The BEST vegan ranch dressing (no cashews)

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.

How to make vegan ranch dressing

Here’s what you’ll need to make vegan ranch dressing.

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

Can I use fresh herbs instead?

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!)

How to use it

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

Or toss some of the dressing with shredded cabbage mix for a super easy coleslaw.

It’s 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

Use ranch instead of blue cheese dressing with buffalo sauce:

• Buffalo chickpea sandwich
• Buffalo Soy Curls sandwich
• Buffalo corn on the cob
• Buffalo hummus
• Tortilla pinwheels

How to store

Keep leftover ranch in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will last for about a week.

Vegan ranch dressing

Ranch dressing isn't just for salads! It's also a crowd-pleasing dip for carrot sticks, vegan chick'n strips, French fries, and fried pickles.

Makes about ¾ cup ranch dressing

5 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dressing

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: dipping sauce, easy salad dressing

Prep Time: 4 minutes

Cook Time: 1 minute

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 184kcal

Author: Cadry Nelson

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 salt
• ▢ Dash 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.

Notes

My favorite vegan mayonnaise is Vegenaise, but feel free to use your preferred brand.

If you'd rather use fresh herbs, replace ½ teaspoon dried with ½ Tablespoon of freshly chopped. Feel free to adjust based on your preferences.

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 mincing or using a Microplane zester to make the garlic fine & paste-like. Depending on the size, use 1 or 2 cloves. The dressing is also great with BOTH granulated & zested garlic for true garlic lovers.

Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. It lasts about a week in the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 15mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 19IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

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