Best Vegan Ranch Dressing
User Reviews
4.8
Best Vegan Ranch Dressing
Description
Best Vegan Ranch Dressing uses raw cashew nuts soaked in warm water to create a rich and creamy base. The addition of extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar provides brightness and acidity, balanced by the mild heat of brown mustard and a blend of onion, garlic powders, and black pepper. Dried parsley, chives, and dill add herbal notes and the classic flecked appearance of ranch. Blending to a smooth texture and pulsing the dried herbs in last preserves their color.
The dressing has a creamy, tangy flavor with gentle spice and herbaceous elements. The preparation focuses on soaking the cashews to ensure smooth blending and adjusting thickness with additional water if needed. The option to omit dill changes the flavor profile slightly but keeps a familiar ranch character. Adjusting salt and acid levels lets cooks tailor the dressing to their preference.
This versatile dressing suits salads, vegetable dips, or grain bowls and can be stored refrigerated. The recipe notes suggest alternatives such as using hemp hearts for a nut-free version and provide guidance on ingredient adjustments for taste and texture.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cashew nuts raw
- 1/2 cup water plus more as needed, warm
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard spicy
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons parsley dried
- 1 teaspoon chives dried
- 1/4 teaspoon dill optional; but recommended, dried
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a bowl and cover them with the warm water. Let them soak together while you measure the rest of the ingredients, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Pour the cashews and their soaking water into the blender, then add in the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, salt, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Secure the lid on the blender and blend until smooth, about 60 seconds. Stop and scrape down the sides, as needed, to make sure everything gets blended, and add an additional tablespoon of water, if needed, to help the cashews break down into a silky-smooth texture.
- Next, add in the parsley, chives, and dill, and pulse briefly, just to incorporate them. (This gives the dressing a speckled look, like traditional ranch. If you blend too long it could turn green instead.) Taste and adjust any seasoning as needed. You may want to add up to 1/4 teaspoon more salt, or extra lemon for a more tangy flavor.
- Pour the dressing into an airtight container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors develop. It will thicken much more in the fridge overnight, so I recommend adding a tablespoon of water, or more, as needed to thin it out again the next day. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Shake the dressing before each use.
Notes
- The recipe yields about 3/4 cup of dressing, suitable for roughly 2-tablespoon servings each.
- Substitute hemp hearts for cashews to make a nut-free dressing with similar creaminess.
- Adjust acidity by adding more lemon juice or vinegar according to taste preferences.
- Reduced olive oil in this version improves flavor balance; increase oil if you prefer a richer dressing.
- Dry dill is optional but recommended for a more traditional ranch flavor and appearance.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 85 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 85kcal | 4% |
| Carbohydrates | 4g | 1% |
| Protein | 2g | 4% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Sodium | 298mg | 12% |
| Potassium | 107mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 1g | 2% |
| Vitamin A | 565IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 7mg | 8% |
| Calcium | 14mg | 1% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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