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    Home » Recipes » Blender sauces and salad dressings

    Cashew ranch dressing

    Aug 17, 2022 by Becky Striepe
    Disclosure: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Privacy Policy for more details.

    Recipe Video Print
    hand dipping a carrot into cashew ranch dressing
    baked tofu with vegan ranch in a ramekin to dip

    Cashew ranch dressing is rich, creamy, and flavorful. This vegan ranch is so easy to make, right in your blender, no oil needed!

    hand dipping a carrot into cashew ranch dressing

    Oh boy, do I love ranch dressing, and this is by far the best vegan ranch I've ever had! It's perfect for dipping everything from veggies to tofu bites to tots.

    Jump to:
    • Recipe notes
    • Serving suggestions
    • How to store
    • Cashew ranch dressing recipe
    • Frequently asked questions

    Recipe notes

    The base for this dressing is a simple cashew cream. If you're not familiar with cashew cream, it isn't some kind of fancy, expensive specialty food. In fact, I've never seen it for sale in a store.

    cashews, garlic, lemon, water, and spices in bowls on a slate table with text labels on each ingredient

    Cashew cream is just raw cashews blended up in water or some other combination of liquids. The key to making good cashew cream is to soak your cashews in water. This softens them up so you it's easy to get them super creamey, even in the crappiest blender.

    A lot of recipes for cashew-based sauces call for raw cashews, but in my experience, that's not really necessary. Soaking will soften up roasted cashews just fine, so feel free to use either to make your cashew ranch dressing.

    One you soak your cashews, drain off the soaking water. Then, toss them into the blender with water, lemon juice, and a few dried spices, and boom! Cashew ranch.

    One thing to note: This dressing does thicken up as it cools, so don't panic if it feels a bit thin when it comes out of the blender. Just stick it into the fridge to chill, and it will thicken up to creamy perfection.

    baked tofu with vegan ranch in a ramekin to dip

    Serving suggestions

    This vegan ranch works well as either a dip or a salad dressing. Slather it onto your next salad or try one of these delicious ways to use it:

    • as a party dip with veggies or sriracha tofu for dipping
    • for dipping fries or tater tots
    • stirred into soups or stews to add creaminess and a flavor boost
    • on your next baked potato instead of sour cream
    • as a dip for vegan wings

    Anything you'd do with dairy ranch you can do with cashew ranch dressing instead.

    How to store

    I like to store this dressing in a mason jar. It will keep in an airtight container like this for five to seven days in the refrigerator.

    Occasionally, this dressing will separate in the fridge. This is no problem! Just stir it up, and you're good to go.

    hand dipping a carrot into cashew ranch dressing

    Cashew ranch dressing recipe

    Cashew ranch dressing is rich, creamy, and flavorful. This vegan ranch is so easy to make, right in your blender, no oil needed!
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Sauces and Dressings
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 servings
    Calories: 64kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup cashews - raw or roasted is fine
    • ¾ cup water
    • ¼ cup lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon dried dill
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 large clove or 2 small cloves of garlic
    • ¼ teaspoon each of salt and black pepper - or more, to taste

    Instructions

    • Soak the cashews with enough hot water to cover them completely for 10 minutes.
    • Drain the cashews and pour them into the blender along with the remaining ingredients, except the salt and pepper. Blend until completely smooth. This will take about a minute in a high speed blender, and it will take longer in a regular blender. Just keep blending, stopping every minute to give the motor breaks, until your mixture is totally smooth.
    • Taste, and add more salt and pepper, if needed, to suit your tastes. Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.

    Video

    Notes

    You can use raw or roasted cashews to make this cashew ranch. Soaking will soften either one enough to blend up creamy.
    I can't stress enough how important it is to blend thoroughly. You don't want a grainy result, and you can get a creamy sauce, even in a regular blender. Just make sure that you give your blender's motor a break between blasts, so you don't burn it out.
    Leftover dressing will keep in an airtight container for five to seven days in the refrigerator. This dressing does thicken up as it cools, so don't panic if it feels a bit thin when it comes out of the blender. Just stick it into the fridge to chill, and it will thicken up to creamy perfection.

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Cashew ranch dressing recipe
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    64
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    5
    g
    8
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    5
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    3
    g
    Sodium
     
    2
    mg
    0
    %
    Potassium
     
    91
    mg
    3
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    4
    g
    1
    %
    Fiber
     
    0.4
    g
    2
    %
    Sugar
     
    1
    g
    1
    %
    Protein
     
    2
    g
    4
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    59
    IU
    1
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    3
    mg
    4
    %
    Calcium
     
    7
    mg
    1
    %
    Iron
     
    1
    mg
    6
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    Frequently asked questions

    How long does cashew ranch last in the refrigerator?

    It will keep for 5-7 days.

    Can you freeze cashew ranch?

    I don't recommend freezing this dressing. The texture just changes in a way that isn't super pleasant.

    Can you make this nut-free?

    You sure can! Head on over and make my tahini ranch dressing instead.

    What is vegan ranch made of?

    There are so many ways to make vegan ranch! This recipe uses cashews and water as the base. You can also use tahini, if you don't do cashews.

    Store-bought vegan ranch tends to use an oil emulsion as the base, but I'm sure there are bottled ranch dressings that use other bases, too.

    What ranch dressing is vegan?

    There are lots of plant based ranch dressings on the market. Daiya, Simple Truth, and lots of other brands make them, and you can even find bottled vegan ranch at the regular grocery store.

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    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Belinda Bernard

      May 07, 2023 at 9:58 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you !

      Reply
    2. Nora Gainey

      February 27, 2018 at 6:09 pm

      Could you just soak cashews in 1/2 cup hot soy milk? Then you won't have to drain.

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. 24 Vegan Taco Recipes for All of Your Taco Tuesday Needs - Glue & Glitter says:
      January 15, 2019 at 9:33 am

      […] chickenless tenders, pre-shredded cabbage, and store-bought vegan ranch. Of course, you can make your own vegan ranch, if you […]

      Reply

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    About Me

    photo of Becky Striepe
    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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