Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing
Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing is light, refreshing, and delicious topped on salads or used as a dip! It’s a quick and easy ranch-style vegan recipe made with hemp hearts, lemon, and herbs.
I love homemade salad dressings! You may already be familiar with my Vegan Ranch Dressing, Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing, Flax + Evo Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Tahini-Miso Dressing. All are delicious in their own way!
My Favorite Hemp Seed Dressing
When I want a creamy dressing that’s completely oil-free and nut-free, this ranch-style hemp seed version is the one I reach for. It comes together in just a few minutes and works beautifully on salads, as a dip for raw veggies, or even spread on sandwiches.
I’ve made this dressing more times than I can count, and every time I find myself tipping the bowl to get the last bit. The best part is how easy it is to double. Once you taste it, you’ll probably want a bigger batch on hand too!
Benefits of Hemp Hearts
The base of this recipe is hemp hearts (aka, hulled hemp seeds):
- Quality protein. Hemp seeds are a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and are a high-quality, complete protein. Four tablespoons, or 1/4 cup, of hemp seeds contain 15 grams of protein.
- Nutrient-rich. Hemp hearts contain high concentrations of vitamins and minerals, including iron, vitamin E, thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid, and many other micronutrients your body needs.
- There is no need to soak! They can be eaten raw, and the body readily absorbs and digests all the nutrients.
Hemp hearts are a great addition to any type of diet. Use them in smoothies, sprinkle on salads and nourish bowls, or on top of toast and jam!
Now, let’s make the most delicious Hemp Seed Dressing!
Ingredients You’ll Need
In this recipe, nutritious hemp hearts are blended with water and a flavorful mix of herbs to create the creamiest salad dressing.
Here is everything you’ll need:
- Hemp hearts – These heart-healthy seeds can be found at most grocery stores or purchased online at Amazon (affiliate link).
- Water – You can also use your favorite unsweetened plain plant milk: almond, soy, oat, cashew, etc.
- Lemon – Always use fresh lemon. Bottled lemon juice contains preservatives that may be a bit strong and will alter the flavor.
- Garlic + onion powder – Adds a nice bump of savory flavor.
- Salt – Use to enhance the flavors of ingredients.
- Herbs – Use fresh or dried chives, dill, parsley, and/or cilantro.
How To Make Hemp Seed Dressing
Making this hemp salad dressing is as easy as can be!
Add the base ingredients and blend. In the blender cup, add the hemp hearts, garlic and onion powder, salt, and water, minus the herbs, and blend until smooth, about 30 – 45 seconds. If the dressing is too thin, add more hemp hearts; if it’s too thick, add a tad more water.
Add the flavorful herbs. Toss in the herbs and blend again just until incorporated.
Taste for flavor. Add more of anything you feel is missing. Salt, pepper, more garlic or onion powder?
And now you’re ready to enjoy this simple creamy dressing!
Tips For Success
- Recommended equipment: For this job, I found my small personal blender worked best, like this NutriBullet (<affiliate link>). If using a regular-sized blender, I suggest doubling the recipe. You can always refrigerate the leftovers.
- Store: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5-6 days.
- You can easily make a double batch if you’re an avid salad lover!
Serving Suggestions
Creamy hemp dressing is incredibly versatile! Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it:
- Salad Dressing: Serve with a simple house salad as shown below or with this loaded Vegan Cobb or Strawberry Spinach Salad.
- Veggie Dip: Serve as a dip with favorite veggies like carrots, cucumbers, broccoli, zucchini, bell peppers, and more!
- Sandwich Spread: Use it as a spread for this Summer Vegetable Sandwich or vegan B.L.T.
More Healthy Hemp Heart Recipes!
Make hemp hearts a part of your daily routine! Here are a few more delicious recipes to try.
- Raw Hemp Seed Cookie Balls
- Raw Creamy Miso Soup w/ Mushrooms
- Quinoa Tabbouleh + Hemp Hearts
- Garden Salad Lettuce Wraps
If you try this simple dressing recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
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Creamy Hemp Seed Dressing
- Total Time: 3 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Nut-Free, Oil-Free, Vegan
Description
Light, refreshing, and delicious, this herby ranch-style hemp seed dressing is raw, nut-free, oil-free, soy-free, and vegan. It’s quick and easy to make and can be used as a creamy salad dressing, dip, or spread!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds)
- 1/3 cup water, plus more as needed
- 1 medium lemon, juice of
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon mineral salt
- a few strands chives, broken into 1-inch pieces
- a few sprigs fresh dill
- a few sprig tops of fresh cilantro and/or parsley
Instructions
Using a small blender (or double recipe if using a regular blender), combine ingredients, minus the herbs, and blend until smooth. If it is too thin, add more hemp hearts; if it is too thick, add a tad more water to thin it.
Add in the herbs and blend until incorporated. Taste for flavor, adding anything extra to suit your taste…more lemon?…more herbs?…more garlic, or onion powder? Chill before serving.
Makes about 1/2 cup, serving 2 – 4
Notes
Store: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 – 6 days.
Mix and match herbs to suit your taste.
The salad shown consists of romaine lettuce, carrots, grape tomatoes, and cucumbers, and is topped with cracked pepper. Just simple and delicious!
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: I have not made this in a regular blender. The NutriBullet (affiliate link) works great for small jobs like this. If using a regular-size blender, you may want to double the recipe.
- Prep Time: 3 min
- Category: Condiment, Dressing
- Method: blend
- Cuisine: American
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This recipe blew my mind! Thank you so much! It didn’t really strike me as “ranchy”; it deserves a category of its own! A neighbor gave us many heads of different lettuce and stalks of dill from her garden, and I was determined to find a dressing recipe with dill. The color was so lovely–only surpassed by the fresh flavor! Will absolutely make again and again–so easy!
Yay! So glad you loved it, Elizabeth! And for the ‘Ranch’, you’re right. I guess I was just thinknig creamy and herbs, but it deserves it’s own title. haha I updated the title. Thanks for sharing, it’s super helpful! :)
I added Dijon mustard, garlic chili sauce, parsley, fresh garlic and brewers yeast along with dried shallots without measuring.
YUMMY!!!!
Wow–what delicious sounding additions. “Gonna copy you.”
Can you recommend a substitute for the hemp hearts?
I recommend this Vegan Ranch Dressing made with cashews if you don’t care for hemp hearts. I hope that helps, Jenna!
If I wanted to use dried herbs in place of fresh, what would be the recommended measurements?
I would start with 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon to start, adding more to taste.
this is so amazing. even without the salt. Have been having it every day this week. :) I didn’t even measure herbs or seasonings and used dried for all. super easy and flexible, I also added some cucumber one day and celery another as I like to get a bit more dressing for the amount of fat.