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    Home » Recipes » Vegan Condiment Recipes

    Cashew Ranch Dressing (Vegan)

    By: Amy Katz · Published: Aug 31, 2017 · Last modified: Oct 6, 2020 · This post may contain affiliate links. · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe - Print - Pin
    Special diet: gluten-free, oil-free, soy-free, vegan

    Cashew Ranch Dressing is oil-free, creamy, and easy to make in minutes with only a few basic ingredients. It's delicious on salads, tacos, and as a dip. This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

    Jump to:
    • Who invented ranch dressing?
    • Do vegans eat ranch?
    • What is vegan ranch made of?
    • Serving suggestions
    • 📋 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Who invented ranch dressing?

    I've always been a fan of ranch dressing.

    I always thought it was folklore that it originated from "Hidden Valley Ranch," but it's actually true.

    While working as a contract plumber in Alaska, Steve Henson started cooking for his coworkers and perfecting his buttermilk dressing recipe. Five years later he moved to California with his wife Gayle and bought a ranch. His famous buttermilk dressing soon became a staple at the dinner table of Hidden Valley Ranch and before long the Hensons started selling it to guests and local supermarkets. Over two decades later in 1972, the couple sold their name and recipe to Clorox for $8 million. Not bad for a little buttermilk, mayo, and herbs.

    -- Thrillist 10 Things You Didn’t Know About Ranch Dressing

    And Americans have been loving ranch dressing ever since!

    Vegan Cashew Ranch Dressing served on Buffalo Ranch Chickpea Taco Salad
    Buffalo Chickpea Salad with Ranch

    Do vegans eat ranch?

    Yes, they do!

    It's a key ingredient in my favorite Buffalo Chickpea Salad.

    I also love vegan ranch dressing on Soyrizo Potato Tacos.

    And it's delicious drizzled on Pumpkin Chili.

    While it's easy to find vegan versions in supermarkets these days, did you know it's incredibly simple to make it at home with healthful whole food ingredients?

    That's right!

    Plus homemade cashew ranch dressing tastes amazing and can be included in a plant-based Mediterranean diet.

    Hand holding jar of dressing

    What is vegan ranch made of?

    When I first started experimenting with making my own vegan ranch dressing, I found a formula online.

    It called for vegan mayonnaise, soy milk, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, and onion powder.

    And while it tasted good, I was confident I could come up with a recipe made with whole-food plant-based ingredients.

    As it turns out, all you need to make Cashew Ranch Dressing are the following:

    • Raw cashews
    • Water
    • Dried herbs and spices
    • A blender

    And you can customize this recipe to suit your tastes.

    If you prefer a more tangy dressing, you can add extra lemon juice or some apple cider vinegar.

    Do you like dill?

    Add some in!

    Like your ranch spicy?

    Try some ground chipotle.

    The possibilities are endless!

    Serving suggestions

    Besides serving Cashew Ranch Dressing on salads, it also makes a great dip for fresh vegetables.

    I often eat it with carrots, celery, radishes, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes as a snack.

    It also makes a delicious sandwich spread.

    Since it thickens up a little in the refrigerator, if you want a thinner sauce, you can add a little bit of water.

    I like to store it in a glass bottle.

    It will stay fresh close to a week, but I usually eat it all well before then!

    And if you're looking for more ways to use Cashew Ranch Dressing, check out the recipes for BBQ Ranch Salad with Chickpeas and Southwest Pasta Salad.

    Two bowls of BBQ Ranch Chickpea Salad drizzled with Cashew Ranch Dressing
    BBQ Ranch Salad with Chickpeas

    If you love this recipe, please give it 5 stars! ★★★★★

    📋 Recipe

    Salads with olives and tomatoes topped with cashew ranch dressing

    Cashew Ranch Dressing (Vegan)

    Cashew Ranch Dressing is easy to make with only a few basic ingredients. It's vegan, oil-free, and gluten-free. Enjoy it on salads, tacos, and as a dip! Makes about 1 cup.
    4.89 from 17 votes
    Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate Email recipe + ingredient list
    Special diet: gluten-free, oil-free, soy-free, vegan
    Course: Condiment
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 16
    Calories: 45kcal
    Author: Amy Katz

    Equipment

    • High Speed Blender

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup raw cashews, (soak for 30 minutes if you don't have a high-speed blender)
    • ½ cup water
    • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
    • ½ teaspoon dried chives
    • salt, to taste
    • pepper, to taste
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    Instructions

    • In a high-speed blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, garlic powder, and onion powder. Process until very smooth.
    • Stir in the dried parsley, dried chives, and salt and pepper, to taste. 
    • Refrigerate until ready to use.

