Vegan Ranch Dressing Recipe

This vegan ranch dressing is super flavorful, creamy, tangy, and takes less than 5 minutes to prepare with simple pantry ingredients! Even better, this dairy-free ranch recipe is also gluten-free, and you can make it oil-free/nut-free. In no time at all, you have a delicious herby vegan salad dressing, dip, spread, or sauce!

5-Minute Creamy, Tangy, Vegan Ranch Dressing

With just a few simple ingredients and several herbs and seasonings, you can whip up a batch of the best creamy, tangy, dairy-free ranch dressing – perfect for salads, pizza, and dipping these moreish buffalo cauliflower wings. Plus, using it to dip veggies is basically a top-tip for fussy eaters (aka it’s child-approved)!

Is Ranch vegan?

Traditional ranch dressing contains dairy. The ingredients include buttermilk and sometimes mayo, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, and several herbs. However, it’s really simple to make your own dairy-free ranch dressing at home in just minutes!

Providing an option to use either a store-bought or homemade vegan mayonnaise ‘base,’ this vegan ranch dressing recipe can be nut-free, oil-free, and/or completely whole-food plant-based. I often like to use my creamy, oil-free homemade vegan mayo (containing raw cashews). If using a store-bought option, this vegan ranch recipe will be ready in just minutes!

It’s also a must-have at any game day, potluck, or party. Leftovers are good for between 1-2 weeks (depending on which ‘base’ you use), too – so it’s an excellent meal-prep dairy-free veggie dip you can have on hand at all times!

Inspired to make more simple dips and sauces? You might also like this Hibachi-style Yum Yum sauce, a simple tahini dressing, or vegan tzatziki sauce!

The Ingredients

• Vegan mayonnaise: I used homemade mayonnaise. However, you can use your favorite store-bought option. Luckily, there are tons out there these days – Just Mayo, Vegenaise, FYH mayo, Hellmann’s, etc.).
• Garlic: Adjust the amount to personal taste. I like to use a combination of fresh and dried for the best-flavored vegan ranch dip.
• Apple cider vinegar: or white vinegar – this helps to provide the ‘tang’ that buttermilk in regular ranch dressing has. You could even use some dill pickle juice (though you may need slightly more).
• Dairy-free milk: You can use any unsweetened dairy-free milk or water to thin the ranch to your desired consistency.
• Dried herbs/Seasonings: Dried parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, dry mustard (or fresh), paprika, and salt and black pepper make up the simple seasoning base for this vegan ranch dip.
• Chives: You’ll need fresh chopped chives to taste.

Optional add-ins and recipe variations:

• Cayenne pepper: For a hint (or more) of heat, feel free to add some cayenne powder to this vegan ranch dressing recipe. You could even add some hot sauce for more heat (and color). Of course, chipotle powder would also work well for a sweet, smoky, spicy flavor.
• Jalapeño ranch: Add a chopped and deseeded jalapeño (or adjust the amount to personal preference) to a blender with the ranch ingredients. 
• BBQ Ranch: Add a few tablespoons of BBQ sauce (store-bought or homemade) to the vegan ranch recipe.
• Dill: Fresh and dried dill are both popular additions to homemade ranch dressing. I recommend adding 3/4 tsp dried and increasing to taste.
• Sweetener: If you find the dairy-free dressing a little too tangy/savory, you can use a little maple syrup or another sweetener of your choice to balance the flavors (to taste). Be careful, though, as it only takes a tiny amount.
• Nutritional yeast: This will help to provide a little more umami and can be added to taste.

Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information.

How to Make Vegan Ranch Dressing

To say the process of making this homemade vegan ranch dressing recipe is simple would be an understatement. In fact, it requires just two simple steps and less than 5 minutes of your time!

• Add all the vegan ranch ingredients to a bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine.

I added three tablespoons of dairy-free milk, as I prefer a thick sauce/dressing. However, feel free to thin it out further to personal preference.

• Try the vegan ranch dip and adjust any of the seasonings, to taste. For a bit of heat, you can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

After whisking the plant-based ranch dressing, I recommend waiting a few hours (2-3) to allow all the flavors to meld and develop, and then you’ll have a new favorite vegan condiment, ready for drizzling, dipping, and spreading over everything!

How to Serve

There are so many ways you can enjoy this dairy-free ranch dressing, including:

• Serve with crudités like carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, bell pepper strips, celery sticks, baby corn, and even tomato slices.
• OR to drizzle and dip roasted vegetables – like these cauliflower steaks and all your favorite veggies.
• As a cooling dip for buffalo cauliflower wings or marinated tofu.
• Slather over burgers, hotdogs, and sandwiches – like this black bean burger or vegan grilled cheese.
• To drizzle over and dip with pizzas– like this vegan Italian Neapolitan pizza, zucchini crust pizza, or sweet potato crust pizza.
• With fries, French fries, and veggie fries – like these crispy oven-baked potato wedges, vegan chili cheese fries, nacho fries, carrot fries, etc.
• As a salad dressing – for simple leafy salads and buddha/grain bowls.
• To dollop over chili – like this vegan bean chili.
• Drizzle the dressing over tacos – like these chickpea tacos or oven-baked spinach tacos.

How to Make Ahead and Store

Make ahead: Since this vegan ranch dressing tastes even better after several hours (or even the next day), I encourage you to prepare the recipe in advance!

Store: The shelf life of your ranch will depend on whether you’ve used homemade or store-bought dairy-free mayo. With homemade mayo, I recommend storing the plant-based ranch dressing in an airtight jar for 5-7 days. When using store-bought mayo, it may last up to 2 weeks (or slightly longer).

It may thicken up slightly in the refrigerator. So feel free to add a little additional water/milk to bring it to the correct consistency, if needed.

FAQs

Can you freeze vegan Ranch Dressing?

I haven’t actually tried, as I imagine that there could be some separation upon thawing. However, if you want to try, I recommend freezing for up to three months. Then either whisk well or blend upon thawing.

Is Ranch Dressing bad for you?

This depends on what you consider ‘healthy.’ Store-bought versions usually contain preservatives and several processed ingredients, dairy, (and fats). However, this homemade ranch dressing can be made with either store-bought vegan mayo or homemade mayo. Meaning it can be entirely plant-based!

Recipe Notes and FAQs

• Allow it to marinate: Just like several simple sauces and salads (like this German cucumber salad), this vegan ranch dressing tastes so much better after having a few hours to allow the flavors to meld and marinate.
• If you love it super herby: Feel free to increase the amount of dried herbs in this recipe.
• Fresh vs. Dried herbs: The more fresh herbs you use in this vegan ranch recipe, the shorter the shelf life.
• Adjust the herbs/seasonings: One of the best things about making this homemade ranch is to tweak it to personal preference. Start by using half the seasonings, then increase to taste.

More Vegan Dips and Sauces

• Vegan Sour Cream
• Vegan Cheese Sauce
• Homemade Hoisin Sauce
• Chinese Garlic Stir-Fry Sauce
• Easy Peanut Sauce

If you try this vegan ranch dressing recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan – I love seeing them.