Oh-so creamy and tangy, you’ll want to put this Vegan Ranch Dressing on everything! Cashews are blended with zesty lemon juice and fresh dill to give you the perfect pizza dip, burger spread, salad dressing, and more.
If you’re looking for more creamy vegan sauces, you’ll also love my Vegan Sour Cream, Vegan Cheese Sauce, Vegan Caesar Dressing, and Vegan Tartar Sauce.
This Vegan Ranch Dressing is undoubtedly the best! It’s super creamy, totally ‘dill-icious’, and just as addictive as the real thing. You’ll want to use it on everything!
Can you believe that the secret behind this realistic vegan dressing is soaked and blended cashews? When you blend cashews with a little water, they transform into a thick and creamy cashew cream, which almost has the same richness as real dairy. Stir in a few flavor boosters, like garlic, fresh dill, and lemon, and you’re left with a delicious homemade vegan ranch dressing.
It’s the perfect dip for vegan pizza or cauliflower wings, can be spread on a veggie burger, drizzled over a salad, and so much more.
Why this is the best vegan cashew ranch dressing
- Rich, creamy, and silky smooth – It’s amazing how blended cashews easily transform into a thick and creamy base for this ranch dressing.
- Quick and easy – Making vegan ranch is as easy as blending the handful of ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- Endless ways to use it – You’ll want to drizzle this dressing on salads, spread it on sandwiches, use it as a dip, and so much more. It never lasts long in my house, so it couldn’t hurt to double the batch!
How to make vegan ranch dressing
Find the complete recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Place the cashews in a bowl or measuring cup and cover them with boiling water. Set aside to soak for 5 to 10 minutes.
Tip: You can also soak the cashews overnight in room temperature water.
Drain the water and add the cashews to a blender along with the remaining ingredients (except the dill). Blend until smooth.
Add the dill and pulse a few times to combine. Don’t overblend or else the vegan ranch will turn green!
For a stronger herby flavor: Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of fresh chives and fresh parsley along with the dill.
Serve the ranch dressing on everything and enjoy!
Serving suggestions
I highly recommend keeping a jar of this dressing in the fridge at all times because it goes well with pretty much everything! Here are just a few ways you can use it:
- As a dip: Pour the ranch into a bowl and surround it with cut veggies like carrots, celery, peppers, or cucumbers, or pair it with my Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, Vegan Pizza, or Air Fryer Fries.
- As a spread: Spread it onto your veggie burgers, vegetable wraps, vegan BLTs, or BBQ jackfruit sandwiches.
- As a dressing: Drizzle it over simple green salads, hearty lentil salads, or a loaded vegan cobb salad. It’s also great on grain bowls or tossed in your favorite pasta salad.
Frequently asked questions
While blended cashews do yield the creamiest and richest vegan ranch sauce, raw slivered almonds should work well as a substitute. Or make the version using vegan mayo.
Yes, you can substitute the nuts for an equal amount of sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or hemp seeds. Tofu vegan mayo also works as a base (store bought or my homemade tofu mayo).
Sure, you can use 2 cloves of garlic as a substitute for the garlic powder. Or, for a deeper savory flavor, blend in a head of roasted garlic.
Pour the leftover ranch into an airtight container or glass jar and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Technically yes, you can freeze it. However, the consistency tends to be watery after it thaws. I recommend blending the leftovers before serving to make them creamy and smooth again.
Vegan Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashew pieces
- 3/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- juice from 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1/4 cup fresh dill OR 2-3 teaspoons dried dill*
Instructions
- Soak the raw cashew pieces in hot water for 5-10 minutes. I heat up water in my electric kettle and pour it over the cashews to soak.
- Drain the cashews and add to your blender. Add the remaining ingredients except the dill, and blend until very smooth.
- Now add the dill, and pulse a few times to combine. You don’t want to blend the dill or it will end up very green.
- Serve on salad or with fresh vegetables for dipping. This will keep for up to a week in the fridge. It will thicken in the fridge, just thin out with water until it reaches the consistency you prefer.
Notes
- If you don’t care for dill, you may substitute with parsley (1/3 cup fresh chopped small, or 2-3 teaspoons dried).
- For Sriracha Ranch, add 2-3 teaspoons Sriracha, or to taste when blending.
- Without nuts – Substitute 1 cup of vegan mayo for the cashews and water. Simply whisk everything in a bowl and that’s it!
This worked out perfectly. It was easy to make and super delicious. Thank you!
You’re welcome!
The best ranch dressing recipe I did only use 1 Tbsp if dill and a small amount of water a tbsp maybe added another tsp if vinager because I am a vinager girl only 3/4 tsp of salt.
Thank you
I’ve made the dressing several times. Love it! I would like to know what is a serving? A tablespoon or two? The nutritional info is well detailed, but not the actual measurement. Thanks in advance.
And I give this recipe 5 stars of course! ?
Thank you! I don’t know the exact details as it is an online calculation, but it’s probably about 1/4 cup of dressing.
Delicious
Thank you for such an easy to make and tasty vegan ranch dressing that I can make right before dinner with items I have on hand.
Just made this…..so good! Thank you for another great recipe!
You’re welcome!! So glad it was good!
Looks like a fabulous recipe…Do you still recommend that you add the dill if you make the Sriracha version. I was wondering if it would clash with the spice. Thanks
Yes, I do usually omit the dill if I use Sriracha. Thanks!
I am eating a salad now with your yummy fresh dressing. Love it! I was looking for a ranch with dill of course and saw that they usually have mayo, buttermilk and or sour cream. Added “vegan” to search and so glad I found yours. I’m more WFPB so on that note instead of the garlic and onion powders I added 1 garlic clove and 2 skinny green onion/scallion. Love it. Thank you.