    Notes

    For the Nutrition Facts, a serving is one tablespoon.
    For a thinner dressing, add a little more water. 
    If you want a more tangy dressing, try adding additional lemon juice or some apple cider vinegar. You can also add additional herbs such as ½ teaspoon of dried dill.
    Store the dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week in a glass container.
     
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    Nutrition

    Calories: 45kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 57mg | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.6mg

    Nutritional information is an estimation only.

    Want to learn the 5 Secrets to Cooking the Vegan Mediterranean Diet Way? Join the the FREE 5-day mini course and get the secrets delivered to your inbox.

    « Pumpkin Chili (30 Minute Vegan Recipe)
    Butternut Squash Quinoa Power Bowl »
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    About Amy

    Amy Katz is a vegan recipe developer, photographer, and Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach. She loves sharing delicious plant-based Mediterranean diet recipes that home cooks of all levels can enjoy. Her easy vegan recipes have been featured on NBC News, Parade, VegNews, BuzzFeed, MSN, Greatist, PureWow, Brides, LIVEKINDLY, Insider, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more. She lives in Orange County, California with the love of her life, Brad, and their adorable black cat, Ozzy.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    All commentsI made thisQuestions
    1. sacha

      November 06, 2021 at 4:03 pm

      4 stars
      too thick. missing some stuff like red wine vinegar... etc

      Reply
    2. ALICE Wright

      December 07, 2020 at 12:23 am

      So I just had a question about the cashews, because I've heard 2 disturbing things about them - one that they grow in this plant that has poison ivy like hand-burning substances in it - and two that it also has nickel. The former is a problem because where not automated, sometimes in poorly regulated Indian sweatshops, it apparently is burning people's hands and faces - so much so the cashews are being called "blood cashews" by some people. But I don't know, maybe it's not all the factories, I just don't know. Would replacing the cashews with sunflower seeds work or will this not result in the same taste? Been hoping to replace cashews for a while but they seem to have a unique taste.

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        December 07, 2020 at 10:24 am

        You can certainly use sunflower seeds instead of cashews. I would simmer the sunflower seeds on the stove for about 30 minutes, drain them, then proceed with the recipe.

        Reply
    3. James

      July 13, 2020 at 1:41 pm

      I followed your directions but for some reason it has the consistency of a thick paste as opposed to dressing. Should I add more water? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        July 14, 2020 at 9:33 am

        Hi James, Yes, you can add a little more water if it turns out too thick.

        Reply
    4. Jean

      June 21, 2020 at 4:23 pm

      5 stars
      I followed your recipe exactly and it was absolutely delicious!!! On my second batch 😉 Thank you Amy!!!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        June 21, 2020 at 4:29 pm

        That's wonderful to hear, thank you, Jean!

        Reply
    5. JoAnn Bush

      April 23, 2020 at 4:09 am

      5 stars
      I love this dressing! I divided it up into little batches and tried a variety of seasonings and vinegars. Pomegranate vinegar gives it a bit of a kick. My favorite, though, is extra lemon juice and a smidgen of apple cider vinegar. Favorite herbs: parsley or dill.

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        April 23, 2020 at 4:55 pm

        I'm so happy you enjoyed it, JoAnn! I love your variations!

        Reply
    6. Adelina Mbekomize

      January 08, 2020 at 5:26 am

      5 stars
      5 stars and more! I'm trying to eat more salads this month and this was perfect 🙂 Tweaked it a little; No chives, used spring onion, fresh garlic instead of it's powder. Added in some grape seed oil just for the sake of it. And i'm in awe. A wholesome salad dressing without the additives and preservatives and its a hit!

      Now i'm trying to tame my addictive personality and not put it over everything.

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        January 08, 2020 at 9:23 am

        I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Adelina! I have the same problem with Ranch. It just goes so well with everything!

        Reply
    7. Nicole

      September 25, 2019 at 11:58 am

      5 stars
      Delish!

      Reply
      • Amy Katz

        September 25, 2019 at 2:31 pm

        Thanks Nicole!

