This Easy and Healthy Vegan Ranch Dressing Recipe is so creamy, has a nut-free option made with sunflower seeds (or made with cashews) and is dairy-free, oil-free, soy-free and gluten-free! Just 8 easy ingredients.
HEALTHY VEGAN RANCH DRESSING
I’ve had several people ask me to come up with a healthy nut-free vegan ranch dressing recipe that is as delicious and authentic tasting as this vegan Caesar dressing and this vegan thousand island dressing. Well, today is your lucky day….and guess what, it is oil-free, soy-free AND has a nut-free option! Many vegan ranch recipes call for mayo, which makes them a lot less healthy.
I think most vegan recipes contain soy and/or nuts and I know a lot of people avoid or can’t have those, so I wanted to come up with a version that didn’t use either. So you can follow either the cashews or sunflower seeds version.
Most dressing bases are ridiculously high in oil, which is not healthy, no matter what oil it is. The calorie content is sky high and oil is nothing more than straight liquid fat. 1 tablespoon is 14 g of fat and most recipes call for 1/2 cup or more. I like my dressing bases to contain fats/calories from whole foods like nuts or seeds, so my body is processing the whole food, and not just absorbing straight oil. Both my husband and I feel so much better by cutting out excessive oils. It works for us.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Sunflower seeds: Or you can use cashews if not allergic, both are delicious! The nut-free vegan ranch is just as delicious with raw sunflower seeds.
- Non-dairy milk: A creamy milk is highly recommended. I use canned lite coconut milk because it is so creamy and leaves no coconut taste.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Celery seed
- Dill
- Dry mustard
HOW TO MAKE NUT-FREE HEALTHY VEGAN RANCH
Step 1: Add all of the ingredients to a high-powered blender (I use my Vitamix) and blend until completely smooth and creamy.
Step 2: Chill in the fridge.
USE AS A DIP FOR VEGGIES OR A POTATO SALAD
This ranch is SO easy to make. I’ve even shown how to make it as a dip or it is awesome as a potato salad.
I really hope you love this Easy Healthy Nut-free Vegan Ranch Dressing Recipe and Potato Salad!
MORE HEALTHY VEGAN SALAD DRESSINGS
- Best Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Oil-free Creamy Italian Dressing
- Almond Butter Dressing
- Best Vegan Caesar Dressing
- Oil-free Tahini Goddess 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!
Healthy Vegan Ranch Dressing (Oil-free, No Mayo!)
Ingredients
POTATO SALAD
- 5 heaping cups chopped red potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces (740g, which is about 6 medium potatoes)
RANCH DRESSING
- 1/2 cup (80g) raw, unsalted cashews (OR for NUT-FREE, use 70g raw unsalted sunflower kernels. Keep in mind the sunflower has a stronger taste!)
- 3/4-1 cup low fat canned coconut milk (if you are allergic to coconut as well, then you can sub with soy milk)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder (depending on how strong you like it)
- 1/8-1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill (plus extra for garnish)
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard spice
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- I use this scale.
NOTE
- This dressing is delicious right away, but I recommend making it the day before you want to eat it, as It will thicken much more overnight in the fridge. It will taste so much like traditional this way. If making it with the sunflower seeds, remember they have a stronger taste than cashews do, so keep that in mind.
Instructions
- This recipe works well to prepare early in the day or the day before, so everything is chilled well and the dressing has thickened, upon serving. First, roast the potatoes. Preheat an oven to 415F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper, so they don’t stick. Chop the potatoes into about 1/2 inch pieces. Spread out evenly on the pan and salt generously and bake for 25-30 minutes until very golden brown.
- If you do not have a high-powered blender, then you must soak the cashews for 8 hours or overnight, then drain and proceed. Otherwise, your dressing will be gritty.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dressing. Add all of the ingredients to a high powered blender, such as a Vitamix, starting out with JUST 3/4 cup milk process until very smooth and creamy on high. If using canned coconut milk, make sure you have shaken the can really well first. Scrape the sides a couple of times and blend again for a good couple of minutes so it gets really smooth and thickens. The dressing will be fairly thin, but will thicken well in the fridge. Add more milk if you want it thinner.
