Ready to whip up the easiest Creamy Dairy Free Ranch Dressing ever? This homemade Vegan & GF version blends creamy soaked cashews with vibrant fresh lemon juice, tangy white vinegar, fragrant garlic and onion powders, fresh or dried dill, and a pinch of smoked paprika for that irresistible herb-packed kind of sauce you’ll want to dunk everything in. Grab your blender and you'll be dipping to your hearts delight in just a few minutes!
If you have a high speed blender, great, you're ready to go! If not, we'll take a quick little detour to prepare the cashews so they're soft enough to yield a super creamy dressing. More on that below.
This ranch is so perfect for dipping anything and everything that traditionally goes from zero to hero with ranch. Especially when the ranch is creamy and tangy and delicious enough to eat with a spoon!
Try it drizzled over my Baked Vegan Breakfast Hash or slathered on the bun of these Easy TVP Burgers! It's also a star ingredient in my Roasted BBQ Cauliflower Wraps!
Jump to:
❤️Why you'll love this homemade dairy free ranch
- Naturally Gluten-Free: No need to worry about hidden gluten here! This creamy ranch is naturally gluten-free, making it a safe and tasty choice for anyone avoiding gluten.
- Perfect for Dipping, Spreading, or Pouring: Whether you're dunking crispy French fries, slathering it on wraps, or drizzling over a salad, this ranch does it all. It’s as versatile as it gets! I love it poured over a big plate of seasoned roasted potatoes!
- Customizable Thickness: Want a thicker dip for veggies or a spread for your wraps? Simply make the ranch in advance. After sitting for about 30 minutes it thickens to the perfect dipping/spreading consistency.
- The Big Salad, Anyone? Channel your inner Seinfeld and make Elaine's famous “Big Salad” with this ranch! Use the recipe as is for a perfectly pourable dressing that’s sure to elevate your salad game.
🍽Equipment
All you'll need for this recipe is a high speed blender such as my favorite Nutri Bullet Pro 1200, and some measuring cups & spoons, as well as a knife for chopping any fresh herbs. If you don't have a high speed blender see my advance prep note below for prepping the cashews.
🍋Ingredients & Helpful Substitutions
For the full list and measurements, see the recipe card below. Here are the main ingredients and easy swaps.
- Raw cashews: You want raw for this recipe not roasted or salted
- Plant milk: Any kind works such as cashew, almond, or soy
- Fresh lemon: Fresh is best but bottled will work in a pinch
- White vinegar: I have tested this Apple Cider Vinegar as well and that works too
- Spices: garlic granules (Garlic Powder is fine), onion powder, dried or fresh dill, dried or fresh parsley, smoked paprika
- Fresh chives (optional)
⏲️Advanced Prep
If you have a high speed blender, like my favorite Nutri Bullet Pro, then you can totally skip this step because the blender will do all the work for you! If you don't then add your cashews to a small sauce pan of boiling water. Boil for ten minutes, drain, and rinse and now they're ready to make a super creamy ranch!
🔪Instructions
Step 1.) Gather up all of your ingredients including any fresh herbs you want to add to the finished recipe such as parsley, chives, or dill.
Step 2.) Add the vinegar and lemon juice to the plant milk and set aside. Add cashews, garlic granules, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley, smoked paprika, salt & pepper to the blender.
Step 3.) Pour the milk mixture into the blender and blend for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
Step 4.) Once finished use right away or pour into a jar or air tight container for storage in the refrigerator. When ready to use feel free to top with some chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, or dill to add a pop of color!
💭Pro Tip
Make Ahead: This ranch gets even better (and thicker) after sitting for a few hours or overnight. Letting the flavors meld together in the fridge gives it a richer, more developed taste.
Add Fresh Herbs: For a burst of freshness, stir in some fresh chopped herbs like parsley or chives right before serving. This adds a pop of color and flavor without overwhelming the ranch base.
Perfect for Meal Prep: Store this ranch in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. It’s great to have on hand for snacks, meals, or to dress your salads.
🧊Storage & Meal Prep
Refrigerator: Store in a jar or air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Freezer: Not freezer friendly as some separation or a change in texture will occur. I really recommend enjoying this ranch freshly made.
