

My intention for this website is to share tips and tutorials that I have found on my journey of life that has brought me joy, improved health, and peace, in hopes that it will do the same for you. I hope you'll join me on this journey!

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Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

Cafe Rio cilantro copy cat recipes salad dressings

Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix Copycat – No MSG

Do you want the yummy goodness of a tasty Italian Salad Dressing, but don’t want the MSG or added sugar? You’re going to love this copycat Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix recipe.

This mix will not only make a delicious salad dressing, but you can also use it in marinades, dips, casseroles, and whatever recipe you have that calls for an Italian Dressing mix packet.

With only TEN simple ingredients, of which you most likely have already in your pantry, you’ll save money and enjoy a flavorful dressing without the MSG that’s in the store-bought mix.

As far as the sugar goes, I list it in the ingredients with a limited amount. I omit it completely when I make it without any loss in flavor. (Totally up to you).

But as you can see in the photo above, sugar is the number one ingredient in the Good Seasons Italian dressing mix. Not cool, if you’re avoiding sugar. MSG is not listed in the ingredients. However, in most cases, when “spice” is listed, it usually means MSG. You can read more about the issues with MSG HERE.

Most of you already know that any kind of processed food is going to have some downsides. Obviously, the more we can eat unprocessed food, the better. I’m not perfect in this arena, but I do try to eat more whole foods, plant-based diet and I do feel better when I do.

This dressing mix recipe has simple, straight forward ingredients that I think you’ll like. You can use the mix in other recipes and it also makes a good marinade for chicken and a really good meat rub.

How much does this recipe make?

The mix includes enough for THREE batches of dressing, or THREE store-bought dressing packets.

If you prefer to make up only enough for one batch of dressing, you can half the recipe. However, I recommend making the full batch. Why do all that measuring over and over if you think you’ll be making more?

Italian Dressing Mix Ingredients

DRIED BASIL – 2 teaspoons
DRIED OREGANO – 2 Tablespoons
GARLIC POWDER – 2 Tablespoons
CELERY SALT – 1/2 teaspoon
DRIED PARSLEY – 2 Tablespoons
SALT – ½-1 Tablespoon
BLACK PEPPER – 2 teaspoons
DRIED THYME – ½ teaspoon
SUGAR (optional) – ½-1 Tablespoon

*2 Tablespoons of mix equals one store-bought packet.

Italian Dressing Mix Instructions

Place all ingredients in a small mixing bowl and whisk together. *(If you want a finer and smoother consistency dressing, you can grind the herbs in a coffee grinder or herb grinder).

I like to make up a bulk batch so I don’t have to get out all the herbs and measure every time that I want to make the dressing.

How To Store The Mix

I recommend storing the mix in an airtight glass container. A simple glass pint jar works great, and I love these little plastic mason jar lids. I use them a ton!!!! Make sure you label the jar. If you’re like me, you’ll forget what that lovely mix of herbs is or what to do with it. I’ve simply used a strip of painters tape and a sharpie to label this jar.

This dressing is not only good over a pile of lettuce and greens, but it is also so yummy used in a pasta salad. The flavor in the dressing goes so well with fresh basil, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, and pasta. YUMMY!

Italian Salad Dressing Recipe

2 Tablespoons of Italian mix (Listed above)
1/4 cup vinegar
3 TB water
1/2 cup olive oil or canola oil
Shake before using it.

*Makes 1 cup dressing

Pour in a glass jar and refrigerate. Shake well before pouring. The dressing will separate quickly as there are NO emulsifiers. (Which is a good thing)?

The dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

I found and love these little mason jar salad dressing lids.

This salad dressing is also really good over leftover quinoa with some cucumbers, cut up tomatoes, chopped black olives, feta cheese, and whatever else you want to throw in.

Italian Dressing Dip

1-2 Tablespoons mix
16 oz. plain yogurt or sour cream

Mix well and serve.

GOOD SEASONS ITALIAN DRESSING MIX COPYCAT – NO MSG

Jan Howell

Do you want the yummy goodness of a tasty Italian Salad Dressing, but don’t want the MSG or added sugar? You’re going to love this copycat Good Seasons Italian Dressing Mix recipe.

Use this mix for salad dressing, marinades, dips, casseroles, and whatever recipe you have that calls for an Italian Dressing mix packet.

Prep Time5 min
Total Time5 min
Yield3 Salad Dressing Packets

Course
- Salad
- Condiments and Sauces

INGREDIENTS (*2 Tablespoons of mix equals one store-bought packet.)

DRIED BASIL – 2 teaspoons

DRIED OREGANO – 2 Tablespoons

GARLIC POWDER – 2 Tablespoons

CELERY SALT – 1/2 teaspoon

DRIED PARSLEY – 2 Tablespoons

SALT – ½-1 Tablespoon

BLACK PEPPER – 2 teaspoons

DRIED THYME – ½ teaspoon

SUGAR (optional) – ½-1 Tablespoon

INSTRUCTIONS

1

Place all ingredients in a small
mixing bowl and whisk together. *(If you want a finer and smoother consistency dressing, you can grind the herbs in a coffee grinder or herb grinder).

