Like the ranch dressing with all love, this non-dairy alternative is creamy, savory, tangy, herby, and garlicky.
Vegan ranch dressing video
Ingredients & Substitutions for vegan ranch
How to make vegan ranch dressing
Serving suggestions
Variations
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More salad dressings
More recipes with mayonnaise
So, making this recipe without dairy was a no-brainer for us. Imagine you can have the same creamy and delicious dressing but with an eye on sustainability and health. Homemade dairy-free ranch dressing has it all. It’s a lighter and more sustainable choice while retaining all the creaminess, flavor, and tang of classic ranch. This blog post will show you how to make the best vegan ranch dressing with simple, non-dairy ingredients.
Vegan mayo
You can purchase vegan mayonnaise at your local grocery store or make it yourself at home following our quick and easy 1-minute vegan mayo recipe. The advantage of making homemade vegan mayo is that you can control the ingredients and use the best oils, such as olive or avocado.
Non-dairy yogurt
If you are new to the world of plant-based eating, you might not know that there are plenty of non-dairy alternatives to yogurts. You can use unsweetened soy yogurt (our favorite), coconut yogurt, cashew yogurt, or any other plant-based yogurt you can find at your local supermarket, provided they are unflavoured. Substitute non-dairy yogurt for homemade cashew sour cream or store-bought vegan sour cream.
Non-dairy milk
We recommend unsweetened soy milk. Substitute unsweetened oat milk, almond milk, or cashew milk for soy milk. Soy and rice milk are the best choices for making nut-free and dairy-free ranch.
Lemon juice
Freshly squeezed lemon juice adds tangy notes essential in homemade vegan ranch dressing. Substitute apple cider vinegar for lemon juice.
Herbs
Ranch should have dried dill, dried parsley, and dried chives. Substitute fresh herbs for dried ones.
Onion and garlic powder
Just a hint to add that garlicky and oniony flavor to the dressing. Substitute grated garlic for garlic powder. If you want to add more spices, feel free to do so based on what you like.
Salt and black pepper
We recommend sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. To a bowl, add vegan mayo, non-dairy yogurt, dried dill, dried parsley, dried chives, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Whisk until combined, then add as much non-dairy milk as you need to reach your desired consistency. You can make a thicker vegan ranch dressing without milk for dipping or a thinner one for drizzling on salads. Tip: if you like your vegan ranch recipe with a finer texture, add everything to a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust for dried herbs, salt, and lemon juice. Serve immediately or store in the fridge. You can have it in veggie burgers or for dipping french fries, dry pizza crust, buffalo cauliflower wings, falafel, carrot and celery sticks, and more. Here are some recipes we like to drizzle it on:
Side Salad
Tofu Salad
Roasted Potatoes
Smashed Potatoes
Farro Salad
Vegan Pasta Salad
Kale Quinoa Salad
Lentil Carrot Salad
The recipe is ultra creamy, thick, rich, and delicious, but you’ll need a powder blender to make the cashew sour cream. Here’s our cashew sour cream recipe. Refrigerator: transfer the dressing to a mason jar or in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 7 days. Freezer: we don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
Yogurt Tahini Sauce
Tahini Sauce
Cilantro Lime Dressing
Chipotle Sauce
Vegan Pesto
Carrot Ginger Dressing
Green Goddess Dressing
Italian Dressing
For more condiment ideas, check out our dressing and sauces category page.
Vegan Tuna
Vegan Egg Salad
Creamy Pasta Salad
Vegan Potato Salad
title: “Vegan Ranch Dressing” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-09” author: “Sharon Kleckner”
Why You’ll Love It
It tastes like the real thing. This homemade vegan ranch dressing tastes like the popular mix that you can stir together at home, but it’s made with simple ingredients. It’s easy to make. Just toss a few ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth to create the creamy base. Then pulse in the dried herbs, for an authentic look and flavor! It’s great for special diets. This recipe is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and Paleo friendly. You can also make it oil-free by omitting the 1 tablespoon of oil called for in this recipe. (It’s still delicious either way!) It’s versatile. You can serve this homemade ranch dressing as a dip for raw veggies, french fries, or buffalo cauliflower wings, or drizzle it on veggie burgers for extra flavor. It will thicken up when chilled, if you prefer a thicker dip!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Rather than using vegan mayo, raw cashews provide the creaminess in this recipe. When shopping for cashews, look for ones that are not roasted or salted, for the most mild flavor. You can also replace the nuts with hemp hearts, which are a complete source of plant-based protein. They make an easy nut-free alternative. Dried herbs make this vegan salad dressing recipe more convenient, but you can also use fresh, if you prefer. When swapping fresh herbs for dried herbs, be sure to triple the amount called for. (Dried herbs are more concentrated in taste.)
How to Make the Best Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Soak the cashews. To help soften the cashews, place them in a bowl and cover them with a 1/2 cup of hot water. Set that aside while you measure the other ingredients, or let it rest up to 2 hours before you plan on blending. This step is optional, but helpful if you don’t have a powerful blender. Note: Soaking the cashews for hours is not necessary. I usually only let the cashews soak for 5 to 10 minutes, because I’m impatient and don’t plan ahead. There’s no need to drain the water from the cashews, unless you are doing so to help them digest a little better. (Blending may help with that, too.)
- Blend. Pour the cashews and their soaking water into the blender, along with the olive oil, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard, salt, and black pepper. Blend until the dressing looks smooth and creamy, about 60 seconds in a high-speed blender. If the dressing isn’t looking smooth enough, add 1 more tablespoon of water and blend again, until the cashews are totally pulverized.
- Add the herbs. For a classic speckled look, add in the parsley, chives, and dried dill after the dressing already looks smooth and creamy. Secure the lid on the blender and pulse briefly, just until the herbs are evenly mixed in. If you blend for too long, the vegan ranch dressing will turn green, rather than looking white with bits of herbs throughout.
- Enjoy! You can serve this vegan ranch recipe right away, over a salad or as a dip for sliced carrots and celery sticks. Or, store it in an airtight container in the fridge, where it will thicken up even more. (The flavor also gets better when it sits overnight, so keep that in mind!) This cashew ranch dressing recipe is adapted from a combination of the Hemp Seed Ranch Dressing in my first cookbook, and the dressing from Eat Dairy Free, which is loaded with over 100 dairy-free and allergy-friendly recipes. (Check it out if you need more dairy-free ideas!) Looking for more vegan sauces? Try Tahini Dill Dressing, Romesco Sauce, or the best ever Peanut Sauce. If you try this dairy-free ranch dressing, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it.
