Hatch Chile Dressing (Ranch-Style)
Ranch-style Hatch Chile Dressing is made with cashews, hatch chiles, cumin, lime, and cilantro, and is a delicious creamy condiment that can be used as a dressing, dip, spread, or sauce!
What should you do with those hatch chiles when they come into season? Of course, make a creamy hatch chili dressing!
Hatch chilies, aka New Mexico chile, are typically mild peppers with notes of citrus. Once roasted, the flavor pairs perfectly with all the ingredients in this dressing which can be used with all your favorite Tex-Mex recipes.
Cashews hold many health benefits and blend into pure creaminess for a non-dairy, vegan dressing. They are the perfect base keeping it oil-free and easy to make.
Next time you see hatch chiles at the market, pick them up and whip up a batch of this amazing dressing for yourself. I know you will love it as much as we do!
Ingredient Notes
In this recipe, hatch chiles are roasted, peeled, and then pureed with cashews, spices, and herbs. It creates a wonderfully creamy ranch-style dressing that you’ll want to make every year when hatch chiles are in season.
Here is everything you will need, including ingredient variations when possible:
- Raw cashews – You can find raw cashews in bulk at Sprouts or Whole Foods, or packaged from Trader Joe’s. For ease, I often purchase them online from Amazon: Terrasoul Cashews or Anthony’s Cashews (affiliate links).
- Hatch chiles – can sub with Anaheim or poblano chiles for variation, or use a 4oz can of diced green chile peppers.
- Cumin – I’ve used just a touch, feel free to add more to taste.
- Garlic – use fresh or 1/2 – 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Lime – If you don’t have lime on hand, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
- Cilantro – You can omit it if you’re not a fan of cilantro.
- Salt – As always, use to taste.
How To Roast Hatch Chilies
- Broil chiles: Turn your broiler on high, place the hatch chiles in the center of a baking sheet, and set them under the broiler. Times will vary depending on your oven, be sure to check on them every few minutes. You will hear them blister and crackle every now and then. Turn every few minutes to char evenly on all sides. Chiles will be ready when nicely charred and softened. Mine took about 7 – 10 minutes. Let the peppers cool for a few minutes.
- Peel: Once cooled a bit, remove the charred skin. You may be tempted to run the peppers under running water to help remove the skin, but please refrain from doing so since it may wash away the wonderful roasted flavor that’s left behind.
- Slice: Make a slit lengthwise, and remove the core and seeds (leaving some seeds is ok). Taste chiles to see if they are a hot or mild version. Use your discretion when adding to the dressing. Most likely, they will be mild, and you can add both peppers.
And now you’re ready to use these delicious, mild, and flavorful peppers!
How To Make Hatch Chili Dressing
- Soak cashews: This step can be started before roasting the peppers. To soak cashews, place them in a container and add enough water to cover them with 2 – 3 inches of water. The cashews will swell and soak up the water. Let them soak for 2 – 3 hours. Alternatively, do a quick soak by soaking the cashews in hot water for 5 – 10 minutes. Soaking helps them blend well and aids digestion.
- Puree: Place the cashews, chiles, cumin, garlic, cilantro, salt, lime juice, and water in the cup of a high-speed blender or food processor. Blend until creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Add more water as needed to create the desired consistency. Taste for flavor.
Tips For Success
- Don’t be afraid to really get the peppers nice and charred. The more charred and blistered your peppers are, the easier they are to peel and the more flavor they will have.
- Don’t rinse the peppers after roasting. Doing so may wash away some of the roasted flavor.
- Switch up the peppers when needed. This recipe will work using 1 large poblano or Anaheim chile.
How To Store
- Refrigerator: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 6 days. Give a good stir before using. The dressing may thicken once chilled; add more water as needed to thin.
- Freezer: For longer storage, this hatch chile dressing is freezer-friendly and can be stored for 2 – 3 months using a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Let thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.
Serving Suggestions
This creamy dressing is absolutely delicious, you may like to use it just about everywhere! Here are a few of our favorite options:
- Tacos: Drizzle this creamy dressing on Vegan Black Bean Tacos, Roasted Poblano Tacos, or Buffalo Chickpea Tacos.
- Burritos: It’s great with these Vegan Burritos or Chipotle Burrito Bowl.
