Finally! The perfect vegan, oil-free ranch dressing.
I can’t say for certain that EVERYBODY loves ranch dressing, but I can say that it’s generally well-liked and it’s always a safe option to serve to a crowd. It’s certainly less divisive than other contentious dressings (looking at you, blue cheese). Ranch is an all-purpose, multi-talented dressing, beloved on everything from salads and crudités to wings and subs. But, is it possible to make it healthier and create a plant-based ranch dressing recipe?
Of course, being vegan will shake up your relationship with ranch a bit. Quality vegan ranch dressings can be hard to find in stores. Even when you can find them, the taste and texture doesn’t always meet expectations your expectations. The plight of the vegan ranch lover is real, you guys. Fortunately, for all you down-trodden vegan ranch fans, I have the long-awaited solution. With that, I present to you this vegan, plant-based ranch dressing recipe. Ready to have all your problems solved forever?
Make Salad without Dairy
Alright, so maybe an plant-based ranch dressing recipe won’t solve ALL of your problems forever, but I can guarantee it will definitely satisfy your need for a quality, vegan ranch.
You see, in my house, ranch dressing was an undisputed necessity. My mother regularly kept the fridge stocked with a wide variety of other dressing options, which we politely laid out on the table every evening. We all knew which dressing everyone would reach for first, though! When we finally ran out of ranch (naturally, it was always the first to go), we would stand the bottle upside down in the fridge to make sure we got every last drop. Meanwhile, there was always an extra bottle in the pantry; honestly, I’m not sure there was ever a time our mother let us run out of ranch.
All this to say that I know how important it is to have a quality ranch dressing on-hand. In this day and age, there’s really no reason you should have to settle for a less-than-stellar dressing just because you’re a vegan. After all, isn’t salad something we should be able to count on to include plant-based ingredients?
The Recipe
This plant-based ranch dressing recipe is ready to help make salad vegan again. It’s full of creamy, tangy flavors that taste just like the original. The real secret here is cashews, an incredible nut that makes dairy-free living bearable again.
Chances are good that you’ve made vegan cheese or dairy-free sour cream using cashews if you’re into clean-eating or vegan cooking. After soaking these nuts, you puree them together with water and spices. The flavor and textures comes together to make a perfect dairy replacement. This recipe is an absolute godsend for vegan cooking!
You can use this ranch to flavor up your favorite baked potatoes, or use it as a dressing for vegetable trays, crackers, baked french fries, or corn on the cob. If you want to make the delicious High Protein Plant-Based Salad featured in the above photo, just toss this plant-based ranch dressing recipe with the following ingredients:
- Tempeh
- Walnuts
- Butter Lettuce
- Celery
- Corn
- Dried Cranberries
And that’s it! This super simple, plant-based ranch dressing recipe will get you the tasty, vegan ranch you’ve been waiting for. That’s at least one problem solved forever.
Plant-Based Ranch Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup cashews raw
- 2 cups water for soaking
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup chives finely diced
- 3/4 cup purified water
- 1/4 cup parsley freshly chopped
Instructions
- Soak cashews in the 2 cups water for 30 minutes, drain, and rinse.
- Add cashews and the remaining ingredients, except chives and parsley, to a blender. Pulse until a creamy consistency.
- Stir chives and parsley into the mixture, pour in a glass container with lid. Refrigerate over night for best results.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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More Plant-Based Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes:
6 Plant-Based Oil-Free Salad Dressing Recipes
If you’re looking for more vegan, plant-based options, look no further. Included here are 6 easy and delicious oil-free recipes, many of which are probably new to you! Dress up your salads with these exciting (and totally plant-based) flavors.
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What can you do if you can not eat Cashews?
Cindy, Cashews are necessary for this recipe. However, we’ve got lots of other vegan options w/o cashews. Here are several delicious cashew free recipes.