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
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.
We tried this and loved it. Thanks for the recipe! Next time I will make double. 🙂
So wonderful to hear that Dianna! Thank you so much for the feedback!
This tastes so fantastic! I knew it was going to be flavorful by just smelling everything in the blender before I whizzed it up. My 2-year old and 5-year old tasted it with a spoon right out of the blender and wanted more.
I doubled the recipe so I can use some for potato salad and the leftovers as a dip for raw veggies for the kids lunch. I didn’t have ground celery seed, but the whole celery seed worked just fine! I went with the low-fat coconut milk, cut the salt in half and used the full amount of garlic powder…so tasty 🙂
Your recipes NEVER FAIL!!! I love your simplicity in ingredients yet everything is boosted in flavor.
Thank you so very much Desiree for such kind feedback, I really appreciate it! I’m so happy to hear you loved this and that your kids did too, that is wonderful to hear! I use the coconut milk too, my favorite!
This dressing is so delish and creamy! I just made my first batch and used cashews because I didn’t have sunflower seeds in the house. Mixed up with plain soy milk (Trader Joe’s Organic unflavored) it turned out SO creamy straight from the blender. I did add a pinch more salt, only because I’m a bit of salt fiend. This is going to be a regular in this household!! YUM! Thank you so much, Brandi! I love every recipe of yours I’ve tried so far. You’re helping make me a rock star in the kitchen! lol
Awww this made my day Victoria! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback! It really made me smile! So glad you liked it and it will be even more creamy tomorrow after it sits in the fridge overnight! Thanks again 🙂
I just made this 2 nights ago for the first time. This is the closest Ive ever found to SAD ranch dressing. Its so flavorful. I’ll be keeping this around weekly.
Yay! So happy to hear that Estee! The standard american diet ranch dressing is good, but yes, so bad for us and I’m happy we have a healthy alternative that is just as delicious! Thank you for leaving feedback!
This Ranch dressing has quickly become a staple at our house. Absolutely delicious!! I’ve been sharing with all my friends. Thanks for this amazing recipe…I also have been making your 7 Ingredient Pecan Pie Bars and 20 Minute Vegan Alfredo regularly. LOVE your recipes!! Thank you so much.
Thank you so much Melanie, I’m so happy to hear this! So glad you are loving the recipes!
I am excited to find your recipe and my first try is cooling in the refrigerator. I did have some challenges, though! I was able to find sunflower kernels at my local health food store, but are they meant to be raw? or dry roasted? I ended up using unsalted dry roasted but not sure if it was the best choice. I also was unable to find ground celery seed, and without a mortar and pestle it was a challenge to try to grind the seeds! I’ll have to look online for ground seed if I plan to make this dressing in the future. Thanks for the post. I’m always looking for tasty vegan food recipes.
Hi Jeralyn! So sorry I missed this comment! I use raw, unsalted sunflower kernels. Roasted would be too strong of a sunflower choice. Really? Ground celery seed should be in most stores. Sorry you had to use a mortar and pestle! You can also use cashews if you can’t find raw sunflower kernels, but they should be in most stores as well.
This was another winner, Brandi! We never thought we would find a vegan ranch recipe that would taste as amazing as this one! My daughter doesn’t care for Apple cider vinegar so I put white wine vinegar and then used your trick of using lemon juice to make it more tart. Came out delicious. 🙂 I just wondered if you happen to have an approximation of the calorie count on the dressing. I’m watching my weight by using an app that records caloric intake. Thank you!
I’m so happy to hear this was such a hit Colleen, and with your daughter as well! Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback!! This is an older recipe before I started doing the calculations on recipes, but I will try to get it up for you this week! Thanks again!
I see people post so many recipes on facebook, but once I go through the list of ingredients, I am generally left with two basic ingredients that I’m not allergic to, and those ingredients by themselves sound disgusting. Still, it makes me laugh to do this. So I went looking for a gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free recipe for potato salad, and I came across your Vegan Ranch Potato Salad. I hope to try this recipe soon. It sounds wonderful!
Oh I hope you love it Bonita like other readers have, please let me know after you try it! And I understand about other recipes…some ingredients kind of freak me out a bit too, haha!
LOVE potato salad!! And this recipe sounds like the kind of recipe that goes super fast at a summer BBQ! I love that the creamy sauce is made with sunflower seeds – YUM!
I’ve never had much luck with vegan ranch recipes (with tofu and nuts and such), and the bottled ones at the store are really horrible and chemical-tasting. Your recipe is genius! So easy, too!
The last couple times I’ve made it I didn’t have dill in the house, but I’m a huge Penzeys fan and have a supply of their buttermilk ranch seasoning (no worries, it’s vegan) and subbed the spices you listed for a tablespoon or so of their seasoning. Even easier and really delish.
Thank you again for another great recipe. I’m doing weight watchers now and so many of your creations seem to fit right in, which I soooooo appreciate.
Thank you, Brandi! I have my eye on the cheese sauce next!
Oh awesome Caroline! I’m so happy to hear you loved this ranch and even more, that it fits in with your weight watchers program, yay! Thank you so much for the feedback, it really makes my day! I can’t wait to hear what you think of the cheese sauce…it’s definitely one of my all-time favorite recipes now!
