This plant-based ranch dressing is rich, tangy, savory, flavorful, and all the other good things ranch dressing should be. You can indulge in this dip guilt-free, as the main ingredients are cashews and water. I eat this ranch with raw veggies for a snack, or use it to dress up my salads and wraps. Once you try my dairy-free version of this popular condiment, you’ll never go back to eating the real thing!
Cooking with Cashews
Cashews are often a spotlight in my blog posts. I love them because they provide a rich, satisfying component to dairy-free cooking. They also offer many health benefits. Cashews are full of vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and antioxidants. They have become a staple in my diet since I began eating plant-based. I encourage purchasing cashews with fair-trade labeling.
Soaking the Cashews
In order to get a creamy, ranch-like consistency, the cashews need to be really soft. Before the cashews can be blended, they must first be soaked in water. This process can be done overnight and left in the fridge. If you’re in a hurry, you can boil water and soak the cashews in the hot water for 10 minutes before blending.
How to Make Dairy-Free Ranch
I love this recipe because it’s so quick and easy. All you have to do is soak the cashews and blend them with water and lemon juice.
Then add the rest of the ingredients, starting with only 1/4 teaspoon onion powder and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Either whisk to combine in a bowl or pulse to combine in the blender. Taste and add more onion and garlic powder if desired!
Chill for 1-2 hours – the contents get hot in the blender, and letting the ranch sit helps the flavors settle in.
Serve with raw vegetables, on a salad, or in a wrap!
Special Equipment
A high-speed blender is definitely necessary in order to make this ranch dressing creamy and smooth. I have mentioned this in my other blog posts, but I use this blender to blend the cashews. I got it on sale at Costco. I think it often goes on sale there. It works perfectly for all of my blending needs. However, if you don’t have this one, any other high-speed blender should work.
Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing
Course: Dips & DressingsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy20
servings5
minutes49
kcal1
hour1
hour5
minutesIngredients
1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked
1 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/4-1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon dried dill
3/4 teaspoon dried chives
3/4 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
- Blend the cashews, water, and lemon juice together in a high-speed blender for 1-2 minutes, until the mixture is completely smooth.
- Add 1 teaspoon of the garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon of the onion powder, salt, dried dill, dried chives, dried parsley, and black pepper to the cashew cream. Whisk together in a bowl or pulse to combine in the blender, making sure not to overblend it. Taste and add up to 1/4 teaspoon more onion powder and 1 teaspoon more garlic powder if desired.
- Chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Blending time may vary depending on the speed of the blender. There should be no cashew chunks left when finished blending.
- Serve on a salad, wrap, or with raw vegetables!
- One serving size is approximately 1/4 cup.
Nutrition Facts
20 servings per container
Serving Size2 Tablespoons
- Amount Per ServingCalories49
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat
3.6g
6%
- Saturated Fat 0.6g 3%
- Sodium 172.2mg 8%
- Potassium 54mg 2%
- Total Carbohydrate
2.4g
1%
- Dietary Fiber 0.3g 2%
- Sugars 0.7g
- Protein 1.5g 3%
- Iron 3%
* The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
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