Learn how to make the absolute BEST Vegan Ranch Dressing Oil-free and No Mayo! This recipe is dairy-free and tastes better than the traditional dairy kind! Perfect for healthy salads. Made with cashews, yogurt, vinegar and spices!
BEST VEGAN RANCH DRESSING
Who doesn’t love ranch dressing? I know I ate bucket loads before going vegan and now we have the absolute most amazing vegan, oil-free ranch dressing that you will ever need! And unlike many versions out there, this one does not use vegan mayo or oil! Yes, this vegan ranch is oil-free and made with healthy ingredients! I’m all about recreating classics in a healthier way, just like with this Vegan Thousand Island Dressing that tastes 100% authentic!
CAN VEGANS EAT RANCH?
Yes, of course, as long as it’s vegan! Traditional ranch dressings contain mayo though, so are not vegan. There are vegan ranch dressing brands out there, but they are full of oil and unhealthy ingredients. Better to just make your own! But this vegan ranch dressing recipe will blow all the others away!
I used my original recipe as the base but changed up a couple of things and it is incredible. All my spices are the same but for that truly tangy and authentic taste and texture, I subbed most of the milk with yogurt! Oh boy did it improve that flavor! I found this to taste so much like the classic ranch and my family agreed. My hubby (Mr. Picky) called it “spot on” and “brilliant”.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
Full amounts and details on recipe card below.
- raw cashews
- non-dairy plain unsweetened yogurt: I use the So Delicious coconut yogurt, but Kite Hill almond yogurt is delicious, too.
- non-dairy milk: I used “lite” canned coconut milk because it’s very creamy and lends a beautiful texture. If you are allergic, make sure to use another creamy milk like soy or a high-quality oat milk.
- white vinegar
- dry mustard
- onion powder
- garlic powder
- dried dill
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN RANCH DRESSING
Step 1: Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.
Step 2: Place in the fridge to chill until thickened.
I hope you love this Vegan Ranch Dressing as much as we do! I find that this ranch dressing is not only delicious on salads, but also on pizza or even avocado toast!
MORE VEGAN DRESSINGS TO TRY
If you make this recipe, be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!
Best Vegan Ranch Dressing (Oil-free)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (75g) raw unsalted cashews (use sunflower kernels if allergic but keep in mind it will yield a different flavor)
- 1/2 cup (120g) non-dairy unsweetened plain yogurt, I used SoDelicious coconut buy soy or another creamy yogurt should work
- 1/4 cup (60g) canned "lite" coconut milk, shaken first (or soy milk, but I preferred the taste of the coconut)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (23g) white distilled vinegar (THIS IS KEY to ranch flavor, so do not sub with another vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- I use this scale.
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (for stirring in at the end)
FLAVOR VARIATIONS
- I tested this as other flavors too that were outstanding. Try any 3 of these separate versions with 2 tablespoons (30g) of fined diced of the following: chopped green or black olives, chopped green chiles or chopped pickled jalapenos.
Instructions
- If you do not have a high-powered blender like a Vitamix, then you will need to soak your cashews overnight in a bowl of water, otherwise your dressing will be gritty. Drain, rinse and proceed.
- Add all of the ingredients, except the fresh dill, to a blender and process for a couple of minutes, stopping to scrape the sides, until completely smooth. The dressing will be on the runny side, perfectly pourable, but will thicken a lot in the fridge more like a dip for veggies.
- Pour the dressing into a container and stir in the fresh dill. This is so it is visible in the end dressing and does not turn the dressing green when blended.
- Use immediately or store in the fridge for a couple of hours to chill and thicken some before using.
- It will thicken up a lot like a dip overnight so give it a good stir before use. You can slightly thin it out with a tad of water and an extra splash of vinegar if needed. The dressing is good for a week in the fridge.
Nutrition
The Vegan 8 is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see my full disclosure policy here
So good! Any suggestions to make it slightly less sweet???
Hi Jean! So glad you enjoyed it! Sweet? It shouldn’t be sweet at all, but tangy and taste exactly like ranch. Sounds to me like your yogurt or milk had sugar in it because that’s the only way it would be sweet. Some milks and yogurts have sugar added.
Brandi, you nailed this! It took me back to 1977—first time I ever tried ranch dressing/Hidden Valley (I can remember because I was doing my internship that summer and was invited over to my supervisor’s house for dinner). This is o good! We used it in a bowl, with roasted peppers, broccoli, tempeh, asparagus, green beans, onions, and mushrooms on top of barley. YUM!
