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This vegan ranch is simple to make and is one recipe we can confidently say tastes even better than the original. Using just a few staple ingredients, the flavors are creamy, tangy, and herbaceous. Serve it with veggie sticks, pizza, or salad!
Table of Contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- Better than the original: We don’t often say this since replicating non-vegan food in a plant-based way typically tastes a bit different. But, this vegan ranch dressing tastes equally as good as (if not better than) the original.
- Quick & easy: All you need is about 5 minutes to whip up a batch. And no blender is necessary!
- Nut-free: Instead of a cashew base (like a lot of vegan recipes), we opt for mayo. While it does taste good with cashews, the flavor and texture are too far from the original.
- Versatile: Just like traditional recipes, you can serve dairy-free ranch on just about anything. From salads to pizzas, there is no shortage of uses.
If you love vegan ranch, you should really check out our spicy chili-garlic aioli, lemon tahini dressing, and creamy balsamic dressing.
🌿 What is vegan ranch?
Vegan ranch dressing is a dairy-free version of one of the most popular sauces there is. Ranch dressing has three main components of flavor:
- Creaminess: Emulated with vegan mayo.
- Herbaeousness: Achieved with dill, parsley, and chives.
- Zest: From alliums like garlic and onion.
Once these ingredients are mixed together, the final taste and consistency rival any store-bought brands. The difference is that this version is more affordable to make and can easily be customized!
🌱 Why isn’t ranch vegan?
Do you remember the three components that make a ranch dressing? Traditionally, the creamy base consists of mayonnaise, buttermilk, and sour cream.
Unfortunately, those ingredients contain eggs and dairy products, rendering them vegetarian only. With the swaps we’ve provided in this recipe, we promise your dairy-free ranch will taste every bit as rich and creamy!
🛒 Ingredients & substitutions
- Vegan mayo: Use your favorite brand! We generally opt for Hellmann’s vegan mayo, but you can try making your own for a more affordable option. You can also use half mayo and half sour cream.
- Acids: We prefer a combination of apple cider vinegar and lemon juice to prevent the flavor from being overpowering or too fruity. You can use all ACV or all lemon juice if you’d like, or swap in white wine vinegar.
- Seasonings: Classic ranch seasonings include dill, parsley, chives, onion powder, and garlic. Both fresh and dried herbs work for this recipe, though we prefer the punch of fresh garlic and chives.
- Soy milk: Use plain, unsweetened soy milk. Or, replace it with hemp milk, almond milk, cashew milk, or pea milk.
- Salt & pepper: Taste the ranch before adding salt as vegan mayo is already seasoned.
For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.
📝 How to make vegan ranch
Step 1: Combine the ingredients
In a small container or mason jar, combine vegan mayo, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, onion powder, dill, parsley, chives, and minced garlic.
Step 2: Add the soy milk
Gradually add the soy milk in 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Happy eating!
If you have questions about making a non-dairy ranch dressing, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!
🥗 How to use vegan ranch dressing
There are so many ways to use vegan ranch in your day-to-day life. Test out some of these ideas, both classic and unique:
- Dip: Pair vegan ranch with veggie sticks, cauliflower wings, potato wedges, “chicken” tenders, chickpea fries, pizza rolls, or regular pizzas with homemade vegan dough.
- Dressing: Use it on garden salads, kale salads, vegan cobb salads, grain bowls, macaroni salads, or chickpea salads.
- Sauce: Add a drizzle to veggie burgers, quesadillas, wraps, or vegan sloppy joes.
- With roasted vegetables: Pair some with roasted vegetables like green beans, zucchini coins, or sweet potatoes.
🌡️ Storage
For any leftover vegan ranch dressing, follow these quick and easy storage tips:
- Fridge: Transfer the dressing to an airtight container (like a mason jar). Kept this way, your vegan ranch will last up to 10 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: Store it in a freezer-safe container in the freezer, and it will last for up to 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Thaw the sauce in the fridge overnight, give it a thorough stir, and enjoy!
♻️ Variations
- Spicy: Make a spicy version with a teaspoon or two of sambal oelek or Sriracha.
- Smoky: For a smoky vegan ranch dressing, add smoked paprika, adobo sauce, or a dash of liquid smoke.
- Nut-based: If you don’t like vegan mayo, try using cashews, sunflower seeds, or almonds as your dairy-free ranch base.
- Mayo-free: For another mayo-free option, substitute it with store-bought or homemade dairy-free sour cream, vegan heavy cream, or coconut yogurt.
🧑🍳 Top tips
- High-quality mayo: Use high-quality vegan mayo for the best results. Our top choices are Hellman’s or Just Mayo when it comes to vegan ranch dressing.
- Adjust for taste: Everyone has slightly different taste receptors. If you prefer more zest, tang, or creaminess, adjust the seasonings to your liking.
- Chill first: Chill the ranch for about 30 minutes before serving. This way, it will have time to thicken up and meld the flavors together.
💬 FAQ
To make the best-tasting vegan ranch without vegan mayonnaise, we suggest making it with a thick, tangy, vegan yogurt. If you opt for nuts (like cashews), just know it won’t taste quite the same as the original.
Yes, you can make vegan ranch dressing with all fresh herbs if you would like. A traditional recipe actually makes use of dried herbs, but we love the flavor of fresh. Do whatever is most convenient for you, or what you like best.
The main herbs and spices used in ranch dressing include onions, garlic, chives, parsley, and dill.
We wouldn’t necessarily consider vegan ranch a healthy food. However, a few tablespoons here and there can definitely be part of a balanced diet. Any food eaten in excess may cause negative consequences to your health.
🍴 More sauce recipes
If you enjoyed this vegan ranch dressing recipe, be sure to check out some more rich and flavorful sauces like these:
- San Marzano Tomato Sauce: A vibrant, herbaceous, and satisfying sauce.
- Vegan Caesar Dressing: A 5-minute sauce made from cashews.
- Vegan Tzatziki: 10-minute, dairy-free version of this popular Greek sauce.
- Vegan Tartar Sauce: Made from egg-free mayo, pickles, capers, and fresh dill.
Best Vegan Ranch
Equipment
- Mason jar
Ingredients
- ¾ cup vegan mayo
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried dill
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh chives
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 2-3 tablespoons plain soy milk (unsweetened)
- Sea salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a small container or mason jar, combine vegan mayo, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, onion powder, dill, parsley, chives, and minced garlic.
- Gradually add the soy milk in 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Use vegan ranch as a dip for veggie sticks, cauliflower wings, or as a salad dressing. Happy eating!
Notes
- High-quality mayo: Use high-quality vegan mayo for the best results. Our top choices are Hellman’s or Just Mayo when it comes to vegan ranch dressing.
- Adjust for taste: Everyone has slightly different taste receptors. If you prefer more zest, tang, or creaminess, adjust the seasonings to your liking.
- Chill first: Chill the ranch for about 30 minutes before serving. This way, it will have time to thicken up and meld the flavors together.
- Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.
Nutrition
Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.