You’re so welcome!!
And I meant to give it FIVE stars1
Thanks so much!!
This is probably the best WFPB dressing I’ve tried. I could drink it!! Added in the dill at the beginning by mistake so it came out light green. So good!!
Thank you for the recipe. I didn’t have fresh dill I used dried, but I found it overpowering with 2tsp of dried dill…..I added 2 tsp of chipotle chili powder and this seemed to dull the dill and made it super delicious! I like spicy so you might want to start of with a smaller amount. Thanks again
Emma
Can i use apple cider vinagre ?
Yes, that will work.
Amazing with salad or dipping veggies!
Thanks!
I made the Sriracha version of this ranch dressing, but knowing how thick my first batch of delicious regular ranch became after refrigerating, I used 1 cup of water instead of the 3/4 c. per the recipe. I then put in 1 Tbl. of Sriracha sauce and blended until it was smooth and rich. I worried the whole time about how the dill would go with the Sriracha sauce as I was licking the spatula and endangering my fingers to get all the unreachable dressing into my mouth. This Sriracha Ranch Dressing is without a doubt the BEST DRESSING EVER! I gave the regular ranch a 5 star rating but I would give this TEN STARS if I could! The dressing was slightly warm from my soaked cashews and I am ashamed to admit I just kept going back for another taste. It’s THAT good. Fear kept me from adding the dill but I did add 1 Tbl of dried chives; but honestly , it didn’t need them. Nora, you should put this recipe in separately so people don’t miss it!!!!
Wow, thanks for the great comment and information!
Terrific flavor and I was doubtful given the many other plant based dressings I’ve tried! Very thick ,so great as a dip for fresh veg. Thinned with almond milk for dressing. My cashews are soaking as I type this. I am bringing a platter of pita bread, hummus, fresh vegetables and your version of SRIRACHA RANCH DRESSING to a church potluck tomorrow. Both my husband and I loved the regular ranch, but I think I am going to have to confess it is plant based and made without oil or mayonnaise which I can’t digest. He keeps looking at me funny when I spoon it on my salad! ?
Thanks for the great comment!
Hi,
I have a nut allergy, what would be a good substitute?
Thank You!
If you can have sunflower seeds, they will work quite well if you soak them first and have a high powered blender. You could also sub silken tofu for the cashews and water. It works pretty well. Hope that helps!
I’ve even tried well cooked beans or chick peas.
You have rice vinegar listed but the link shows seasoned rice vinegar. Which type is it?
I use regular rice vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar, I can’t really tell a difference so either is fine.
I will never buy ranch dressing again! We loved this! It came out thick, which was great for your bbq cauliflower wings. For a salad I will add more water to thin it. Thanks!!
You’re welcome! So glad you liked them!
HOLY CATS!
Okay, seriously people, this is GOOD stuff! And it is totally plant-based and oil free. What!? It tastes like the best ranch ever. I have been addicted to ranch since I was a kid and always in search of even at least an MSG version, and now that I am trying to be as close to 100% plant-based as possible, vegan. And it is IMPOSSIBLE to find either that are good. I have tried them all. Seriously, gone through and trashed probably at least a dozen or more kinds in search of the holy grail. Here it is. In my kitchen, made by my hands thanks to Nora! This is just so magical I could not believe it. I JUST made it, so I know the taste will marry and be different tomorrow, but I can only imagine it will be even BETTER than what I tasted when I tried it. Also, this makes a huge batch! I am so thankful to you! Thank you so much for this.
I am also thankful I trusted the recipe, as I am notorious for diverging for my flavors. I am a HUGE dill fan and I know most are not. You have JUST the right amount of dill in this recipe for someone like me.
My only remarks are, keep blending, blending, blending to get the right texture.
Thank you!!!!
Thanks so much for the great comment! I’m so glad you like the ranch!
This is seriously the best ranch! My husband and I both agree it’s way better than regular!!! I added twice as much dill (because I love it), some parsley and a titch more salt. Either way, it’s delish! Thanks for the recipe!
You’re so welcome! I’m glad you both like it.
This ranch is amazing! This is the first ranch sauce I made and probably the last since there’s no need to experiment or do anything extra. I was worried the dill would be a bit too dilly but it was not at all. The only thing I added was a dash of pepper but it wasn’t even necessary. Thanks!!!!!!
You’re welcome! Glad you like it!
Wow! This is THE BEST wfpb ranch dressing -& I feel like I’ve tried them all! And it’s oil-free! It’s our favorite salad dressing I bring some to work with carrots, celery & bell peppers, & it’s ALWAYS a hit served with Buffalo cauliflower! Thanks Nora, it is SO DELICIOUS!
Thank you! So happy you loved the ranch!
What could be subbed for the rice vinegar?
Another vinegar (apple cider, white) or more lemon juice. Thanks!
I had almost given up on finding a good vegan ranch, I am so glad I tried one more…this is delicious! I also made your lasagna and can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
I’m so glad you liked it and hope you will enjoy other recipes too!
Hey Nora!! So I just needed to come back here and comment. I ALWAYS MAKE THIS IT IS SOOOO DAMN GOOOOD and I’m so happy you shared this recipe with us (One of the many many bomb recipes!). I’m literally sitting down eating fresh cut up peppers with this and thought “am I having some bell peppers with ranch or ranch with some bell peppers?” Definitely ranch with some bell peppers!! Hahaha it’s sooooo good I can eat the whole thing out of the Tupperware with a spoon! Though I have to restrain myself hahah YOUR RECIPES ARE THE BESTTTTT
Wow, thanks so much for the wonderful comment!
This ranch was awesome! I blended the fresh dill into the sauce so it was light green and used as a dip for fresh veggies tonight to guests. So creamy and delicious.
I’m so glad it was good!