My only difficulty is that Kroger doesn’t sell unsweetened unflavored nondairy yogurt. Fortunately Sprouts and Publix do, so I’ll just shop there more often because this is definitely going to be frequently made!
Oh yay! So very happy to hear you loved it Ellen!! All of your ingredients that you topped the ranch with too sound so delicious! Ahh yes, definitely as good as the Hidden Valley too in my opinion! Yes, I get the coconut plain yogurt from Sprouts as well. I really wish Kroger would sell the coconut there too since it’s so close to my house, but hopefully they will eventually!
Shocked how good this is. Thank you for reintroducing these lovely foods to our lives!
Full disclosure, I made it with dairy yogurt because our local store doesn’t carry (or at least I can’t find) the coconut yogurt I like, and I prefer to avoid processed/non-fermented soy products. (We are vegetarian but not vegan, although I’m trying to reduce our overall dairy consumption.) But I bet it would be even better with coconut yogurt. I also used frozen dill rather than dried, but I don’t think that made a difference.
I stopped eating regular ranch dressing years ago because it’s so full of nasty ingredients, but I could see this becoming a staple in both the vegan and dairy yogurt versions.
Thank you so much Thera! I’m so happy to hear how much you loved this!!
Love this, have tried so many other recipes in hopes of getting close to the real ranch flavor and was disappointed. Looking forward to trying it again with seasoning variations too. Many thanks.
I love the flavor of this! Mine came out more like a dip after sitting in the fridge but I haven’t added the water to it yet to thin it out per your suggestion. Quick question: since I only used 1/4 of the coconut milk, do you have any ideas of what to make with the rest? I was going to try a coconut whipped cream or coffee creamer but all of those recipes seem to call for full fat coconut milk.
Hi Laurie! Yes, that is correct and what I noted in step 4 that it will thicken like a dip overnight which is great for dipping veggies in! But I also like to just add a bit of water and more vinegar just so it doesn’t lose it’s tang with the added water. Only a tiny bit is needed. For the extra coconut milk, I have a ton of recipes using lite coconut milk!
Here are a few: Blueberry Muffins: https://thevegan8.com/fluffy-vegan-blueberry-vanilla-muffins/
https://thevegan8.com/2017/07/31/vegan-lemon-sauce-with-edamame-pasta/
https://thevegan8.com/2016/03/18/dreamy-creamy-rosemary-white-beans/
Thanks! I actually have chocolate chips so I might do that version:)
Hi Brandi, thank you for sharing all your awesome recipes! I was really looking forward to trying this one until i spotted the dairy-free yoghurt as my only options for such contain the mystery ‘flavouring’ in the ingredients, and after hearing about hidden names for MSG from Dr Russell Blaylock i steer well clear of anything like that! Could i use coconut milk or maybe silken tofu instead? Or if there is anything else you could recommend? I am probably not even at Novice level for cooking so any advice would be much appreciated!
Hi Nick! The coconut yogurt by So Delicious that I use does not have any flavorings added or sugar, so that one is fine. I don’t ever buy the flavored ones. The ingredients are just coconut milk, pectin, gum, starch, live cultures and a couple of vitamins. There is another brand called Coyo yogurt that is also gum-free, so those are options. As far as trying coconut milk and tofu, I can’t say, since I’ve not tested that personally and can’t vouch for the outcome. The yogurt has a strong tang and thickness/creaminess which is what yields to the incredible ranch flavor and texture. You are welcome to try silken tofu or something if you like, but will probably need more white vinegar to give it more tang. That is just a guess! I would add another 1-2 teaspoons white vinegar and see how it tastes.
Thank you very much! I’ve just found the Coyo brand in my usual supermarket (i must get better at looking for suitable products) so will try this recipe very soon! I see what you mean about the unique flavour of the yoghurt, it does seem irreplaceable. I also have since realised that making homemade yoghurt is actually very simple so have bought myself some probiotics as well (i can tell this recipe is going to go down so well i may not be able to buy yoghurt pots big enough!). If however i can’t get any yoghurt i will try adding some white wine vinegar as a last resort, that’s a great idea! Thanks once again.
I’ve tried ranch dressing with just cashews before but never thought of adding in yoghurt. I can’t wait to try this one Brandi, it looks SUPER creamy!
Absolutely THE BEST vegan ranch I have tried yet. Very easy and so delicious!!! Thank you for creating this.