I like to make up a bulk batch so I don’t have to get out all the herbs and measure every time that I want to make the dressing.

Notes: *Makes 1 cup dressing

Jan Howell

My intention for this website is to share tips and tutorials that I have found on my journey of life that has brought me joy, improved health, and peace, in hopes that it will do the same for you. I hope you'll join me on this journey!

Share:

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Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

copy cat recipes recipes salad dressing salad dressings salads

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix – No MSG

Ranch dressing is a staple in most kitchens, including mine. However, the dressing in our home has no MSG, Maltodextrin, or other unknown “spices” because I have been making my own ranch dressing for years.

It seriously tastes just like the Hidden Valley version, perhaps even better.

I am going to give you the recipe so you can make up your own homemade Ranch Dressing Mix. More information on MSG.

Only SIX ingredients!

While you are measuring out ingredients, you might as well make enough for several batches.

This will save you a lot of time. The recipe below will make enough for four batches. Each batch has approximately 16, 2 tablespoon servings.

FOUR batch recipe

Garlic powder, 1 tsp.
Dried Onion Flakes, 4 tsp.
Dried Parsley Flakes, 2 Tablespoons ( or 4 Tablespoons fresh)
Black Pepper, 2 tsp.
Salt, 2 tsp.
Onion Powder, 2 tsp

Simply add all the ingredients to a jar and shake well. Label the jar and store it with the rest of your spices.

Use 1 TB of the mix to make dips, salad dressing, and other recipes that call for Ranch Dressing Mix.

Single batch

Here is the breakdown for a single batch.

Garlic powder, 1/4 tsp.
Dried Onion Flakes, 1 tsp.
Dried Parsley Flakes, 1 Tablespoon ( or 2 Tablespoons fresh)
Black Pepper, 1/2 tsp.
Salt, 1/2 tsp.
Onion Powder, 1/2 tsp

Ranch salad dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup buttermilk ( if you don’t have buttermilk, no worries). Add one tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, and add enough milk until it measures 1 cup
Add 1 TB of dry mix listed above.
Whisk well and enjoy!

The flavor will improve after sitting a bit.

You may be interested in the Italian Dressing Recipe.

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix – No MSG

Jan Howell

A basic ranch dressing that goes great with everything.

Prep Time5 min
Total Time5 min
Yield4 Batches
Meta LabelLabel Value

Course
- Condiment
Attribute Label
- Attibute Values

Ingredients

Dressing Mix

- Garlic powder, 1 tsp.
- Dried Onion Flakes, 4 tsp.
- Dried Parsley Flakes, 2 Tablespoons ( or 4 Tablespoons fresh)
- Black Pepper, 2 tsp.
- Salt, 2 tsp.
- Onion Powder, 2 tsp
*2 Tablespoons of prepared mix equals one store bought packet.Simply add all the ingredients to a jar and shake well. Label the jar and store with rest of your spices.

Single Batch

- Garlic powder, 1/4 tsp.
- Dried Onion Flakes, 1 tsp.
- Dried Parsley Flakes, 1 Tablespoons ( or 2 Tablespoons fresh)
- Black Pepper, 1/2 tsp.
- Salt, 1/2 tsp.
- Onion Powder, 1/2 tsp
Use the mix to make dips, salad dressing and other recipes that call for Ranch Dressing Mix.

Ranch Salad Dressing

- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk ( if you don’t have buttermilk, no worries). Add one tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, and add enough milk until it measures 1 cup
- Add dry ingredients listed above.
- Whisk well and enjoy!
The flavor will improve after sitting a bit.

INSTUCTIONS

1

Add all ingredients to small glass jar and shake well.

2

2 Tablespoons of mix equals 1 store bought packet.

Jan Howell

My intention for this website is to share tips and tutorials that I have found on my journey of life that has brought me joy, improved health, and peace, in hopes that it will do the same for you. I hope you'll join me on this journey!

Share:

Connect:

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

homemade ranch dressing msg free ranch dressing salad dressings salads

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe – MSG and High Fructose Corn Syrup FREE

If you have been to the Olive Garden restaurant then you know how yummy their Italian salad dressing is. If not, you need to try it. The dressing is available in most stores, but have you checked out the ingredients? It’s not too bad, but if you are trying to AVOID high fructose corn syrup or MSG, and you would like it to have better quality oil, then this recipe is for you! It tastes spot on delicious without all the yucky stuff added.

What is so bad about High Fructose Corn Syrup anyway?

Dr. Mark Hyman stated in an article from the Huffington Post why you should NEVER consume High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS).

“In America today, we are eating huge doses of sugar, especially high fructose corn syrup. It is sweeter and cheaper than regular sugar and is in every processed food and sugar-sweetened drink. Purging it from your diet is the single best thing you can do for your health!”

In this post from Dr. Axe, he gives some interesting information.

9 dangers of eating High Fructose Corn Syrup

1. Weight gain

2. Cancer

3. Fatty liver & liver stress

4. Increased cholesterol levels

5. Diabetes

6. High blood pressure

7. Heart disease

8. Leaky gut

9. Increased mercury intake

What are your options for alternatives?

