This homemade vegan ranch is herby, tangy, and the perfect pairing for a variety of dishes and snacks. It only takes a few minutes and a few ingredients to make.
Homemade Vegan Ranch Done Right
Making the best homemade vegan ranch is surprisingly easy. You’ll never want to buy any store-bought vegan ranch brands again after you realize how simple it is to make from scratch. This dairy-free ranch dressing recipe is cashew based and calls for ingredients your likely already have in your pantry. (No vegan mayo required here.)
Ranch is an American staple, and such a versatile one too! It pairs so well with so many different things, and we’ve kinda gone crazy here making a variety of different dishes and confections with it. (Yes, even sweet things use ranch… Ever heard of ranch soda?)
Now, if I’m being honest, I was never too crazy about ranch before I was vegan. Sure, it was good. I enjoyed it. But I never understood people that obsessed over it. People put it on their pizza, and that was just bizarre to me.
That being said, this vegan version changed me. I am obsessed with this one! It’s lighter and not as greasy or oily as the original, and for whatever reason, that makes all the difference for me. It’s fluffy, tangy, herby, and the perfect dipping sauce for so many things.
I hope you save this recipe and give it a try whenever you get the time. It only takes a couple of minutes, and I promise it will be worthwhile.
Cashew ranch vs Mayo Ranch
Most vegan ranch recipes use either soaked cashews or vegan mayo as the base. Vegan mayo is great, but different brands have different flavors and textures. A lot of you may not even have a vegan mayo in your fridge to use, and I’m always for easier and simpler when it can apply.
Fortunately, simpler, in this case, is also better! The cashews blend up nicely and add a light fluffiness to this ranch that is so, so good! It’s also a healthy alternative since it’s not processed or loaded with oils and mystery ingredients.
However, I know some of you may have an allergy to cashews. In that scenario, your best bet is using a vegan mayo option. I’ve done some research for you and found a simple recipe for vegan mayo.
Here’s the vegan mayo recipe from Loving it Vegan.
Substitute the mayo for the cashews in this recipe equally and see how it goes. I’m sure it’ll be delicious!
How to make good homemade vegan ranch
The way I make this ranch is straightforward. Especially if you have cashews soaking in the fridge like I do!
Just throw all of the ingredients except for the dill into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth. For my Vitamix, this usually only takes a minute.
Then pour the contents of the blender out into a bowl and fold in some freshly chopped dill. You can also use dried dill if you don’t have any fresh on hand.
Make sure the cashews you are using are raw and well-soaked. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have any soaked cashews prepared, you can soak the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes instead. If you do have a Vitamix or Blendtec blender, you can get away with barely-soaked cashews. The power of a professional blender just obliterates the cashews, no matter how soaked they are. So, take into account the quality of your blender when deciding how long you need to soak your cashews.
Serving suggestions and pairings
Here are a few recipes I found that would pair perfectly with this homemade vegan ranch dressing.
Broma – Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Food Network – Barbeque Tempeh, Greens, and Cauliflower
I’ll update this with more recipes as time goes on. Let me know if you have any you think I should add to this list in the comment section below!
What will you be serving this ranch with?
What do you love to eat with ranch? Do you have a plan for how you’ll be using this recipe? Share some photos of how your meal turns out and tag me @alderspirit or use #alderspirit.
Let me know what you think in the comments below. I’d love your feedback and I can’t wait to see what you come up with. It truly makes my day interacting with you guys.
Happy ranchin’!
Homemade Vegan Ranch
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 1/2 cup water
- 1½ tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp dill leaves, freshly chopped (or 1½ tsp dried dill)
Instructions
- If you haven't already, start by soaking the cashews in water. Ideally, soak them at least 8 hours. If you are in a rush, you can soak the cashews in boiling water for 30 minutes instead.
- Combine the cashews, 1/2 cup of water, white vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a high speed blender. Blend on high for 1 – 2 minutes or until smooth.
- Pour the contents of the blender out into a bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the freshly chopped dill. Taste the ranch and adjust the seasonings as necessary.
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