Meal Prep: Whip up a batch on Sunday and have it ready for some quick weeknight (or morning) meals like these super easy Roasted BBQ Cauliflower Wraps (link coming next week) or drizzled over my Baked Vegan Breakfast Hash!
❓FAQ's
Yes, for veggie dipping or spreading on wraps or sandwiches simply make this ranch the day before for a thicker, more spoon-worthy texture. It will really thicken after refrigeration overnight. If you need to use it right away and need it thicker then just reduce the milk by 2 tablespoons.
Oh let me count the ways! Drizzle on roasted seasoned potatoes, dip French fries or raw veggies, Vegan buffalo cauliflower wings anyone? Try drizzling over pizza, you could stir some into vegan gravy for a flavor boost, pour a little on vegan mac n cheese or use in a cold pasta salad! And of course every other salad imaginable.
Yes! Enjoy by the boat load!
No problem! Stir in a bit of plant milk one tablespoon at a time until your desired consistency is reached!
👩🏻🍳 Want to see some behind-the-scenes fun (and maybe a little kitchen chaos)? Keep scrollin’ — it’s all happening below the recipe card!
Print
Creamy Dairy Free Ranch Dressing and Dip (Vegan & GF)
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 ½ cups (24 tablespoons) 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Ready to whip up the easiest Dairy Free Ranch Dressing ever? Grab your high speed blender and a few ingredients like raw cashews, vibrant fresh lemon, and a some fragrant garden herbs and you'll be dipping to your hearts delight in just a few minutes!
Ingredients
1 Cup Raw Cashews, soaked unless using a high speed blender (see notes)
¾ cup plant milk
1 Tablespoon lemon juice (fresh yields the best flavor, but bottled will work in a pinch)
1 Tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon dried dill (if you prefer to use fresh see my notes on using fresh dill)
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
Fresh chives chopped, optional (stir in AFTER blending for visual appeal)
Instructions
- Gather up all of your ingredients including any fresh herbs you want to add to the finished recipe such as parsley, chives, or dill.
- Add the vinegar and lemon juice to the plant milk and set aside. Add cashews, garlic granules, onion powder, dried dill, dried parsley, smoked paprika, salt & pepper to the blender.
- Pour the milk mixture into the blender and blend for 1 to 2 minutes until smooth and creamy.
- Once finished use right away or pour into a jar or air tight container for storage in the refrigerator. When ready to use feel free to top with some chopped fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, or dill to add a pop of color!
Refrigerate for up to one week. Freezing not recommended as it may cause separation and texture changes.
Notes
Cashews & Soaking: If you have a high speed blender, like my favorite Nutri Bullet Pro, then you can totally skip this step because the blender will do all the work for you! If you don't then add your cashews to a small sauce pan of boiling water. Boil for ten minutes, drain, and rinse and now they're ready to make a super creamy ranch!
Need a thicker spread? For veggie dipping or spreading on wraps or sandwiches simply reduce the plant milk by 2 tablespoons for a thicker, more spoon-worthy texture.
Fresh vs Dried: If you choose to use fresh dill over dried it's best to add it after blending. Fresh dill's flavor is delicate and diminishes rapidly when exposed to heat, even the small amount a blender creates. This causes the essential oils that give dill it's distinctive citrusy taste to evaporate. Replace the dried with 1 Tablespoon fresh dill, chop and stir in AFTER blending.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dips, Dressings
- Method: No Bake
- Cuisine: Plant Based
⭐Did you enjoy this Creamy Dairy Free Ranch Dressing and Dip recipe?
If you give this Creamy Ranch a try please leave a comment and rating below! Justin and I read every one! Your feedback helps more people find my recipes and keeps the delicious messy chaos going in the Fresh Fun Flavor kitchen. Plus, we just love hearing from you!
👩🏻🍳Creating the shot: A behind the scenes look
Setting up the scene and lighting anticipating nothing to go wrong!
What really happened
I went into the other room for a moment and heard some rustling.
Mischief was well underway. Luckily there was loads more growing in the garden!
Charlie and I had a discussion, he walked away while I was still talking 🙄.
Disclaimer: The nutritional information provided for Creamy Dairy Free Ranch is an estimate calculated using Nutrifox, an online tool. Please note that this information is for general guidance only and should not replace advice from a qualified professional. Additionally, this page may include affiliate links, meaning I may earn a small commission if you purchase through those links at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Fresh Fun Flavor!
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