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You are here: Home / Dips/Sauces / Best Vegan Ranch Dressing (Oil-free!)

Best Vegan Ranch Dressing (Oil-free!)

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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!

Wooden bowl with a salad and vegan ranch dressing

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!

Closeup of a large salad with vegan ranch drizzled on top

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.

Pitcher pouring vegan ranch dressing over a salad

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

  • Vegan Caesar Dressing
  • Vegan Oil-free Creamy Italian Dressing
  • Almond Butter Dressing

If you make this recipe,  be sure to leave feedback below and share your pic on Instagram or Facebook and tag me @thevegan8 #thevegan8!

Pitcher pouring vegan ranch dressing over a salad

Best Vegan Ranch Dressing (Oil-free)

Brandi Doming
Learn how to make the absolute BEST Vegan Ranch Dressing recipe that is dairy-free and oil-free! Perfect for healthy salads. Made with cashews, yogurt, vinegar and spices!
5 from 46 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Total Time 5 mins
Course Sauce
Cuisine American, Vegan
Servings 1 1/4 cups
Calories 58 kcal

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
  • 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.

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 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 but will thicken a lot in the fridge. Pour the dressing into a container and stir in the dried dill. This is so it is visible in the end dressing and does not turn the dressing green when blended.
  • 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

Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 58kcalCarbohydrates: 4.4gProtein: 1.3gFat: 4.3gSodium: 177mgFiber: 0.6gSugar: 1.4g
Tried this recipe?Tag @thevegan8 on Instagram and use tag #thevegan8!
Keyword best vegan ranch dressing, cashew ranch dressing, oil free ranch dressing, vegan oil free ranch dressing, vegan ranch dressing recipe

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

Filed Under: Dips/Sauces, Raw, Salads Tagged With: Cashews, Creamy, Dressing, Ranch, Salad, yogurt

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Comments

  1. Kristin

    August 2, 2019 at 3:58 am

    5 stars
    Wow! Soooo good! Thank you!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 3, 2019 at 4:04 am

      Thank you Kristin!!

      Reply
  2. Wendy

    August 20, 2019 at 2:38 am

    5 stars
    The absolute best ranch dressing recipe on the planet. Seriously. If I didn’t make it myself I would never have believed it was vegan and dairy free. It was that good. Following your recipes. Thanks so much.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 20, 2019 at 4:08 am

      Now that’s the best feedback ever, thank you so much Wendy!!

      Reply
  3. Denise

    August 21, 2019 at 10:42 am

    Any subs for the cashews and vinegar? Have nut allergies and can’t do ferments/vinegars. Thank you.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      August 24, 2019 at 7:53 pm

      I would make my other ranch dressing that has a tested version using sunflower seeds if you can’t have cashews. That other one calls for apple cider vinegar. If you can’t have that, maybe try lemon juice??
      https://thevegan8.com/easy-vegan-ranch-dressing/

      Reply
  4. Nan

    September 1, 2019 at 4:46 am

    I made this tonight and omitted the cashews, used Almondbreeze almondmilk yogurt, and it was fantastic. I’ll be making it every night while we still have fresh garden tomatoes.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      September 2, 2019 at 8:01 pm

      So glad you loved it Nan!

      Reply
  5. Colleen

    September 8, 2019 at 8:43 pm

    5 stars
    I can’t believe I never reviewed this recipe! It is so simple and incredibly tasty, not to mention versatile. Of course, it is best the way you wrote it, but due to a recently discovered coconut allergy I now use soy milk, as you suggest as an alternate, and plain almond yogurt. This last time I used half navy beans and half cashews and it was still fantastic. Thank you so much for this recipe, Brandi!! (PS- I just have to mention I purchased some of the ingredients for this at my local grocer this morning, noticed magazines while waiting at checkout, and was thrilled to show my husband People magazine and your article inside! I’m beyond thrilled for you!! Congratulations!!)

    Reply
  6. Barbara Wagner

    September 20, 2019 at 9:10 pm

    5 stars
    This is an amazing recipe! I have tried other oil free ranch dressings and none of them came close to what I was expecting from ranch dressing. This recipe taste just like ranch dressing and I am in love with it! Thank you so much for putting this together

    Reply
  7. Kristen

    November 12, 2019 at 12:46 am

    5 stars
    This was DELICIOUS!! I have made so many vegan (oil-free) dressings that taste funky but this just tasted like…. ranch! Thank you for a winner recipe! (Also, as a note- I only had cashew milk and used that and it tasted great)

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      November 12, 2019 at 5:05 am

      Yay Kristen! Really glad this was such a hit for you!!

