Cashew Ranch Dressing (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.

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!

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.

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, Southwest Pasta Salad, and Grilled Zucchini Recipe.

What dressings are vegan?

When buying store-bought dressings, it’s always a good idea to check the ingredients on the label.

Sometimes you’ll find surprising things listed that come from dairy, eggs, or even fish.

But fortunately it’s easy to make your own versions of popular salad dressings at home.

These are some of my favorites:

Dijon Mustard Salad Dressing

This Dijon mustard salad dressing is easy to make in minutes! Serve it on your favorite green salad, bean salad, pasta salad, or on roasted vegetables.

See the recipe

Vegan Greek Dressing

Vegan Greek Dressing tastes better than store-bought and is easy to make. Try it on Greek salad with tofu feta, roasted vegetables, and grain bowls.

See the recipe

Vegan Green Goddess Dressing (Oil-Free)

Vegan Green Goddess Dressing is delicious on vegetables and salads as a dip or sauce. It’s easy to make in your blender and is oil-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

See the recipe

Mediterranean Green Olive Salad Dressing

Mediterranean Green Olive Salad Dressing is loaded with tangy flavor. This rustic vegan sauce is simple to make with garlic, lemon, and parsley.

See the recipe

Vegan Avocado Ranch Dressing

Vegan Avocado Ranch Dressing is super creamy and flavorful without any dairy or oil. All you need are a few basic ingredients and a blender. You’ll want to eat salads every day with a dressing like this one!

See the recipe

Cashew Ranch Dressing Recipe

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

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.

5 from 8 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cashew Ranch Dressing, Vegan Ranch Dressing

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)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste

US Customary – Metric

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 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill.

Store the dressing in the refrigerator for up to a week in a glass container.

 

 

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

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