This recipe has been pinned! I just wanted to suggest that you indicate under the ingredients that the coconut milk you use in this recipe comes out of the can. I know you indicate that in the directions, but if you only look at the ingredients to make your grocery list, your reader may buy the wrong coconut milk. I am a newby to vegan foods and this issue jumped out at me right away. Keep up the good work! 🙂
Hi Kimberly! I usually do add it, I guess I forgot on this one. I will add it now, thank you! So happy you like the recipe too, please let me know if you make it 🙂
OMG–subbed Almond milk for water and 8 cloves Fresh garlic–it was AMAZING!!
Wonderful Lili! I’m super happy to hear you loved it and wow, 8 cloves of garlic, haha! I bet that made it awesome and super garlicky, which I love garlic. So glad the almond milk worked well too 🙂
This is amazing. I have been looking for a replacement to my Follow Your Heart vegan ranch which is processed and made with oil and soy. Your ranch tastes 1,000 times better than that ranch. Not even in the same league. I decided to make only the dressing, not the potatoes. I eliminated the coconut milk mostly because I was too lazy to go down into my basement to fish out a can from the pantry … but also I wasn’t in the mood for coconut having just finished a coconut water 🙂 Anyway, I tossed in a few extra sunflower seeds to make it slightly thicker and am glad I did because I wanted a super thick dressing. I think using seeds for this dressing is superior to using nuts. Hemp seeds might be pretty good too. I ate a simple salad – arugula and baby tomatoes and this dressing. The dressing made the meal (understatement – this dressing was the meal). I used 1 tsp of garlic and am glad I did, but I would use more if I was going to make it with the potatoes. One suggestion – this recipe only made about 2 honest servings because it is soooo good. I would double it!!! I have placed the tiny bit of leftovers in an old dressing bottle and I just know it will taste even better tomorrow … and next time I will make a double batch.
Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback Jennille!! I’m so glad to hear you loved it so much and it was 1,000 times better than your other ranch, woohoo!! I agree, the sunflower seeds really do work better than cashews. Cashews leave a strong flavor, too much, in my opinion, which is why I’m not a fan of it in dressings unless the flavor is masked really well. Oh, and you will love it even more with subbing half with coconut milk next time…you cannot taste of trace of coconut, it just enhances the richness and makes it creamier. Thanks again! 🙂
This was AMAZING! My daughter and I were eating it strait off the spoon as I was scraping it out of the Vitamix! My kids will take this in their lunch to dip their veggies in :). Thank you so much for creating these healthy recipes Brandi!!
Haha….licking out of the blender is always a good sign! I’m so glad you both loved it so much!! Thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it!
A georgous roasted potato salad! I love that special dressing, it looks very appetizing too!
Divind salad! xx
Thank you so much Sophie, it truly tastes like ranch!
Oh hell yes! I would put this on PIZZA! One thing I used to love was dipping my crust into ranch..I NEEED this sauce.
Omg I used to do the same thing woman!!! I dropped off a batch of the dip (with half coconut milk) at my folks house and they about died..for real, couldn’t believe it wasn’t ranch!!
Yum, that dressing looks fabulous! I love how light and simple it is. My husband is a HUGE potato salad fan and would LOVE this!
Girl, you’ve got to try it! My parents are NOT vegan and they could not believe this was not real ranch…dead serious. It is HEALTHY!!!
i love a good ranch dressing on everything some days. this one is a keeper!
And guilt-free! 🙂
I can’t believe you created this wonderful and authentic tasting ranch dressing out of sunflowers seeds. It really does taste like ranch dressing!. I’ve have it on chips and on the potato salad and I love it. It’s made even more delicious by it’s simplicity in making. Thank you Brandi!
This looks so summery – we are only now starting to get some nice weather and i love seeing dishes like this to inspire me to move onto a new season 😉
This seems like a nice light version of potato salad as opposed to the old fashion heavy pasty style. This is a must try!
Thank you Cindy! It is super yummy as a potato salad and as a creamy dip…I’ve been making lots of it this past week.
I love ranch dressing, actually an all time favourite so this potato salad is SO on my list of things to make 😀
Yum!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Thank you Uru, please let me know when you make it!
Nothing says summer like ranch dressing and potato salad! I’m ready for a picnic!
I agree!
Oh! I am loving this RANCH DRESSING. I have never had regular ranch dressing before in my life, but people are OBSESSED WITH IT! I must try your rendition!
It’s good stuff, thank you Gigi!!
Fantastic Brandi! I’d never have thought to make ranch with sunflower seeds! I’m so looking forward to trying it when I get the seeds Brandi! 🙂
Thank you Poppy! Yes, it is a great nut-free and soy-free option that turned out really well. For a really creamy thick version, sub half with lowfat coconut milk. All water is a lighter version, although still fabulous. Please let me know when you make it! 🙂
How can you claim it is nut-free when you use coconut milk or almond milk? If someone made this recipe as you have it written with the sunflower seeds and one of those milks, takes it to a picnic and says it’s nut free. Someone who is deathly allergic to nuts could have an allergic reaction and die. PLEASE, please change that descriptor for the recipe! I would hate to have that kind of karma on you.
Hi Deanne, coconut is not considered a tree nut, but actually a drupe (fruit) it is not in the same class as tree nuts. Most people who can’t eat nuts, can eat coconut. I only listed almond milk as an alternative to people who don’t like coconut but I always use coconut milk. I will update that one line to be more clear.
Thanks you. This is delicious
Whoa, a vegan ranch dressing, and potato salad is my favorite part of a summer meal or picnic, Love how creamy this is. Really delicious I can’t believe you created this.
Thank you Suzanne! Mine too!