      Reply
  8. Dianna

    November 18, 2019 at 4:53 pm

    I just discovered your site and am very excited to try your recipes. However, I can not have nuts. It is very difficult to find recipes that are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free and contain no nuts.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      November 18, 2019 at 5:44 pm

      Hi Dianna, yes, I use nuts since I don’t use oils in my recipes and where fat is needed for texture, nuts mimic oil results beautifully. Some recipes you won’t be able to make, unfortunately, but I have plenty of nut-free recipes on my blog.

      Reply
  9. Amanda

    December 18, 2019 at 2:19 am

    Dianna,
    I made this recipe and instead of using the cashews,
    I used vegan mayo. Our fave recipe! With or without the cashew cream. 🙂 Thanks for an amazing recipe, Brandi!! It’s a winner!

    Reply
  10. Jean

    January 29, 2020 at 7:22 pm

    5 stars
    Oh yes this IS the best! Finally a ranch dressing that tastes like I’m not vegan 🙂

    Reply
  11. Amy

    March 5, 2020 at 11:01 pm

    5 stars
    I finally found a family favorite! Switching to a nutritarian style lifestyle for myself, husband and four kids 10 and under has posed some challenges, but now that we have a favorite sauce with the perfect smooth texture, it’s game on. Big salads are back on the menu. And it’s so yummy that when we serve it at gatherings, the non-vegan friends appreciate it too. Well done!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      March 6, 2020 at 7:40 pm

      SO happy to hear this Amy, thank you so much!

      Reply
  12. Marie Brown

    March 27, 2020 at 10:17 pm

    5 stars
    AWESOME!!!! This is just amazing. I think it tastes better than dairy ranch. As usual, I start making your recipes before reading through and used almond yogurt instead of coconut yogurt.
    I have to say it’s so delicious even with my mistake 😋

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      March 28, 2020 at 4:21 am

      Yay Marie, so happy to hear that! OH yes, I found an amazing almond yogurt too that is really thick and creamy that works great as well, I use it for almost everything now!

      Reply
  13. Katie

    April 7, 2020 at 1:28 am

    5 stars
    This recipe is AWESOME! The flavor is nice and bold, and the texture is wonderful. I’m excited to try more of your recipes, I have the vegan alfredo sauce pinned and I look forward to trying it out really soon. Nicely done!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      April 7, 2020 at 1:31 am

      Yay Katie!! Really happy you enjoyed it so much, thank you for the kind words and feedback!

      Reply
  14. Cathy

    June 1, 2020 at 6:35 am

    5 stars
    Love this recipe! But since I usually add wasabi horseradish to commercial ranch dressing for an extra”bite”, i added about a teaspoon to this recipe and it was also awesome!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      June 1, 2020 at 11:10 pm

      Sounds delicious Cathy!

      Reply
  15. Deborah

    June 5, 2020 at 11:54 pm

    5 stars
    This is so delicious! I subbed 1/4 cup cashew butter for the cashews. I will make this often, thanks!!

    Reply
  16. Deborah

    June 5, 2020 at 11:54 pm

    5 stars
    This is so delicious! I subbed 1/4 cup cashew butter for the cashews. I will make this often, thanks!!

    Reply
  17. Kelley

    June 15, 2020 at 6:39 pm

    5 stars
    After recently having some very abnormal heartbeats, I gave up caffeine and committed to live a whole foods plant based life. I just recently found this AMAZING blog by sheer luck, and this was the first thing I made, as I had everything on hand. My daughter, who will only eat Follow Your Heart ranch was skeptical to try another one of my attempts at a healthier ranch. The first thing she said, “Mom, can you put this in my lunch everyday next year with carrots?” Yes, yes I can! We ate it on tortillas with buffalo cauliflower last night, and on the RAREST of occasions ALL five of us LOVED dinner!!! Thank you for the time and effort you put into making these WFPB recipes with NO OIL!!!! You’re a LIFESAVER!!!! <3

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      June 15, 2020 at 8:51 pm

      Thank you so much Kelly for this amazing review, it means so much!!

