Rich Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing is delicious, oil-free and made with mostly pantry ingredients. When I went vegan back in 2016, discovering this vegan ranch made me so very happy.
I dig ranch! I’m from the midwest—it’s practically a food group. I’m one of those dip my sweet potato fries in the ranch types. Ranch is powerful. There are people who don’t like veggies or salads, but will eat them if there is tangy, creamy ranch around.
There are a many ways to make vegan ranch. Some recipes use store-bought vegan mayo. Some use fresh herbs. I’ve come back to this recipe over and over because it’s super tasty, easy and does not require buying a bunch of fresh herbs. Making your own dressing is usually going taste worlds better than the stuff you find at the store.
Raw, Unsalted Cashews
Raw cashews aren’t really raw. For this recipe raw cashews equal unroasted & unsalted cashews.
Do I have to soak the cashews?
First of all, you don’t have to do anything. However, I do recommend soaking the cashews for this recipe. There are plenty of recipes where if you have a high-speed blender, you don’t need to soak the cashews. However, even when using a high-speed blender, there are recipes where the added benefit of extra creaminess from soaking is noticeable. Additionally, you can boil your cashews if you forget to soak them, but for this recipe, I feel the best results happen when you’ve soaked the cashews for at least 4 hours.
I usually add hot tap water to the cashews and store them in the fridge overnight or for a few days until I am ready to use them.
Dip or Dressing?
Yes and yes! You might want to leave it thick for a dip or thin it with more water or soaking liquid from the cashews to make it a salad dressing. Additionally, this ranch thickens once stored in the fridge so you may want to stir in a little water before using.
Remember to Chill
Since a high-speed blender is used, the ranch will warm up in the blender. Like all ranch dressings, this is most delicious when enjoyed cold.
Let’s Make Rich Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing
Add all ingredients to the blender. Blend until smooth. I do one round on the Blendtec soup setting soup plus one round on the sauce setting. Depending on your blender, you may need to stop and scrape down the side while blending.
Taste & adjust seasonings as desired. Stir or blend in more water or soaking liquid for a thinner consistency if desired.
Chill until cold before serving. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days, stir in a little water before using if it thickens too much when stored. Freeze for up to a month.
Rich Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews measure cashews before soaking; soak a minimum of 4 hours, water reserved
- 2/3 cup water from soaking the cashews or just water
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or sweetener of your choice
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper more to taste
- salt optional; to taste
- more water to thin if desired ranch will thicken after being stored in the fridge. You may want to leave it thick if it's a dip, thin it if it's a dressing.
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the blender. Blend until smooth. I do one round on the Blendtec soup setting soup plus one round on the sauce setting. Depending on your blender, you may need to stop and scrape down the side while blending.
- Taste & adjust seasonings as desired. Stir or blend in more water or soaking liquid for a thinner consistency if desired.
- Chill until cold before serving. Store in the fridge for up to 7 days, stir in a little water before using if it thickens too much when stored. Freeze for up to a month.
Notes
Nutrition
For your shopping convenience, this post contains affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
Recipe adapted from But I Could Never Go Vegan!: 125 Recipes That Prove You Can Live Without Cheese, It’s Not All Rabbit Food, and Your Friends Will Still Come Over for Dinner by Kristy Turner.
If you like this recipe, you might also like
- Oil-Free Vegan Mayo
- Vegan Garlic Alfredo Sauce
- Lux Vegan Yogurt Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Vegan Spinach & Artichoke Dip
- Oil-Free Creamy Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing
- Vegan Garden Veggie Cream Cheese
- Lux Vegan Macadamia Ricotta
- I Can’t Believe It’s Low Oil Hummus
- Vegan Swedish Meatless Balls
Did You Make Rich Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing?
How did it go? Any variations? Tell me about it in the comments section below. If this recipe went well for you, please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card to help others find it.
Recent Comments