Name: Creamy Avocado Dressing and Dip
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 large ripe avocado; 1 cup plain yogurt; ¼ cup red onion (finely chopped ); 2 tablespoons lemon juice (plus more to taste); 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 clove garlic (chopped); 1 teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill); ½ teaspoon salt; 1 dash cayenne pepper

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One perfectly ripe avocado, 15 minutes and a handful of simple ingredients are all you need for this creamy avocado dressing. Plain yogurt keeps it tangy, lemon brightens it up, and garlic and dill bring plenty of flavor. Leave it thick for dipping vegetables, thin it for salads or spread it on sandwiches and wraps.

Got one avocado sitting on the counter giving you that eat me now or regret it tomorrow look?

Perfect. This creamy avocado dressing is exactly what I want when an avocado has reached its moment and I don’t have guacamole plans. Add plain yogurt, lemon, garlic, dill and a few pantry basics, give everything a spin in the blender, and you’ve got a fresh, tangy dressing in about 15 minutes.

But calling it a dressing sells it short.

Make it a little thicker and it’s a dip for vegetables. Spoon it over tacos or grain bowls. Spread it on a sandwich. Basically, if something on your plate could use a cool, creamy nudge, this is ready for the assignment.

Why you’ll love this avocado dressing

Have you read the label on some bottled dressings lately? It’s enough to make a perfectly good bottle of olive oil nervous.

This one is refreshingly short. One ripe avocado is the creamy base. Yogurt brings the tang, lemon brightens everything, and a little garlic, dill and cayenne keep it interesting.

Better yet, there’s no mayonnaise required.

It’s forgiving, too. Want it tangier? Add more lemon. Need it thinner for drizzling? A little water will get you there. Making dip for a vegetable tray? Leave it nice and thick.

That’s my kind of recipe.

What you’ll need

Nothing fancy here, which is precisely the point.

Ripe avocado: You want one that yields gently when pressed but isn’t mushy. This is where the creaminess comes from.
Plain yogurt: Adds body and tang without overpowering the avocado.
Red onion: A little goes a long way, so chop it finely.
Lemon juice: Brightens the flavor and helps the avocado keep its fresh green color.
Olive oil: Makes the dressing silky and helps everything blend together.
Garlic: One clove is plenty.
Dill: Fresh or dried both work, so use what you have.
Salt and cayenne: Just enough to wake everything up.

How to make creamy avocado dressing

This may be the easiest part of your day.

Put everything into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Stop and scrape down the sides if necessary, then taste.

And I do mean taste.

Avocados and lemons don’t come off an assembly line with identical specs, so yours may want another squeeze of lemon or a pinch more salt. That’s not a recipe failure. That’s cooking.

If the dressing is thicker than you’d like, blend in a little cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency you want.

Dressing or dip? You decide

Here’s where this recipe earns its keep.

For a salad dressing, thin it with a little water until it’s easy to drizzle.
For a vegetable dip, leave it thick and creamy.
For a sandwich or wrap spread, you may want it thicker still. Just make the recipe as written and spread away.

I love a recipe that doesn’t demand a job title.

What to serve with avocado dressing

Salad, obviously. But please don’t stop there. Try it with:

Fresh carrots, celery, bell peppers or cucumbers
Tacos and burrito bowls
Grilled or roasted vegetables
Chicken or fish
Grain bowls
Sandwiches and wraps
Baked potatoes

It’s also the answer to that familiar refrigerator situation where you have half a vegetable tray left and zero desire to eat another naked carrot. Dip helps.

How to store avocado dressing

Avocado browns when it meets air, so keep this dressing in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.

Pick a container that fits the dressing fairly snugly, not one with a lot of empty space on top. Less air exposure is our friend here.

If the surface darkens a bit, don’t panic. That’s oxidation and doesn’t necessarily mean the dressing has spoiled. Give it a stir and check the smell and overall condition before deciding.

Have more avocados ripening faster than you can use them? Here’s how to store avocados so they last longer, including when to refrigerate them and the best way to freeze extras.

MORE: What to Do With Leftover Green Salad: 9 Genius Ideas

Can you make it ahead?

Yes, although this is one of those recipes I like best fresh.

Fortunately, we’re talking about 15 minutes from avocado to finished dressing, so there’s not much planning involved. Make a batch when you need it, refrigerate leftovers promptly in a tightly covered container and plan to use them within a few days, while the flavor and color are still at their best.

Make it your own

Once you’ve made it as written, don’t be afraid to fiddle.

More lemon gives you extra tang. Fresh herbs can take it in a new direction. A touch more cayenne adds heat. And if you’re using it as a dip rather than dressing, keeping it thick may be all the adjustment you need.

Change one thing at a time and taste as you go. I’ve learned the hard way that you can always add more cayenne.

Taking it back out is considerably trickier.

And if making this one has you eyeing those bottles in the refrigerator a little differently, I’ve got 17 easy homemade salad dressing recipes you can make from scratch.

One ripe avocado, rescued

That’s what I like best about this recipe.

That avocado you bought with perfectly good intentions doesn’t have to become tomorrow’s expensive compost. In a few minutes, it can become something you’ll actually use for lunch, dinner and perhaps a little refrigerator-door dipping in between.

Not that I would know anything about that.

Creamy homemade avocado dressing with fresh avocado, lemon and dill

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Creamy Avocado Dressing and Dip

Got one ripe avocado and no guacamole plans? Blend it with plain yogurt and lemon for a creamy dressing that doubles as a veggie dip. Fifteen minutes, one blender.

Prep Time15

Total Time15

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Servings: (about ¼ cup each, roughly 2 cups total)

Calories: 94kcal

Ingredients

1 large ripe avocado
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup red onion finely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice plus more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
½ teaspoon salt
1 dash cayenne pepper

Instructions

Chop the onion and garlic. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit and scoop the flesh into your blender or food processor.
Add the yogurt, onion, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, salt and cayenne.
Blend until creamy and smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides if you need to.
Taste. Add more lemon juice or a pinch of salt if it needs it.
For a salad dressing, blend in cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it drizzles easily. For a dip or sandwich spread, leave it as is.
Pour into a lidded container and refrigerate.

Notes

Choose an avocado that yields gently when pressed but isn't mushy. An underripe avocado won't give you the same creamy texture or flavor.

Dried or fresh dill both work. Use what you have.

Greek yogurt makes a thicker dip. You’ll probably want a little extra water to thin it into a dressing.

Avocado browns when it meets air. Store the dressing in a tightly covered container that fits the amount closely, with as little empty space on top as possible.

A slightly darkened surface is usually oxidation and doesn't automatically mean the dressing has spoiled. Give it a stir and check for any signs of spoilage before using it.

Best eaten within 2 to 3 days. Fresh is better.

Change one thing at a time when you adjust the recipe. You can always add more cayenne. You can’t take it out.

Nutrition

Question: Would you use this first as a salad dressing, vegetable dip or sandwich spread? Tell me in the comments.

If one ripe avocado can become dressing, dip and sandwich spread, I call that making your groceries earn their keep. That’s the kind of practical help I share every day in the Everyday Cheapskate newsletter… simple recipes, smart substitutions and clever ways to use what you already have. Subscribe here and I’ll send it straight to your inbox, free.

Creamy Avocado Dressing and Dip Ready in 15 Minutes