- Other main dishes: Use it with this Enchilada Verde or Tex-Mex Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.
- Salads: Serve it with this hearty and filling Southwestern Salad or Southwest Chickpea Salad.
- Dip: You could also easily turn this into a dip for tortilla chips or fresh vegetable sticks.
- Spread: It’s great as a spread for sandwiches and burgers.
If you try this hatch chile recipe or have a question, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
PrintCREAMY HATCH CHILE DRESSING
Ranch-style Chile Hatch Dressing is a delicious and creamy condiment that can be used as a dressing, dip, spread, or even a pasta sauce!
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Condiment
- Method: puree
- Cuisine: Tex-Mex, Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2 – 3 hours
- 2 hatch chiles (Anaheim or poblano ok too, or 4oz can of diced green chile peppers)
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- good pinch of salt
- juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Instructions
Soak cashews: Soak your cashews in enough water to cover them and have about 2 -3 inches of water over top. The cashews will swell up and need plenty of water to soak up. Let them soak for 2 – 3 hours. Alternately, do a quick soak by soaking the cashews in hot water for 5 minutes.
Broil chiles: Turn your broiler on to medium or medium-high, place the hatch chiles on a baking sheet and set under the broiler. Times will vary depending on your oven so pay attention and check on them every few minutes. You will hear them blister and crackle every now and then. Turn every few minutes to char evenly on all sides. Chiles will be ready when charred and softened. Mine took about 7 – 10 minutes. Let cool a few minutes.
Peel + slice: Remove the charred skin, make a slit lengthwise, core, and remove the seeds (some seeds ok).
Puree: Place the cashews, chiles, cumin, garlic, cilantro, salt, lime juice, and water (starting with the least amount) in a blender/food processor. Blend until creamy scraping down the sides every now and then. Taste for flavor and add more water as needed to create desired consistency.
Makes about 2 cups.
Serves 8, 1/4 cup per serving.
Store: Leftover dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 – days. The dressing will thicken upon chilling and thin with water if needed.
Notes
If you didn’t soak your cashews, you will most likely use the full 3/4 cup of water, possibly slightly more, depending on whether this is a dip or dressing.
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This dressing was great with your Southwest Salad! I boiled the cashews for 18 minutes and blended it with canned hatch chiles, and it was so good. I’m now adding the salad into my regular meal plan. Thank you so much for providing tasty plant focused recipes! This website is a life saver!
Could you use reconstituted dried hatch chilies?
Yes, that should work great! Adjust the amount to suit your taste. Enjoy!
Wonderful, I’m not a vegan but i do like to play around, love the flavors, going into tonight’s fish tacos! Thank you.
This dressing looks so good! I haven’t been able to find any hatch chilies. Can the canned hatch chilies be used for this?
Yes, you can canned whole or diced chilies for this recipe. I would start with a 4 oz can, adding more if you like. Enjoy!
I was about to ask this. The recipe says 40 oz can. Seemed waaaaay too much.
Oops, typo – it’s fixed now! It’s 4oz (the o was accidentally input as a zero). Thanks for pointing that out!
Best ever vegan salad dressing. Love it!
I made this dressing tonight to go with your Southwest Salad. It was phenomenal! So easy to make with a balanced, creamy Southwest flavor. I literally had to take the blender away from my husband, who kept spooning mouthfuls of dressing out of it, so we would have some for the left-overs tomorrow. We already have a list of other meals and snack we want to try this on. I didn’t have Hatch chilis (although I’ll be keeping my eye out for those), so I used Anaheim, and I didn’t have raw cashews, just roasted, and I did the 5-minute hot soak. I’m not vegan, but I always love how much great flavor your recipes have and how satisfying they are. Thanks!
AMAZING! I substituted Hatch for Shishito Peppers (4 oz before I cut stem off after cooking). I cooked the peppers in a pan and oven to test out if either would work and it does! Also I did not peel skin, just saute with less than a tablespoon (about 1/2 TBSP) olive oil (or oven broil), cut stem off, use back of knife to squeeze (scrape) seeds out. FAST and easy. I put on tacos but also used as a “dip” for more Shishito Peppers I had (can use as a salad dressing to). Soooo good. THANK YOU for this awesome vegan recipe!!!
Just made this dressing to have on a potato and green salad. It is amazing. Didnt have the hatch chile so I used jalapenos.