Dairy-Free Homemade Ranch Dressing

This easy dairy free ranch dressing uses ingredients you already have for a delicious, easy vegan ranch made from scratch. Whole30, paleo, and keto-approved, it’s our family’s favorite dressing for salads, veggies, and more!

Making your own salad dressing is one of the easiest and quickest ways to save on your grocery budget.

I’ve been making my own salad dressings for years…Homemade Caesar Salad Dressing and Homemade Italian Salad Dressing (or if you’d prefer Zesty Italian Dressing) and Homemade Greek Salad Dressing and Thai Peanut Sauce and Maple Yogurt Dressing and Maple Citrus Vinaigrette have all found their way to our dinner table…

Until we started the Whole30.

A couple of those salad dressings are Whole30-approved, but most aren’t. And for some reason I can’t quite explain, the dressing we wanted the most while on the Whole30 was ranch.

It took a few tries, but I created a super easy dairy-free ranch dressing that my family not only LOVES, but we prefer it over the regular homemade ranch dressing we used to make!

WHY MAKE DAIRY-FREE RANCH?

Dairy-free ranch dressing is the best ever!

• First off, it tastes delicious. When my kids ask for more salad, I know it’s a success!
• The seasoning mix is versatile. You can make your own whenever you need it and add it to anything (for example, use it for the seasoning in Almond-Crusted Chicken – yum!). Make a double batch and store it in spice jars like these.
• Making your own vegan gluten-free ranch is frugal.
• It’s so quick and easy to whip up a batch!

VEGAN RANCH DRESSING RECIPE INGREDIENTS

This vegan ranch recipe has very basic ingredients, and chances are, you already have most of them in your kitchen. Let’s break them down:

SPICES FOR DRY RANCH SEASONING MIX

• All the spices in this vegan ranch dressing recipe are dried herbs and spices, so it’s easy to mix up a batch from your spice cabinet:
  • Minced onions
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt
  • Parsley
  • Dill
  • Thyme
  • Basil
• You can use fresh herbs if you want, or you can use essential oils too. If you go with either of these, skip them in the seasoning mix (this recipe makes a big batch). Add them when you make a single batch of dressing instead.

MAYO

• My Fail-Proof Homemade Mayo is hands down the route to go here. You can use store-bought, but it will cost more, especially if you like this dressing as much as we do!
• Buying Whole30-approved mayo can get very expensive, very fast, and my Fail-Proof Homemade Mayo is naturally Whole30-approved. It contains just four ingredients: eggs, salt, lemon juice, and extra light olive oil.
• Plus, it’s super easy, ready in less than two minutes, and really is fail-proof – I’ve never had a batch turn out wrong and I made a quart of mayo every week…that’s a lot of mayo!!
• For vegan ranch dressing, make sure to choose a vegan mayonnaise.

RED WINE VINEGAR

• Classic ranch dressing is known for its tang, and while my homemade mayo has lemon juice, it’s not quite enough. A little bit of red wine vinegar gets the job done!
• If you don’t have red wine vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar (here’s how to make your own apple cider vinegar), but the taste won’t quite be the same.
• I wouldn’t suggest substituting white vinegar for this recipe.

COCONUT CREAM

• Coconut cream is a staple when you’re on the Whole30, so it’s no surprise that it’s in dairy-free ranch dressing too. We need the thick coconut cream from canned coconut milk here, not the liquid coconut milk that you can drink.
• I like this brand and keep a can in the fridge to separate the cream from the water. If you’re looking for a coconut cream that doesn’t contain guar gum and is Whole30 compliant, I like this one.
• The coconut flavor is not strong once everything is mixed together, but if you have someone in your family who is averse to any kind of coconut flavor, try adding a pinch more salt at a time, which will counteract any hint of coconut flavor.

DAIRY-FREE MILK

• You don’t need much non-dairy milk and I often skip it, but a little bit of unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or even the coconut water from the can of coconut milk will thin the dressing a smidge so it’s pourable. You could also use a bit of pickle juice from your jar of pickles for an extra-tangy ranch.
• If you’re on a tight budget, I recommend making Homemade Almond Milk or Homemade Coconut Milk to help keep costs down. Eating Whole30 can be expensive!

HOW TO MAKE DAIRY FREE RANCH

Step 1. Prepare the dairy free ranch seasoning mix by combining all the dry spices in a mason jar. Shake well.

Step 2. Measure 2 Tablespoons of the dry ranch seasoning mix into a quart jar.

Step 3. Add the mayo, red wine vinegar, and coconut cream and stir well. Thin by adding milk 1 teaspoon at a time and stirring well after each addition.

Step 4. Store the seasoning mix in the spice cabinet and the dressing in the fridge! Homemade dairy free ranch dressing will last for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

SERVE VEGAN RANCH RECIPE

You probably don’t need my help to add ranch to all the things. But in case you’re looking for some meal inspiration, here are some of our favorites to have with dairy-free ranch.

• Of course, top your salads like this seasonal dinner salad or this Bacon Chicken Ranch Salad.
• Dip sliced veggies
• Top your pizza
• Mix it in with pasta
• Serve with Homemade Chicken Nuggets
• Drizzle over Baked Potatoes, Easy Potato Skins, or Crispy Potato Wedges
• Skip the ketchup and top your Best Burgers Ever with ranch instead!

HOW TO MAKE THIS A REGULAR HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING

If you’re not dairy-free, I still encourage you to try this homemade ranch dressing with mayonnaise. My husband HATES mayo and he LOVES this dressing – that speaks volumes right there!

However, you can make this homemade ranch dressing using sour cream or Greek yogurt (here’s how to make Homemade Greek Yogurt).

Substituting for the mayo will change the taste and texture of the recipe a bit, so be sure to adjust the seasonings as desired. Luckily, it’s an adaptable recipe that you can customize to fit your tastes!

VEGAN RANCH DIP RECIPE

One of the reasons I love this dairy-free ranch recipe is because is SO versatile!!

If you skip the coconut cream and dairy-free milk and just make the ranch with mayo, you have a homemade vegan ranch DIP recipe – how easy is that? Like with the dressing, you can customize your ranch dip with sour cream or Greek yogurt if you prefer those instead.

DAIRY FREE RANCH DRESSING TIPS

• If you love this dairy-free ranch dressing as much as we do, I suggest making a double or triple batch of the dry seasoning mix below and keeping it in a glass jar in the spice cabinet.
• I like to reuse glass jars that I bought – like spaghetti jars, jelly jars, or coconut oils jars – I just remove the labels with this easy method. It works every time, and I can save money by NOT buying glass jars!
• I also love using mason jars for homemade dressing and these lids make it super easy to shake and pour!

DAIRY-FREE RANCH FAQS

MORE AMAZING HOMEMADE SPICE BLENDS

• Montreal Steak Seasoning
• Poultry Seasoning
• Homemade Taco Seasoning
• All Purpose Seasoned Salt
• Blackened Seasoning
• Homemade Italian Seasoning
• Cajun Seasoning