The girls took off for the beach yesterday, and before they left they both mentioned they were craving salad and wanted a Vegan Ranch Dressing.
“Can you make us a salad when we get back with some homemade Vegan Ranch Dressing?”
And that my friends, is how a new recipe gets created …. I mean how on earth can I say no to that? Right?
Knowing my daughter is Lactose Intolerant – and that Ranch is her favorite dressing – I immediately set off to create the perfect, Dairy-Free Vegan Ranch Dressing.
I knew right away though that the million dollar question was going to be – Soy Based? Or Cashew Based?
I know a lot of you hate Soy, and I know a lot of you avoid nuts. So there’s really no winning here – other than just making it the way I would like. So for that super creamy texture I remember about Ranch – I went with Cashews. If you want to try this recipe with a block of Tofu? Feel free and let me know how it turns out.
This Vegan Ranch Dressing is a simple recipe, with virtually no prep time other than soaking some Cashews for a while. The rest is all done in a blender – so clean-up is a breeze.
What I did was basically start with just Cashews and Almond Milk in a blender – and then add some spices and flavorings bit by bit until I got the flavor I wanted.
Funny thing was – something always seemed to be missing – until I found my secret ingredient.
And now? It’s Creamy Vegan Ranch Perfection.
Hope you like it as much as we do. My daughter had 3 bowls of salad – I think she liked it
Cool Vegan Ranch Dressing
Easy recipe – I promise.
Soak a cup of whole, unroasted, unsalted, Cashews in some hot water for at least an hour. The longer the better.
Afterwards, drain the cashews well and add to a blender.
Add in the remaining spices and flavorings, and blend on high until smooth and creamy. You may want to stop and scrape down the sides occasionally.
Pour into a container you can seal, and then refrigerate for at least an hour to thicken. The longer it sets, the thicker it will become. I had some the next day and it was perfect.
Oh – and in case you’re wondering about that Secret Ingredient?
Miso. That added just the right pizzazz to make this the perfect Vegan Ranch Dressing.
Enjoy!
Prep time: 5 mins
Total time: 5 mins
Serves: About 2 Cups
- 1 cup Cashews, unsalted, unroasted
- 1 cup Almond Milk, unsweetened
- 2 Tbs Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 tsp White Miso
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 tsp Onion Powder
- 1 tsp Dried Parsley
- ¾ tsp Dried, Ground Dill Seed
- ½ tsp Salt
- Soak Cashews in hot water for at least 1 hour.
- Drain well and add to blender along with remaining ingredients.
- Blend on high until smooth and creamy.