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This vegan ranch dressing recipe is entirely dairy-free, oil-free, and gluten-free. Enjoy this ultra-creamy homemade ranch as a tasty dressing, dip, or side with fresh or roasted veggies, salads, or put it literally on everything you like.
Looking for a quick and easy salad dressing recipe with no mayo and no added oil?
Look no further, here is the best vegan ranch that is super flavorful and extremely simple to make from scratch.
Besides that, it's soy-free, egg-free, and so incredibly appetizing. I know it'll become your go-to healthy vegetable dipping sauce your kids will adore. What a clever way to get your children to eat their veggies, don't you think?
Is homemade salad dressing healthier than store-bought?
Absolutely! Not only is this homemade savory dressing healthier but it's also fresher and way too delicious. Store-bought salad dressings are loaded with harmful oils, sugars, and lots of artificial flavorings and preservatives with awkward names. Why put in your body something you can't even pronounce?
On the other side, you know exactly what you'll put in your vegan ranch dressing recipe. We'll use only wholesome, real food ingredients that are actually good for you. I assure you, you'll never go back to that ready-made dressing ever again. I forgot to mention that it's low in calories and fat compared to the classic one.
Now, let's go to the kitchen and make it right now!
What's in vegan ranch dressing (the ingredients)
Instead of using mayonnaise or sour cream, like in the classic ranch recipes, we'll use cashews and vegan buttermilk to prepare this luscious dressing. You'll need a handful of basic plant-based pantry staples:
- Raw cashews (to get that rich and creamy base)
- Oat milk (unsweetened, plain, you can use cashew milk or almond milk instead)
- Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- Apple cider vinegar
- Fresh parsley
- Maple syrup
- Spices: salt, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, paprica powder, a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
As always, you can find the full recipe with a list of ingredients with measurements in a printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Time needed: 20 minutes
How to make homemade vegan ranch dressing from scratch?
All you really need to make this easy ranch dressing is to add all the ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend for a minute or two. There is no cooking required!
- Soak the cashews and make your vegan buttermilk
Start by soaking your cashews in hot water for 15-30 minutes or longer. Or you can soak them in cold water overnight (my preferred method). In addition, soaking helps remove phytic acid allowing our bodies to absorb and digest the nutrients easily. In this way, they also will become very soft and easy to blend up.
While cashews are soaking, in a small bowl mix oat milk and lemon juice. Stir and let it curdle for 10 minutes (this will be your "vegan buttermilk").
- Mix the ingredients
Next, drain and rinse your cashews a couple of times, at the end, drain again. Add drained cashews, buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and spices (except fresh parsley) in a high-powered blender and blend (1-2 minutes) until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
- Blend
After that, add fresh parsley and pulse just a few times. Don't over blend, we want those vibrant green speckles in our dressing.
Taste and adjust the seasonings as per your taste. Add more salt for saltiness, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar for a more tangy flavor or some of the other spices if you prefer it spicier. - Serve and enjoy it
Serve it right away or refrigerate for a couple of hours to chill. Staying in the fridge, it'll thicken, so you can add 1-2 tablespoon plant milk or water to thin as needed.
Store any leftovers in the fridge, covered in an airtight container for up to 7-8 days.
Enjoy it with your favorite veggies, salads, vege-burgers, or pizza.
How to serve vegan ranch dressing with cashews
I must confess that I love to spread my mini chickpea flour frittatas with it and I don't know how many I could eat afterward 🙂 Also, we love to drizzle it over fresh salads, like this weight-loss cucumber salad, Mediterranean quinoa salad, or this healthy potato salad. Maybe try it on this simple, low-calorie butter lettuce salad? You must try to dip some warm roasted baby potatoes in it. It's perfection! Additionally, you can serve it with baked potato-zucchini patties, with eggless chickpea flour frittata, or these crispy zucchini fritters as an appetizer or snack. Enjoy it spread on your freshly baked unleavened flatbreads (3 ingredients only!) together with freshly chopped veggies as a light meal on its own. How yummy!
Into easy spreads and dips? Try my super quick 5-minute avocado dip, immunity-boosting parsley avocado dipping sauce, or this homemade hummus without tahini.
Of course, this vegan ranch without mayo that is a much healthier version of the traditional recipe is completely dairy-free. There is no sour cream, no dairy buttermilk, no yogurt in it. It's totally lactose-free. It'll perfectly fit in your lactose-free, clean eating menu.
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight glass jar for up to 7-8 days. If it becomes too thick after refrigerating, simply put 1-2 tablespoon plant milk or water to get the desired consistency. This dressing is not freezer-friendly.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing Recipe (No Mayo, Oil-Free Dip)
Equipment
- Blender
- Small bowl
- Spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews raw, unsalted (soaked in cold water overnight or in very hot water for 15-30 minutes)
- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon oat milk unsweetened ( you can use any plain nondairy milk)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup fresh parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Start by soaking your cashews in hot water for 15-30 minutes or longer. Or you can soak them in cold water overnight (my preferred method). In addition, soaking helps remove phytic acid allowing our bodies to absorb and digest the nutrients easily. In this way, they also will become very soft and easy to blend up. While cashews are soaking, in a small bowl mix oat milk and lemon juice. Stir and let it curdle for 10 minutes (this will be your "vegan buttermilk").
- Next, drain and rinse your cashews a couple of times, at the end, drain again. Add drained cashews, buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, and spices (except fresh parsley) in a high-powered blender and blend (1-2 minutes) until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
- After that, add fresh parsley and pulse just a few times. Don't over blend, we want those vibrant green speckles in our dressing. Taste and adjust the seasonings as per your taste. Add more salt for saltiness, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar for a more tangy flavor or some of the other spices if you prefer it spicier.
- Serve it right away or refrigerate for a couple of hours to chill. Staying in the fridge, it'll thicken, so you can add 1-2 tablespoon plant milk or water to thin as needed. Store any leftovers in the fridge, covered in an airtight container for up to 7-8 days. Enjoy it with your favorite veggies, salads, vege-burgers, or pizza.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 1 + ¼ cup of dressing.
- Note that some cashews tend to have a sweeter taste, if yours are like that omit the maple syrup and add more salt to balance out the sweetness.
- Add s tablespoon of milk at a time if your ranch dressing is way too thick.
- You can add fresh dill, chives, or finely chopped cucumber if you desire.
Nutrition
How did you use this vegan ranch dressing recipe? If you tried it, please rate it, leave a comment below, and share your photo on Instagram with the tag @go_eatgreen and hashtag it #go_eatgreen. I would love to hear about your experience and your comments just make my day!
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Love, Marinela💚
Stef says
I love this idea! Thanks for sharing!
Marinela says
That's great! Thank you for commenting.
Aneta says
I love your healthy recepies 💚
Marinela says
Thank you for your kind words, Aneta, I'm glad you love them!