Vegan Ranch Dressing
There’s a reason this creamy vegan ranch dressing recipe is the most popular dressing around. That’s because homemade salad dressing is simple to make and tastes better than storebought dressing. This dairy-free ranch dressing is creamy with a good herbal kick!
Serve vegan ranch as a dip with chopped veggies or even these spicy Cauliflower Wings or drizzle it over these Air Fryer French Fries.
I love salads. I probably eat one every single day. Not quite, but almost. I also love ranch salad dressing. So, I knew I had to find a way to make that ranch dressing vegan.
And what I’ve learned over the years is there’s one thing I love even more than salads: homemade salad dressings. Why? Because I love fresh. Homemade salad dressing is easy to make and is so much better than store-bought. I use simple seasonings and now this dressing is back in my circulation of favorite salad dressing recipes!
What Makes This Recipe Shine?
- Using vegan mayo adds creaminess to this vegan ranch recipe
- A combination of seasonings, including dried dill, adds to that distinctive ranch flavor we’ve come to love
- Using fresh green onions adds color and a mild onion flavor, making every bite delicious and crave-worthy!
Key Ingredients
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe, including substitution ideas:
- Vegan mayo — I typically use Hellman’s Vegan Mayo, but sometimes I will substitute this cashew cream or plain vegan yogurt (My favorite is Forager). You can also make your own homemade vegan mayo.
- Plant-based milk — I recommend choosing unsweetened soy or cashew milk because of their neutral flavor. Avoid vanilla-flavored milk.
- Garlic powder — Raw garlic can overpower this dressing, so either garlic powder or the tender garlic from garlic confit works.
- Green onion — You can substitute dehydrated onion flakes, but the flavor of a fresh green onion is my favorite.
- Sea salt — A tiny bit of salt adds flavor.
- Seasonings — We’ll use dried mustard, chives, parsley, and dried dill to achieve that distinctive ranch flavor. You can skip all the individual seasonings by keeping a batch of this dairy-free ranch seasoning on-hand.
You can see I’ve used a combination of fresh and dried seasonings. I experimented with different versions of ranch seasonings and found this article from the NY Times on the reasons why ranch is so popular helpful.
Marly’s Tips
If you prefer a creamier dressing, feel free to add a bit more vegan mayo to the mix.
How to Make Vegan Ranch Dressing
To make this homemade ranch salad dressing,
- Combine the ingredients in a food processor.
- Pulse everything until smooth, although a little bit of texture is nice.
- Pour the dressing into a lidded container (I use small mason jars for this) and…
- Add more seasonings. Here you can add some salt and pepper to taste. I also like to add freshly chopped parsley or chives to the dressing as well.
- Let it thicken. At first, you might think the dressing is too runny, but it thickens after it sits for a bit. In fact, you might even need to add a little more plant-based milk on day two. It depends on the consistency you prefer.
Of course, I also made a vegan yogurt ranch dip which is much thicker than dressing and absolutely perfect to sit next to a plate of crudité, like carrots, broccoli, and radishes. And speaking of homemade dressings, this strawberry vinaigrette is another favorite (and it’s low carb too).
You’ll love dipping Airfryer Falafel in this tasty ranch!
Frequently-Asked Questions
Is Ranch Dressing Vegan?
Most store-bought ranch salad dressings are not vegan because they’re made with dairy. However, you can find dairy-free ranch salad dressings in stores, such as Just Mayo’s Just Ranch and Daiya’s Homestyle Ranch. It’s also easy to make your own at home and use dairy-free ingredients.
Is Ranch Dressing Made with Milk?
Yes, the traditional ranch salad dressing is made with milk, buttermilk, or even yogurt. However, it’s easy to make your own with plant-based dairy products. I suggest using plain plant-based milk. However, I have made vegan ranch dressing using vanilla-flavored soy milk and it still tasted great!
How Many Carbs in Ranch Dressing?
Store-bought dressings oftentimes include hidden sugars, which is another reason why homemade salad dressings are best. This dairy-free ranch dressing offers the following nutritional estimates per serving: Calories: 77 Carbs: 1g Protein: 0g Fat: 7g Fiber: 0g Net Carbs: 1g.
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Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan mayo
- ½ cup plant-based milk , plain (not vanilla)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill weed
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the vegan mayo, milk, and apple cider vinegar. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- Add the garlic powder, chopped green onions, sea salts, dry mustard, chives, parsley, and dill. Add additional salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
- Serve over salads, as a dip with veggies, and drizzled over veggie burgers.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2019 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
Oh boy, this is sooo amazing. Just finished my second batch. This time I got smart and doubled it. Nothing that I’ve seen on the store shelves even comes close!
Hi John! I’m so glad you like this recipe. I completely agree with you. I’m sad to say that I’m out of dill seasoning so I’m waiting to make another double batch myself!
It’s very good! I used cashew yogurt instead of vegan mayo. How long
does it keep in the fridge? Thank you.
Thanks, Heather! I’m so glad you like it. I oftentimes use vegan yogurt in this recipe as well! It usually keeps in my fridge for up to 4 or 5 days. If I think it will be in there longer than that, I will transfer it to a freezer-safe container and freeze it to use later!
I love ranch; so versatile! And, I don’t care what anyone say, store bought is never as good as homemade! 🙂
We are kindred spirits Holly! Let’s have a homemade ranch party!
We LOVE dipping buffalo cauliflower wings into vegan ranch dressing. Can’t wait to try out this recipe!
There is nothing like homemade! We make our own too and it’s the only way to go. Yours looks so good!
This ranch dressing looks so good (I really like ranch dressing…too). Great ingredients and herbs it look delicious.
And, I’m with everyone on fresh socks being a must 😉 can’t start the day or go out unless I got some fresh socks on!
I’m always looking for a new and delicious vegan ranch recipe to try and yours is definitely next up on the list! It looks delicious! Pinning!
I will try!
I think you’ve even got some vegan mayo in your fridge! Hope you love this dressing!
I love your recipe Marly! Nothing beats fresh, homemade salad dressing! Also. I’m with you on fresh socks, straight out of the packet! 😉
Thanks, Anna! Yes, sometimes fresh is best…especially with socks!