This is the BEST Vegan Ranch Dressing! It's got the creamy texture and fresh herbs you know and love in your favorite dressing, but made totally dairy-free. Use it as a dressing, dip, or drizzle on all of your favorite dishes!
I am so, so excited to now have a creamy vegan ranch dressing on the site! This is such a versatile recipe, and so many ranch lovers want a good substitute for the real thing when they go dairy-free.
I think the best part about ranch dressing is all of the favorite ways people use it! It's delicious on a salad, but just as good as a veggie dip. This recipe works for all of that, and it would totally hold its own in a blind taste test against classic ranch!
Ingredients
I love this recipe because so easy to make - you mostly just need fresh herbs and a handful of other simple ingredients. See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for quantities.
- Homemade vegan sour cream - It only takes 5 minutes to prepare and is made from just raw cashews, water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar and a touch of salt. Make this in advance and chill it if possible! The base will thicken a bit as it cools, making it the perfect consistency for a creamy ranch dressing.
- Plant-based milk - Use unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk. I love unsweetened almond milk but any type of milk (oat, hemp, cashew milk, etc.) will work as long as it is not flavored or sweetened!
- Fresh herbs - Italian flat leaf parsley, fresh dill, and fresh chives are all going into this homemade dairy-free ranch dressing. These give it both the aesthetics and the perfect blend of flavors. Chopping these herbs makes my kitchen smell like the most incredible herb garden!
- Fresh garlic - Use a garlic press to incorporate it smoothly into your dressing.
- Fresh lemon juice - I use the juice from half of a large lemon. This gives the dressing a bit of tangy flavor!
- Maple syrup - Pure maple is my favorite natural sweetener and perfectly balances the flavors.
- Salt and pepper - You can increase these as needed; I always start with a little less than I think I'll need and then adjust from there!
How to Make this Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk to well combine. Chill for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Add more lemon juice for brightness and acidity, more fresh herbs for bolder flavors, more black pepper for added spice and more maple syrup for sweetness.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Vegan Sour Cream as the Base
My vegan sour cream is the perfect base for making your own dairy-free ranch dressing! It's super creamy but has the slightly sour taste that you would traditionally get with buttermilk.
Honestly, it creates a vegan version that's a pretty exact copy of regular ranch dressing! The vegan sour cream uses a base of cashews soaked in water, which you can do overnight or in an hour using my quick-soak method.
What to Pair with Vegan Ranch Dressing
This vegan ranch works as both a dressing and a dipping sauce! I created it to go with buffalo cauliflower wings and celery sticks, but it would also pair so well with many other dishes...
- Overtop a salad: This vegan salad dressing is delicious drizzled over this kale and avocado salad, broccoli and avocado salad or Mexican quinoa salad.
- For dipping: Pair it with rainbow veggie kebabs, grilled sweet potato fries, Dijon chickpea fritters, or baked crispy cauliflower poppers. You can also put a bowl of this vegan ranch dip in the middle of a veggie platter like this one or simply serve it with raw veggies or french fries!
Nut-Free Vegan Ranch Dressing Alternative
If you're nut-free AND dairy-free, try making the sour cream with sunflower seed cream instead of cashews! This is really a swap that keeps all of your dishes allergen-free. You can also use oat or hemp milk instead of almond or cashew.
This homemade ranch dressing is vegan (no dairy or eggs!), soy-free, gluten-free, paleo, and it can be made nut-free as described above. I cannot wait to see all of the delicious salads and dishes you pair with it! Please tag me on Instagram when you make it and leave a review below (it makes my day!).
More Delicious Vegan Salad Dressings and Sauces
- Dressings
- Sauces
The Best (and Easy!) Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This is the BEST Vegan Ranch Dressing! It's got the creamy texture and fresh herbs you know and love in your favorite dressing, but made totally dairy-free. Use it as a dressing, dip, or drizzle on all of your favorite dishes!
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons homemade vegan sour cream (made in advance and chilled if possible*)
- 2-4 tablespoons unsweetened plain non-dairy milk (such as almond milk)**
- 1.5 tablespoons minced fresh Italian flat leaf parsley leafs (large stems removed)
- 1.5 tablespoons minced fresh dill (large stems removed)
- 1.5 tablespoon minced fresh chives
- 2 large garlic cloves, pressed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice (from about ½ large juicy lemon)
- 1.5 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a small mixing bowl and whisk to well combine. Chill for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Add more lemon juice for brightness and acidity, more fresh herbs for bolder flavors, more black pepper for added spice and more maple syrup for sweetness.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Notes
*It is best to make the homemade vegan sour cream in advance so it has time to thicken and chill overnight. You can also use store-bought vegan sour cream here.
**The amount of non-dairy milk you decide to use is based on how thick vs. pourable you want your dressing to be. Reduce or omit the non-dairy milk if a thicker ranch dip is desired.
- Prep Time: 10
- Category: Dressing
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