Dairy Free Ranch Dressing is rich and creamy and simple to make. So fun and creative then use it on tacos, appetizers, salads, as a dip and so much more.
Whether it is the beginning of a new year or hovering around the holidays I am always trying to be my best self. One of the ways I can do this is by improving the way I eat.
Do you know you can have a plant-based ranch dressing with just a speck of the fats as the original? It's true!
I've mentioned before that we get a lot of families visiting throughout the year.
Something that I have missed having on hand is ranch dressing. Ed doesn't use it and I am vegan so those are good reasons why it doesn't show up in our refrigerator.
I remember, way back when, that I use to really like ranch dressing and for some reason, it seems to have become a favorite for the whole world. At least in my little world.
Since I have become so adventurous this year with homemade condiments such as my Homemade Almond Mayonnaise I thought why not tackle ranch dressing.
What Are Some Ways To Use Ranch Dressing?
- Spread it on pizza crust or flatbread for a pizza.
- As a dip for roasted Brussels sprouts.
- In a southwest style lettuce wrap.
- Drizzled over roasted red potatoes.
- As a dip for buffalo cauliflower bites.
- In a baked rice casserole.
- Mixed into your favorite hummus.
- Tossed in a bowtie pasta salad.
- Tossed with pumpkin seeds and spices to roast for a snack.
- Add a dollop and mix into mashed potatoes.
In fact, check out these Ranch Cauliflower Tacos! They are so good and unique!
It was fun trying to figure out the seasonings for ranch dressing. I figured there was dill and probably a vinegar but the other seasonings were a hit and miss. Even when I missed they weren't too bad.
Finally, a perfect mix and the subtle flavor of apple cider vinegar really makes this ranch dressing a favorite
It is easy and delicious. I hope you will give it a try.
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Dairy Free Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews - soaked in water for at least 4 hours
- ¾ cup dairy-free milk - I used Almondmilk Light unsweetened
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried chives
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Drain and put the soaked cashews in a food processor. Add all of the remaining ingredients. Process until smooth.
- Add more dairy-free milk, if needed, to get the consistency of dressing.
- The flavors will meld after resting in the refrigerator.for a couple of hours but you can still use it immediately.
- Pour into container and store in refrigerator.
Nutrition
This will keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.
Believe me you won"t have it that long.
Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files
I have always been on a hunt for a good dairy free dressing and this looks perfect!
Rose | The Clean Dish
Heck yah!! Dairy free ranch dressing rules!! I love your recipe, it's nice and simple. Can't wait to try it!!
Sheila
Any suggestions for avoiding the cashews? I have to EXTREMELY limit nuts (low-oxalate diet for kidney stones) and cashews are the one nut my son tested allergic for.
I may have to tinker with the seasonings on fries and things at least. Maybe plain coconut milk yogurt as the base? (Hubs LOVES ranch, and I love the seasonings, but can't find a non-dairy compromise that doesn't sit squarely in a different allergy.)
Ginny McMeans
Hi Sheila, I have not done this but I think it will work great. Substitute almonds for the cashews. Do exactly what the recipe calls for, including soaking the almonds, and I think it will be great. I want to try this too!
Nutmeg Nanny
This dressing looks delicious. Love that it's dairy free.
Anita
What a great alternative to traditional ranch dressing!
kellie @ The Suburban Soapbox
Love that this is dairy free! I am a ranch addict so this will help curb some of my calories.
Amanda @ The Kitcheneer
I agree with Kellie! I too am addicted to ranch, definitely need this in my life to cut some of the calories!
Sea
This dressing is a tad on the sweet side. I used Agave nectar instead of maple syrup because I didn't want maple to over power the overall flavour. Maybe about 1/2 Tbs instead of 1 Tbs would be perfect! Great recipe!!
Ginny McMeans
Thanks for your input Sea and thanks for your support. 🙂
Anonymous
My pleasure! I should have said that I found it sweet, not that it is, because we all have different tastes. I'm adding some lemon juice to balance it out so we'll see what happens when it's sat for a bit. The other ones I've made were so bland lol
Sues
I love making my own salad dressings and while I don't have any problems with dairy, I LOVE that this is made with cashews!
Brian Jones
Ranch dressing is not something very common on this side of the Atlantic, the flavours all sound great though!
Emily
Nothing is better than homemade ranch dressing! I love that your version is dairy free!
Shadi Hasanzadenemati
Love how easy and simple this recipe is. The use of cashews definitely makes it so creamy and tasty!
Tania | Fit Foodie Nutter
I love making homemade dressing and your recipe sounds so good! Love how versatile it is too. Thank you for sharing.
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables
I've been trying to cut back on dairy and I've been looking for salad dressing options. This recipe is perfect!
Leah
I love your recipes and have printed several of them. This one looks really good. I eat vegan by choice and for health reasons. I have several food allergies and one of them is tree nuts. It gives me a full anaphylaxis. This is one of the only drawbacks I run into with a vegan are many recipes with tree nuts I use coconut milk as my primary nondairy source. As you know coconut is not a tree nut. Do you have any suggestions for using the cashews in this recipe? I can replace the Almond milk but don't know how to replace cashews. Any help wold be greatly appreciated.
Ginny McMeans
That is a very hard one Leah and I feel for you and that darn allergy. One thing you can do with this recipe is to start with an dairy free mayonnaise such as Just Mayo and then add the other ingredients to get Ranch Dressing. For parmesan cheese you can make this hemp heart recipe of mine. It is great https://veganinthefreezer.com/nut-free-vegan-parmesan-cheese/ As for all around substituting cashews there really isn't one fix. Your best bet is to probably google 'vegan nut free 'whatever you're searching for'. If I come across more staples with nut free versions I will let you know.