- Pour into a container and chill in the fridge for an hour or two to marinate, so it gets cold and thickens further. The flavor really is best after it chills and marinates (even better overnight!).
- If making the potato salad, toss the potatoes with as much dressing as you like and chill for several hours for the dressing to absorb into the potatoes. When ready to serve, taste and add any more salt/pepper if needed. I like to add extra dill and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Nutrition
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Amazing! You did it again 😁I LOVE this ranch dressing. I need to order your book!
Awesome Penny, so glad you love it!
Hi Brandi,
I was wondering how long this will keep in the fridge 😊
Hi Penny, it’s good for a solid week!
Brandi, I’m so excited to have found your website and recipes. Everything recipe I have tried has been a success and thoroughly enjoyed by my family.
This recipe was fabulous! The dressing was absolutely delicious. I made mine with sunflower seeds after reading some of the comments and it had a wonderful flavor.
I do want to say that my dressing did not last for week. Unfortunately, it didn’t even last for a full 48 hours. I made it on Friday evening and tried to have it on my salad today (Sunday) for lunch and the dressing tasted terrible. Any idea what could have happened?
Even though it didn’t last long, it was exceptional and I will definitely make it again (just, perhaps, in smaller batches). 🙂
Hi Stephanie! So glad it was delicious!! Really weird that it tasted so different today though! Sunflowers have a much stronger, bitter taste so I’m guessing the sunflower seeds maybe were a bit rancid and that with the vinegar just made it turn bitter quickly. That’s my only guess because that has never happened to me! Also, I’d suggest trying my more current ranch, it is the absolute best ever and is most popular with readers. It doesn’t turn bitter at all! https://thevegan8.com/2019/01/03/best-vegan-ranch-dressing/
Made this for the first time today. So easy and SOOO good!!! I’ve been eating vegan & oil free for a little over a month now and having this ranch dressing recipe is going to be a godsend. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear you loved it Chelsea, thank you so much for making it!
I have been craving a great ranch oil free vegan dressing and this is absolutely amazing! I have tried other of your recipes and I am so glad I found your site. The flavors are amazing and the recipes fast and easy! Thank you!
My sister is vegan and she will come to visit me soon. I totally agree with you when you said most dressing bases are ridiculously high in oil, which is not healthy. It would be nice to find a vegan dressing so that I can make her salads as she likes them.
Thank you thank you thank you!! I’ve made this twice now, the first time when I was craving a salad but all the purchased vegan dressing I had were loaded with oil. It was delicious and even my carnivore husband thought it was tasty (and he grew up eating Hidden Valley). So thank you for all the creamy dreamy oil-free dressing recipes, now I can enjoy tasty salads! Your site and cookbook is awesome!
So simple and yet on of the best ever vegan ranch dressing I have had. (Used Soy Milk)
The seasoning is on spot and the flavor is smooth and refreshing coupled with a silly texture.
Thank you for sharing!
I can always count on you for great recipes that taste delicious! First time I made this and it was simple to make and perfect. I used soy milk instead of coconut milk. Going WFPB is so much easier with tasty recipes like this. Thank you ☺
How long does this keep in fridge?
4-5 days!
This dressing is seriously the best!! I have made so many ranch dressings over the years, too many to count, and they all fell short. I actually gave up hope of ever finding a great recipe! I made this recipe today after seeing the reel on IG, and oh my gosh! It is amazing! I used cashews instead of sunflower seeds, and used the lite coconut milk that the recipe suggests. Everyone in my family LOVED it! Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!!
So so happy to hear this Jennifer!
5 stars!
WOW!
Been plant based for over 4 years, missed ranch dressing, not anymore.
I have made this numerous times, even my dairy eating, meat eating husband things it good.