Thank you so much Lori for taking the time to leave this amazing review! So happy you agreed it’s the best too!!
I have to admit that I never liked ranch dressing, but this version sounds insanely good! Creamy cashews, coconut milk and plant-based yogurt? What a creamy and dreamy trio! Can’t wait to give this a go!
Oh wow, never liked ranch?! Haha! It was always my favorite…that and Caesar!! Thank you Nisha!
The dressing looks so creamy and delicious! I bet no one would be able to tell there was no dairy in there! 😀
I swear it could fool anybody!!
Just knew I had to make this tonight considering how much I loved your vegan cream cheese alfredo over your original recipe… so even though I loved your original ranch I was pretty sure this would be even better!! And I was right! It is fantastic! THANK YOU!
Yay! Thank you so much Renee! So happy you loved it! Glad to hear you love my original version too but yes, I agree, this one is better, it is a dead ringer to me!
Yay, this looks so good!
this came so in time for tonight. I was looking for a good dressing for my broccoli salad and here it was. We loved it thank you
I’m so happy you enjoyed it Kerstin, thank you for the feedback!
Oooh that pour shot😍 Creamy as can be not clumpily plopping at all (like pretty much every dressing photoshoot I’ve ever attempted lol). I’m all for not going veg crazy just because it’s a new year, but I am also all for eating all the veggies when there is a yummy dip to go with. Entire bag of baby carrots? No problemo! The yogurt swap seems meant to be and so interesting that the type of vinegar made such a difference. I love the flavor/spice profile of ranch, there is a reason it’s every kids fave dressing and as per usual I’m with em😊 That is so so exciting (and crazy I’m sure) on the house renovations, I bet it looks amazing! A closet/stuff cleanse for January is something I can fully get behind–love that big trip to goodwill feeling🤗
I have made a lot of homemade vegan ranch over the years, and I can say without a doubt that this is the best one yet! My kids are very particular when it comes to ranch and usually only like a well-known but rather expensive brand. This recipe has finally changed that! It really is delicious and so close to traditional ranch. Definitely keeping this in rotation. Thank you!
Yay! Thank you Kristin for this amazing review! So glad you found it to be the “best” as well! Thank you for making it so quickly!
6 year old, paints, markers, cats that throw up 😂😂 yep, I can relate! Also throw in a very accident prone husband. I’m sure our carpets looked the same! Haha!! How exciting to have new carpet AND a bathroom redone – I bet it all looks amazing. Doesn’t it feel so good to just get rid of stuff??? We did another huge purge last year and it’s always such an eye opener and you feel lighter (both literally and metaphorically)! Ok, but let’s talk about ranch dressing!! I love your original recipe, but I can definitely see how this one is a game changer…yogurt and vinegar…I can almost taste the tanginess already!! And if mr. picky said this is spot on, it’s gotta be gooooood! I have all of the ingredients on hand, so I will have to make it this weekend!! Happy New Year, Brandi! ❤️
Whenever I see a recipe title with “The Best” in it, I try not to get too excited because in the past, I’ve been let down quite a bit…left feeling “meh” about the outcome and taste. BUT….HOLY FREAKING WHOA. This ranch dressing is hands down THE BEST I’ve ever had!!!! Even thinking back to my dairy eating days, ranch dressing never tasted so goooooooood!!! I literally said holy crap when I stole a taste. You seriously nailed the flavor, mama! Tangy, but not too tangy, rich in flavor (with the right amount of dill), perfect texture, and I love the subtle sweetness from the coconut milk…and I used COYO’s unsweetened plain yogurt, which is super thick and rich. I made this for part of our meal prep for the weekend and next week, but I highly doubt this batch will last very long! I couldn’t stop dipping raw broccoli in it and Willow licked the Vitamix clean 🙂 I know for a fact that this will be a staple in our house! Awesome recipe, my friend! xo
Oh yay!!! Thank you so much my friend for making it and so quickly! Your feedback made my day!! I’m just ecstatic you loved it so much! I felt it was spot on too and so did Jay, so I’m so happy you loved it just as much! I have been eating it on everything, lol, even my curry chickpea sandwiches! Haha…I don’t blame Willow one bit, thank you so much for making it! xx
Hahaha…right, seriously the barf markings were all over our hall and master bedroom, so disgusting!! Our house smells brand new now with all the new carpet and pain and it’s so nice not to have to look at the gross carpet anymore, haha. Not to mention, it was embarassing. And yes, there is so much stuff I have held on for way too many years and it’s nice to get rid of stuff we honestly never use! Thank you so much my friend!