        Reply
        • Lisa Burkey

          February 12, 2020 at 4:44 pm

          We wanted more of a "dip" rather than a dressing so.... I used a lot more chives (I love chives) and we added some smoked Chipotle powder. We also let it sit at room temp overnight to meld. It turned out great! Perfect dip for chips, pretzels etc.

          Reply
          • Amy Katz

            February 13, 2020 at 10:06 am

            Fantastic! Thank you, Lisa!

            Reply
    8. Freddy

      March 18, 2019 at 8:30 pm

      5 stars
      Oh gosh! I'm on a detox and there are things I can't have but this just made my day. It definitely hit that spot! Thank you so delicious!

      Reply
    9. Camilla

      March 15, 2019 at 8:20 am

      For those of us that do not/cannot eat cashews? Have you made this with other nuts? Perhaps Brazil nuts or macadamia?

      Reply
      • Amy

        March 15, 2019 at 10:29 am

        Hi Camilla, I haven't tried it, but I recommend trying raw sunflowers as a substitute for raw cashews. I also like your idea of using macadamia nuts. I wouldn't use Brazil nuts though. While I love them, in larger quantities they can be toxic to the body. Most recommendations say to limit them to 2 a day.

        Reply
    10. Susan

      February 11, 2019 at 5:42 am

      5 stars
      Added dill and a bit more lemon juice. So delicious! My husband who always used Ranch love this instead!

      Reply
    11. Claudia

      January 05, 2019 at 9:02 am

      5 stars
      I added dill and a little bit of rice vinegar and then otherwise followed the recipe exactly. So delicious I was scraping (and eating) every last bit of what was left over in the blender. The thing is I made this for my husband who is on some kind of cleanse and can’t have dairy. I didn’t think I would like it. But I loved it and wiped out half of it before he even got any. So, now I have to make more. 😉

      Reply
      • Amy

        January 05, 2019 at 1:24 pm

        I'm so happy you enjoyed it, Claudia!

        Reply
    12. calgal

      May 19, 2018 at 5:56 am

      5 stars
      This is in my favorites folder, it's the BEST dip for cauliflower buffalo wings, among other things. I make it as written except double all the spices/herbs... amazing!

      Reply
      • Amy

        May 19, 2018 at 5:22 pm

        I'm so happy you like it! I'm going to have to try doubling the spices, too! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. 🙂

        Reply
    13. Debby

      April 04, 2018 at 4:33 pm

      Making it! How long does it keep in refrigerator?

      Reply
      • Amy

        April 04, 2018 at 4:36 pm

        I hope you enjoy it, Debby! It should last about a week.

        Reply
    14. Andrea

      February 11, 2018 at 12:21 pm

      5 stars
      Oh my !!! Added dill and lemon zest as suggested in comments. Delicious dip for my daily lunchbox staple of raw broccoli. Appreciate you sharing this recipe. It's a keeper ~`

      Reply
      • Amy

        February 11, 2018 at 1:43 pm

        That's wonderful to hear, Andrea! Thank you!

        Reply
    15. Hannah

      October 18, 2017 at 11:53 am

      Thanks for including the nutritional information, just wondering what the serving size is as I can't seem to locate one. Assuming it's a tbsp? LOVE adding dill!

      Reply
      • Amy

        October 18, 2017 at 12:17 pm

        Thanks Hannah! You're right, a serving is a Tablespoon.

        Reply

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    Amy holding an avocado like a heart

    Hi, I'm Amy! As a Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach, my passion is creating vegan Mediterranean diet recipes to inspire everyone to choose plant-based meals more often. At Veggies Save The Day you'll find simple delicious recipes that are easy to make any night of the week.

    More about me →

    Summer Favorites

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    • Mediterranean Tomato and Zucchini Saute
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    Most Popular

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    Amy holding an avocado like a heart

    Hi, I'm Amy! As a Certified Vegan Nutrition Health Coach, my passion is creating vegan Mediterranean diet recipes to inspire everyone to choose plant-based meals more often. At Veggies Save The Day you'll find simple delicious recipes that are easy to make any night of the week.

    More about me →

    Summer Favorites

    • Quick Italian White Bean Salad
    • Mediterranean Tomato and Zucchini Saute
    • Cauliflower Curry Vegan Grill Recipe
    • 5 Ingredient Vegan Lentil Salad

    Most Popular

    • Mediterranean Yellow Rice
    • 15 Minute Tomato Paste Pasta Sauce
    • Vegan Lemon Artichoke Pasta
    • Sauteed Green Beans with Mushrooms

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