Vegan Ranch Dressing
Vegan Ranch Dressing—Thick, creamy, and delicious, this easy recipe uses cashews, flavorful herbs, and lemon. It’s a perfect salad topping or dip for your favorite veggies!
I’m a big believer that you can never have too many dressings in your recipe box, especially when they’re incredibly versatile and can double as a dip!
This vegan ranch is another wonderful addition to our growing collection of dressings on TSV—alongside our Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing, Creamy Lemon-Herb Hemp Dressing, Flax & EVO Balsamic Vinaigrette, and Tahini-Miso Dressing. All delicious in their own way!
The Best Vegan Ranch Dressing
Thick, creamy, and full of classic ranch flavor, this vegan version is made with simple, everyday ingredients. It’s wonderfully customizable — you can use fresh or dried herbs, raw cashews for a whole-food base, or vegan mayo for an even quicker version.
Completely dairy-free, oil-free, and soy-free, it’s a delicious swap for traditional ranch and works beautifully as a dressing, dip, or spread.
I know you’re going to love it too! So gather your ingredients and let’s make the best vegan ranch ever!
Ingredient Notes
This creamy vegan ranch dressing comes together with simple, real ingredients:
- Raw Cashews — Creates a rich, silky base when blended with water or unsweetened plant milk. For a quicker option, you can substitute with vegan mayonnaise.
- Onion & Garlic Powder — Classic aromatics that give the dressing its signature savory flavor.
- Lemon — Adds a nice touch of brightness and zing.
- Apple cider vinegar — For extra tang and depth (my favorite vinegar for ranch).
- Dill — The star herb in ranch. Start with less and add more to taste (a little goes a long way).
- Parsley — Adds color and a mild herbal note.
- Paprika — Just a pinch for subtle warmth and flavor.
- Salt & Fresh Cracked Pepper — As always with my recipes, add to taste.
***Prefer the recipe card? You’ll find the exact measurements and instructions just below.
How To Make Vegan Ranch Dressing
Making homemade ranch dressing is super easy and requires just a few simple steps:
- Soak the cashews: You can do this right in the blender bowl and drain and rinse before using. Optionally, skip this step and add a tad more water when blending, if needed.
- For the blender: Add the cashews, water, onion and garlic powder, lemon juice, and apple cider vinegar to the cup of your blender and process until creamy, occasionally scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the herbs: Toss in the fresh or dried herbs, along with salt and pepper, and finish mixing by hand.
And that’s it. Enjoy this classic favorite right away, or let it sit in the refrigerator to chill and thicken even more.
Tips For Success
- Soak the cashews (if not using a high-speed blender). Soaking them in hot water for 10-15 minutes helps create the smoothest, creamiest texture. If using a powerful blender like a Vitamix, you can often skip soaking.
- Adjust the consistency. Start with less liquid and add more as needed. For a thick dip, use less plant milk. For a pourable dressing, add a splash more until it reaches your desired thickness.
- Thinning it out. If the dressing thickens too much after refrigeration, simply whisk in a splash of plant milk or water until it reaches the right consistency.
- Herb strength. Fresh dill can be quite strong — start with less than the recipe calls for and add more to taste. Dried dill is milder and more subtle.
- Recommended Equipment: I ♡ my NutriBullet (<affiliate link) for small jobs like this. It’s powerful, compact, and easy to clean!
Can I Make Vegan Ranch Without Cashews?
Yes, if you have nut allergies or just prefer not to use them, replace the cashews with 1/2 to 3/4 cup of our vegan mayo or your favorite store-bought. There is no need to use a blender; just stir the ingredients well to combine.
Serving Suggestions
Ranch dressing can be served at room temperature or chilled. It’s super versatile too! Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Serve with a tray full of colorful, fresh veggies for a healthy snack or appetizer.
- It’s great as a chip dip, like with these homemade Baked Potato Chips.
- Serve as a dip for Baked Sweet Potatoes Wedges or Roasted Red Potatoes.
- Pour it over salads like our hearty Cobb Salad or simple House Salad.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 5–6 days. Give it a good stir before using, as it may thicken slightly in the fridge. Thin with a little water or plant milk as needed.
Make-ahead: This ranch tastes even better after it sits in the fridge for a few hours (or overnight) as the flavors meld together.
If you try this 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.
Print Recipe
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VEGAN RANCH DRESSING
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: Makes 1 cup 1x
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Vegan
Description
Thick and flavorful, homemade vegan ranch dressing is perfect for crisp salads or served as a dip with veggies. This easy recipe is oil-free and delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, pref. soaked (see notes)
- 1/2 cup water or unsweetened plant milk, + more as needed to thin
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh finely chopped
- 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons fresh, finely chopped
- generous pinch of paprika
- plenty of mineral salt & fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
Add the cashews, water, onion & garlic powder, lemon, and apple cider vinegar to a high-speed blender, blend until creamy smooth. Add the dill, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper, and mix by hand.
For a thinner dressing, add 1 – 2 tablespoons of water at a time until the desired consistency.
Use right away or let it chill in the refrigerator.
Makes about 1 cup.
Notes
Store: Leftovers can be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 days. If the dressing thickens too much after refrigeration, simply whisk in a splash of plant milk or water until it reaches the right consistency.
Soaking aids in the digestion of cashews. Soak cashews in 1 of 2 ways:
- Quick-soak cashews: To soak your cashews quickly, cover them with hot water and let them sit for 5 – 10 minutes. Drain and rinse.
- Regular soak for cashews: Cover with an inch of cool water, let soak for 2 – 3 hours. Cashews don’t need more than 3 hours, but will be okay if soaked longer.
Nut-free: If you’re allergic to nuts, replace the cashews with 1/2 to 3/4 cup vegan mayo; there’s no need to use a blender, just stir well to combine.
Adjust the consistency. Start with less liquid and add more as needed. For a thick dip, use less plant milk. For a pourable dressing, add a splash more until it reaches your desired thickness.
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT: My NutriBullet (affiliate link) does it again. It’s compact, easy to clean, and is great for small jobs like this recipe!
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Category: Condiment
- Method: blender
- Cuisine: American
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Oh my goodness I’m so happy I had a successful experience making this homemade vegan ranch dressing! I used fresh parsley and dried dill. Not sure if the fresh parsley is what kicked up the level of flavor. Either way, it was so delicious on top of our “bbq chickpea chopped salad” with cherry tomatoes, red onion, corn, corn chips,carrots. It would have also been good with some avocado and cilantro. Thank you!!! This is going to be written down as my permanent ranch dressing recipe.
Before I was vegan, I actually never liked ranch. This is so much tastier to me and I have been putting it on grain bowls a LOT this summer. Awesome recipe.
This is a game changer! I made this a few weeks ago and it’s been on repeat ever since. Our 10 year old daughter and I love this as a dip with veggies. So tasty!
Thank you so much for such a delicious recipe, I am so excited to see this recipe and it is so delicious!
You’re so welcome Laura, and I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Cheers :)
Just made this tonight…epic!