Wow this looks incredible. I love your original ranch dressing recipe so I am very excited to try this one. I will buy the ingredients this Saturday I can’t wait. I have my eyes on those chickpeas. I would love to see an oil free roasted chickpea recipe from you they look delicious. 😛 I love roasted chickpeas but never eat them anymore because of the oil. Anyway thanks so much for the salad dressing recipe. I eat so many salads so this is an extremely useful recipe for me. 😛
Thank you so much Christina! So glad to hear you love the original because this one is even more authentic! Can’t wait to hear what you think 🙂
What a great a way to start the new year! The other ranch is a favorite so very much looking forward to trying this one! Bring on ALL THE LETTUCE! Thank you Brandi!
My husband is the only one in the family who would be using this. Is there substitutions for the coconut ingredients. He is very allergic to coconut. It closes up his throat.
Yes, I listed that soy can be used! 🙂
This ranch is the real deal. Now I love the original ranch you created as well, but this one is just one step above and seriously you’ll think you are eating dairy ranch. My son said it’s as good as Jason’s deli jalapeno ranch. I did pulse in some diced jalapenos and some juice from the jar. It’s awesome.
This looks incredible! I am SUCH a huge fan of ranch dressing and it’s absolutely one of the things I miss most about dairy! Haven’t been able to create or find a really good alternative yet, so I’m excited to try this one! Thanks for sharing 🙂
“Just” brand dressings are very good, too. We love the ranch and Caesar. Their mayor and yummy as well! Our local atorr has it down with the regular dressings.
It’s just as good as regular Heather, I hope you love it!
Making this today! I actually found the yogurt where I live, which is unusual. It’s fate. 😉 I LOVE your other version, so I can’t wait to try this one! ❤️ So no celery seed in this one then?
Oh awesome Lisa, let me know what you think! Yes, that’s correct, no celery seed! Just didn’t feel it needed it.
Have you tried this with beans instead of cashews? Cashews are so expensive, and full of fat, too.
Hi Trisha, I have not but I have subbed white beans before in place of cashews and I personally do not like the taste of it at all. I don’t like the beany or grainy taste of the beans, it’s just not going to be the same quality of a ranch with beans and it would also make it runnier, but that is up to you if you want to try it. Since I was going for the “best” here, I wanted it to taste as close to real ranch as possible, which means fat is necessary.
Hello Brandi, I just need to reach out and tell you how much I appreciate your website and all your recipes. I can very much identify with your approach to eating. Firstly, I am an ethical vegan(15 years +), so as long as it is animal-cruelty free food, I am cheering for it, however, lately I am trying to avoid oils (since I heard so much negativity about them). We are all slim people in our family (all vegans) and hence we do not want/need to lose weight and nobody has any medical issues but if we can further enhance our health, why not? But I totally agree with you, the food still needs to taste good and particularly fat in nuts (for example) can help with that. I so hear what you saying about substituting beans in recipes, in most cases, I hate it too! I think you are doing a fabulous job already with your super yummy and healthy recipes! Please do not change – I really love your approach! Thank you for being an inspiration!
Doesn’t the use of coconut So Delicious yogurt and canned Lite coconut milk greatly increase the fat content of thgis dressing? Do you have the fat grams per serving? It does sound delicious but I am trying to eat low fat. Thanks so much.
Yes, it contains fat because I’m trying to make it taste as much as the original dairy ranch as possible. Low-fat is not going to do that. It has fat, yes, but unlike regular ranch, it contains No mayo or oil, so it’s still a much healthier alternative. Since I was going for the “best” here, I wanted it to taste as close to real ranch as possible, which means fat is necessary. It’s also very rich and creamy, so you don’t need much though. I don’t have the nutrition yet since I was rushing to get it up but I will get it up later today after my appointment.
I am glad to hear you are doing well! Love the yogurt addition. Non-dairy yogurt is so versatile and there are so many varieties to choose from! 🙂
Thank you so much Heather! The yogurt really took it up a notch!
we can also use cashew milk can’t we
trying to stay away from soy
it’s not very healthy
I will try this with cashew milk
thank you so much
There is no soy in this recipe. It states lite coconut milk is what I used. Cashew milk is runnier that coconut so it will change the consistency but should work.