      Reply
  18. Jen

    June 21, 2020 at 2:22 pm

    5 stars
    Excellent flavor! Mine ended up a bit thick & a little gritty, but I don’t even care! I’ll try processing it longer next time. (I just have a plain old food processor & soaked the cashews for about a day.) This is so good that I will gladly make it again & again to perfect it!

    Reply
  19. Amber

    September 12, 2020 at 6:29 pm

    This recipe looks great but I cant get coconut yogurt. I gonna make a coconut cream and try that. I’ll let you know how it works. Thanks for helping us be healthy and well.

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      September 12, 2020 at 6:32 pm

      Hi Amber, you can use any dairy-free yogurt, doesn’t have to be coconut! You need the tang from yogurt for that ranch flavor, so I wouldn’t use coconut cream. That’ll not provide the tang and make it taste like coconut.

      Reply
  20. Lila

    November 11, 2020 at 10:07 pm

    5 stars
    Really, really delicious. I was shocked at how good it tasted. It could fool even the pickiest eaters!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      November 11, 2020 at 11:31 pm

      Yay that is awesome!

      Reply
  21. Rosalie

    November 13, 2020 at 3:52 am

    After trying and enjoying your Thousand Island dressing, I tried this one – because Ranch is really my favorite dressing. This was fantastic! I used
    plain almond yogurt and plain unsweetened almond milk. Most enjoyable salads I’ve had since moving to plant based, no oil eating. Thank you so much!

    Reply
  22. Tara

    January 15, 2021 at 9:21 pm

    Hi! I’m really excited to try so many recipes I’ve looked at today. Can you give an estimate on about how long the dressings and ketchup will last in the fridge?

    Thanks!

    Reply
  23. Melissa

    January 19, 2021 at 4:50 am

    5 stars
    Seriously awesome! My favorite ranch dressing recipe ever. Thank you so much. I love your website and it doesn’t bother me if you have eight ingredients or 20 ingredients.

    Reply
  24. Pat

    January 25, 2021 at 10:26 pm

    5 stars
    This is seriously the BEST vegan ranch dressing I’ve every had! I went around the house giving taste-tests to my children and husband…high marks from all of them (even the daughter that doesn’t like coconut)! This will be my go-to ranch dressing from now on. Thank you!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      January 25, 2021 at 10:39 pm

      Woohoo, I love hearing that so much!

      Reply
  25. Jan

    February 1, 2021 at 12:56 am

    5 stars
    Loved this recipe so much and it is becoming a regular. Many thanks for your sharing

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      February 2, 2021 at 6:27 am

      So thrilled to hear this Jan!

      Reply
  26. Tara Johnson

    February 18, 2021 at 9:48 pm

    5 stars
    I LOVE this recipe so much!! I use it for my regular/leaf salad but also made the baby red potato salad as well and it was amazing!! I have your book but I have also started a binder and have been adding a print out of all my favourites from this Blog to it in page protectors as I try them it is alerady an impressive collection LOL thanks for the great recipes!!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      February 19, 2021 at 8:36 am

      Aww I’m so honored to hear that!

      Reply
  27. Marlene

    March 29, 2021 at 1:38 am

    5 stars
    I had to wait until I got mustard powder in my pantry to make this, and I am sad I waited so long, because that means it’s that means I missed out on it for all those extra days of my life. haha. This was amazing and I foresee that this household’s refrigerator will always have this vegan ranch it it waiting to be used. Thanks for yet another super recipe!

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      March 30, 2021 at 7:09 am

      Yay Marlene!! Haha that made me laugh!

      Reply
  28. Chandra

    April 2, 2021 at 4:38 am

    5 stars
    Best vegan ranch that I’ve made so far.
    I used Apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar and I thought it still tasted good. Do you think if I replaced the vinegar with lemon juice it would still work?

    Reply
    • brandi.doming@yahoo.com

      April 2, 2021 at 5:14 am

      I’m so happy to hear that! It will taste more lemony and less tangy like true ranch, but I imagine it would still be a delicious dressing either way!

      Reply
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I'm Brandi, creator of this vegan blog and cookbook author of The Vegan 8 Cookbook. The majority of my recipes focus on 8 ingredients or less, not counting salt, pepper or water. I'm an expert on oil-free cooking and baking! We went vegan to help control my husband's debilitating gout. Our lives and health improved dramatically. While my husband still has some challenges, his health is much better than when we were eating animal products! I create delicious vegan comfort food in a healthier way. read more →

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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.

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