Vegan ranch dressing is dotted with dill, parsley, and basil. Granulated onion and fresh garlic gives it bite.
It makes a veggie platter all the more craveable. And of course, it’s great for dunking French fries.
Fun fact: I hear it can also go on salads. Vegan & gluten-free.
Where I come from, people take ranch dressing very seriously.
During the 2020 caucus season, a politician was interrupted by an Iowan looking for ranch at a campaign event in a restaurant. It was caught on film & provided plenty of fodder for late night talk show hosts.
Our local t-shirt shop has no fewer than 20 different designs involving ranch. They include pithy sayings like: ranch against the machine, don’t talk to me until I’ve had my ranch, and I’d rather be drinking ranch.
Growing up, in addition to having it on every salad, ranch showed up in unexpected places. My mom mixed the lettuce with ranch before it went into tacos or burritos. (That was great, by the way.)
So when it comes to ranch, I have opinions.
I prefer for it to be mayo-based, as opposed to using something with more of a halo around it like cashews. I want the dressing to feel a little indulgent.
I want it to remind me of those dressings I ate in restaurants at age 16, alongside salty fries.
I like a little tang from apple cider vinegar that’s reminiscent of buttermilk. But not so much that it overpowers.
This vegan ranch dressing ticks all of the boxes, and that’s why it’s the best.
It’s equally great on a chef salad as it is as a dipping sauce with vegan jalapeño poppers.
Plus, it’s lightning fast to make. I’m talking five minutes or less.
You couldn’t shove past a presidential candidate in less time.
Since I use dried herbs, it’s easy to have all of the ingredients on hand. It’s super pantry-friendly.
Ranch dressing is usually not vegan, because the mayo that’s typically used includes eggs.
However, it’s super easy to veganize with eggless mayo like Vegenaise.
In this post:
Why readers love this recipe
“Cadry!!! I keep meaning to come back to let you know we made this and loved it…twice! It’s Willow’s new favorite dressing. 🙂
It tastes so much like the ranch dressing I ate as a kid and even had the same mouthfeel! We had it with kale salad, raw veggies, and dipped fries in it.
As you mentioned above, it was SO nice to not have to clean a blender… I’m a huge fan of mixing up something quick in a bowl. We’ll definitely be making this again… and again!” – Mandy
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Vegan mayo: My favorite vegan mayonnaise is Vegenaise. But use whatever eggless mayo you enjoy.
Apple cider vinegar and lemon juice: They add acid and tang. They really brighten the dressing and make it pop.
Non-dairy milk: Use unsweetened, plain non-dairy milk like soy, cashew, or almond milk. (Vanilla or sweetened will throw off the flavor.)
Seasonings: Dried basil, dried dill, dried parsley, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Garlic: Finely grate a small clove of garlic, choose granulated garlic for a milder flavor, or do both for maximum garlic action.
Step by step instructions
This section shows how to make this recipe at a glance with process photos of the steps. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.
In a bowl, combine the following:
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Non-dairy milk
- Apple cider vinegar
- Lemon juice
- Dried herbs: basil, dill & parsley
- Onion powder
- Garlic, finely grated (or granulated garlic)
- Salt
- Pepper
Serving ideas
Vegan ranch dressing is great on salads, of course.
Mix it into the leafy greens of:
- Kale salad with roasted chickpeas
- Southwest salad with grilled corn
- Taco salad
Toss some of the dressing with shredded cabbage mix for a super easy coleslaw. Or drizzle it over barbecue jackfruit nachos!
Ranch dressing is also a classic dipping sauce for:
- Veggie platter with carrot & celery sticks
- Fried or baked French fries
- Fried pickles
- Vegan jalapeño poppers
- Fried zucchini
- Vegan onion rings
- Air fryer polenta fries
- Vegan pigs in a blanket
Use ranch instead of blue cheese dressing with buffalo sauce:
Storage instructions
Store leftover ranch in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
It will last for about a week.
FAQ
Yes!
If you’d prefer to use fresh herbs over dried, that’s no problem.
Dried herbs have a more intensified flavor. So you’ll want to increase the amount of fresh.
Following the general guidelines, instead of using ½ teaspoon of dried, you’ll need ½ Tablespoon of freshly chopped. But feel free to adjust based on your preferences.
Fresh basil has the most noticeable flavor difference from dried. So you’re going to get more of a pesto flavor with fresh.
When using fresh herbs, I recommend using a food processor or blender to make sure everything is finely cut down & incorporated. Keep in mind that may turn your ranch a little green.
If using fresh garlic, I recommend finely mincing or using a Microplane zester to make the garlic fine & paste-like. That way you won’t have any big chunks of garlic in a bite. Depending on the size, use 1 or 2 cloves.
(The dressing is also great with BOTH granulated & zested garlic!)
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know! Leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comment section below. It truly makes my day and is such a help!
📖 Recipe
Vegan ranch dressing
Ingredients
- ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons non-dairy milk
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 clove garlic finely grated (or ½ teaspoon granulated garlic)
- Pinch of salt
- Dash of pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all of the ingredients with a spoon.
- Mayonnaise varies by viscosity. If you'd like your dressing to be thinner & more pourable, add another splash of non-dairy milk, and stir it in completely. If you'd like your dressing to be thicker, add another spoonful of vegan mayonnaise, and stir it in completely.
- Taste for salt, and add more if needed.
Ginger
So quick, easy and yummy!
Cadry Nelson
Thank you, Ginger! I’m delighted you’re enjoying it!
Vern
In you nutrition segment you say 185 calories per serving (6), but don’t mention the serving size? Or did I just miss it?
Cadry
This makes about 3/4 cup of dressing. So divided by 6, that’s 2 Tablespoons in a serving. I hope you enjoy it, Vern!
Mandy
Hehe!! You had me at dunking French fries in it 🙂 But I can definitely see how delicious this would be in salads…especially a kale salad with crispy chickpeas! Don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of the cashew based ranch dressings, but sometimes you just want to go all out indulgent with mayo. I have all of these ingredients on hand, so I’m going to make it this week!
P.S. – I got a good laugh at the ranch sayings….sounds about as serious as some people are with coffee 😉 Also, your mom mixing the lettuce with ranch BEFORE going in a taco or burrito is kind of genius!
Cadry
I agree! I always have cashews on hand, and they’re terrific in salad dressings. Some of my all-time favorites are made with them. But other times, you want something that feels a little more indulgent. Plus, no blender to clean afterwards!
Mandy
Cadry!!! I keep meaning to come back to let you know we made this and loved it…twice! It’s Willow’s new favorite dressing 🙂 it tastes so much like the ranch dressing I ate as a kid and even had the same mouthfeel! We had it with kale salad, raw veggies, and dipped fries in it. As you mentioned above, it was SO nice to not have to clean a blender…I’m a huge fan of mixing up something quick in a bowl. We’ll definitely be making this again…and again! I hope you have a beautiful weekend, my friend!
Cadry
Aw, that’s wonderful! I’m so glad it’s a hit with you & especially Willow. I hope you’re having a great week!
Shell
So quick, easy, versatile and yummy!
Cadry
That’s great to hear. Thanks!
Vern
Thank you for your response to my question on the serving size!
That helps me!
Thank you again.
Vern
Cadry
You’re welcome, Vern! I’m glad to help. 😀