Citrus Is The Key To Maintaining A Vibrant Avocado Dressing

Avocados are a hot commodity. Four billion of them are eaten yearly in the United States alone. Renowned for their smooth textures and mild, creamy taste, one of our absolute favorite ways to use the fruit is as the base for a smooth, decadent dressing. Just one of the many unique ways you can use an avocado, the beautiful, vibrant-green color of an avocado dressing alone is reason enough to want to mix up a batch. Plus, it's super versatile. You can drizzle it on anything from a salad, grain bowl, or a batch of spicy tacos. 

As we all know by now, it's dangerous to judge anything by its looks. And because of an avocado's mild taste, some dishes made with the fruit are in danger of tasting a little underwhelming — even if they look pretty. So if you're worried about your avocado dressing lacking in flavor, or losing some of its luster as it sits in your fridge, look to something with a little (okay — a lot of) citrus for help. 

Before we dive into just how great avocado dressing is, let's talk about some of the best ways to preserve its flavors and vibrant color. Avocados are notorious for browning easily, and the same unfortunate fate can come upon your dressing. To help it hold for up to a week, we have the perfect fix. You'll just need a citrus fruit of your choice. Whether lime juice or lemon, putting a few tablespoons of citrus into a dressing can keep your dressing vibrant, even if it has been sitting in the fridge for a few days. Just add it into your blender or food processor while mixing up the dressing and voila. 

Citrus fruits are a great natural preservative, with each containing tons of antioxidants. Thanks to the high acidity, a kick of citrus will not only boost the flavor but will also help preserve the color of your dressing. So make your avocado dressing however you want — just don't skimp on the citrus!

While every recipe is different, most avocado dressings are full of fresh ingredients like shallots or onion, cilantro, greek yogurt, lime, olive oil, some type of sweetener, avocado, and seasonings to taste. This simple medley of rich, powerhouse ingredients not only tastes good but also does wonders for just about every part of the body. 

The powers of avocados alone are astronomical. Lovers of the popular fruit already know it's ripe with many health thanks tohigh levels of vitamins K & E, antioxidants, and fiber — not to mention boasting an appearance on the Clean 15 list almost every single year. Avocado dressings not only contain these many health advantages, but they're also super versatile, a welcome addition to anything that needs a little punch of fresh flavors, from scrambled eggs to protein bowls. The dressing is also a healthy alternative to ranch dressings, which contain less healthful additions like mayonnaise — not to mention the artificial ingredients used in pre-bottled ranches. With all of an avocado dressing's charm, it's natural to want to hold onto the stuff for as long as possible. So if you're looking to maintain a vibrant avocado dressing's color and taste as it sits on the shelf, use more lime.