I have always been ranch-obsessed. I was the girl who’d douse slices of pizza in Hidden Valley Ranch. I’d make salads comprised of more ranch than actual lettuce. A crudité platter hates to see me coming — and the veggies are mere ranch-to-mouth delivery vessels.
But it’s not easy to find a good vegan ranch off the shelves, which is why I had to perfect my own homemade Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing. I needed something to bring all the familiar flavor and buttermilk-style tanginess of the classic, without any dairy. After much experimentation, I’ve finally nailed the perfect balance of flavors that makes this dressing utterly crave-worthy.
Whether you’re serving with buffalo cauliflower, pizza, salad, or veggies, this vegan ranch is one you’ll want to keep on hand at all times.
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Why this Vegan Ranch Works
Growing up, my favorite ranch dressing was always the buttermilk style ranch they’d serve at restaurants. I like mine extra herby and savory, with the right balance of fat and acidity.
In the years since going vegan, I’ve tried my fair share of ranch dressings that fell flat for me. The key to this recipe is the combination of vegan mayo with a touch of of vegan sour cream or yogurt. The former provides richness and body; the latter brings the familiar tang you’d get from buttermilk.
In my opinion, this combination yields the most classic ranch flavor — more classic than more whole foods options like a cashew cream or hempseed based ranch. That’s why this is the version I will always bring to gatherings where I need something crowd-pleasing for vegans and non-vegans alike.
Ingredients for Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing
- Vegan mayo. Provides a rich mouthfeel for your dressing. My favorite store-bought option is good old Vegenaise from Follow Your Heart, but I also love making homemade mayo!
- Plant-based sour cream or yogurt. To add that lactic, buttermilk-style tang. Brand selection matters here as they all taste a little different. I like the vegan sour cream from Simple Truth. I like the cashew and coconut yogurt from Forager.
- Plant milk. Add a little to adjust the texture of the dressing to your preference.
- Dried herbs. Dried chives, dill, and parsley are the key players in the classic ranch flavor profile.
- Spices. Simple garlic and onion powder.
- Nutritional yeast. Optional, to boost the savory factor.
- Lemon juice. To add brightness.
- Salt & pepper.
How to Make Vegan Ranch
Step 1 – Combine All of the Ingredients
Mix together all of the ingredients in a bowl. Adjust the consistency to your liking using plant milk.
Step 2 – Chill in the Fridge
Pop your ranch in a resealable container and place in the fridge for at least one hour.
Step 3 – Adjust to Taste
Give your vegan ranch a taste and adjust salt, pepper, and acidity (lemon juice) to your liking. That’s it!
👩🍳 Sarah’s Recipe Notes 📝
- I highly recommend letting the ranch sit in the fridge for at least an hour. The dried herbs need a chance to rehydrate and release their flavors. It won’t fully taste like ranch until it’s sat for an hour!
- Speaking of dried herbs, they’re actually preferable in this recipe over fresh
- Make your own vegan mayo for the base! I have an incredibly easy Vegan Mayo recipe that I love to use as the base of this ranch.
Make-Ahead & Storage
The ranch keeps well in the fridge for 4-5 days in an airtight container. Give it a good stir before serving.
If you used fresh herbs (rather than dried), the flavor will be best within the first 1-2 days. After that the herbs can start to lose their freshness and vibrancy.
Ways to Enjoy Vegan Ranch
This is the perfect fresh and flavorful dip for parties, pot-lucks or game day spreads. It can be made ahead of time. I recommend keeping it in the fridge until ready to serve. This vegan ranch dressing is delicious:
- As a dip for vegan wings, pizza, crudités and more.
- In salads or drizzled over grain bowls.
- As a spread for sandwiches or wraps.
I also love to spread it on a plate to act as a bed for crispy potatoes or other roasted veggies.
FAQ
I will forever stand by the original Vegenaise from Follow Your Heart. But I have friends who love the Hellman’s vegan mayo too, and it’s fairly easy to find.
Either will work great! I usually use yogurt, simply because I always have Forager nondairy yogurt in my fridge. Yogurt tends to be a little more tangy than sour cream, and also a little bit thinner. If I want a really thick and creamy ranch, I love to use the Simple Truth vegan sour cream.
Personally I recommend using dried herbs for this recipe, because they have a super condensed flavor that develops over time as the herbs re-hydrate. Dried herbs will also give more of the classic flavor we tend to associate with ranch. Fresh chopped herbs can work, but they tend to release extra moisture and their flavors tend to degrade if the dressing sits for too long.
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Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo see notes
- 1/2 cup vegan sour cream or unsweetened yogurt see notes
- 2-4 tablespoons plain unsweetened plant milk to adjust consistency
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast optional
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to preference
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- Combine: Mix together all ingredients. Depending on preference you can add more or less plant milk to adjust the consistency.
- Chill: Refrigerate the ranch in a sealed container for at least 1 hour, but preferably for a few hours. The flavors need a chance to develop as the dried herbs rehydrate.
- Adjust: One the flavors have had a chance to marry, give the ranch a taste and adjust salt, pepper, and acidity (lemon juice) to preference. Enjoy!