One of my favorite mentors on health and nutrition is Robyn Openshaw. I have been following her for many, many years and she hasn’t ever steered me wrong. She now has a podcast that I am going HIGHLY recommend you start following! In podcast #10 Robyn goes over the good, the bad and the ugly of sugar. Not only does she talk about how bad the stuff is for us, she gives some great ideas of what to use to sweeten our foods. Love it, and love her!

What is the deal with MSG?

MSG, monosodium glutamate is a flavor enhancer added to thousands of the foods you and your family regularly eat, especially if you are like most Americans and eat the majority of your food as processed foods or in restaurants. It is highly addictive and makes food taste better.

Most people DON’T know that MSG has been linked to brain damage, tumors, and lesions, nervous system and endocrine problems. You can see many studies (144 at last count) at pubmed.com on how rats have been injected with MSG to make them obese for studying diabetes.

Dr. Mercola in his opening statement from a post on his website said,

”A widespread and silent killer that’s worse for your health than alcohol, nicotine and many drugs is likely lurking in your kitchen cabinets right now.”

He is referring to MSG.

I don’t like to cause alarm and bring FEAR into eating, however, I do feel driven to share some of these things that I have learned with you. In our home, we have been trying to clean up our eating habits for many years. We have done it a little at a time and and most of it seems like second nature now. We read labels, we avoid high fructose corn syrup, we haven’t drank milk for over 7 years, and we avoid things with MSG like the plaque. It is a process that you go through a little at a time, once you become aware of what is good and what isn’t.

Make adjustments a little at a time

I know it may not seem like a big deal, because EVERYONE is eating this stuff. You may also be thinking that you can’t avoid it, but you CAN and you NEED to. Start reading labels and be brave enough to just put it back on the shelf if it has these substances in it. It is NOT worth it! Doesn’t it always go back to eating as many WHOLE FOODS as possible? Easier said than done, I know. Do the best you can, enjoy food, enjoy eating it.

Enough of that stuff. Let’s get back to information on how to make a yummy salad dressing that you won’t have to stress over.

This is what you need

1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian Dressing Mix I make my own using this awesome recipe, or you can use one Italian Season packets that come in the store. However, make sure there are no nasty ingredients in there.
¼ cup white distilled vinegar
¾ cup olive oil, or avocado oil can be used
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ Tablespoon mayonnaise

This is what you do

Simply add all the ingredients to a glass jar and shake. I love these plastic lids. These lids come in handy for so many things. You can get them here.

The dressing will settle and separate, as no emulsifiers have been added (this is a good thing!)
Give it a good shake when you are ready to use it.

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe – MSG and High Fructose Corn Syrup FREE

Jan Howell

This is a spot on Olive Garden Salad dressing without the MSG and High fructose corn syrup.

Prep Time5 min
Total Time5 min

Course
- Dressing

Ingredients

- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian Dressing Mix I make my own using this awesome recipe, or you can use one Italian Season packets that come in the store. However, make sure there are no nasty ingredients in there.
- ¼ cup white distilled vinegar
- ¾ cup olive oil, or avocado oil can be used
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ Tablespoon mayonnaise

INSTUCTIONS

1

Simply add all the ingredients to a glass jar and shake.

So there you have it! Wasn’t that simple?

See, eating healthy doesn’t have to be HARD or complicated. I hope this gives you a resource for a yummy, healthy dressing.

Enjoy preparing, and eating a yummy salad!

Cheers!

Jan Howell

My intention for this website is to share tips and tutorials that I have found on my journey of life that has brought me joy, improved health, and peace, in hopes that it will do the same for you. I hope you'll join me on this journey!

Share:

Connect:

Jan Howell

Whether it’s a new recipe, a fun craft, or some handy tips for your garden and home, I hope to empower and inspire you with skills that you can use to create joy, improved health, and to do it in a simple way.

green smoothie girl healthy eating High Fructose Corn Syrup msg free Olive Garden Italian Dressing Robyn Openshaw salad dressings

What is a tomatillo?

Cafe Rio Dressing Ingredients

Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing Instructions

Recipe Tips

Creamy Cafe Rio Tomatillo Dressing (Copycat Recipe)

INGREDIENTS

INSTUCTIONS

Jan Howell

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Jan Howell

Related Posts

How much does this recipe make?

Italian Dressing Mix Ingredients

Italian Dressing Mix Instructions

How To Store The Mix

Italian Salad Dressing Recipe

Italian Dressing Dip

You may also like my

GOOD SEASONS ITALIAN DRESSING MIX COPYCAT – NO MSG

Jan Howell

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Only SIX ingredients!

FOUR batch recipe

Single batch

Ranch salad dressing

Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix – No MSG

Ingredients

INSTUCTIONS

Jan Howell

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Jan Howell

Related Posts

What is so bad about High Fructose Corn Syrup anyway?

9 dangers of eating High Fructose Corn Syrup

What are your options for alternatives?

What is the deal with MSG?

Make adjustments a little at a time

This is what you need

This is what you do

Olive Garden Salad Dressing Recipe – MSG and High Fructose Corn Syrup FREE

Ingredients

INSTUCTIONS

Jan Howell

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