Makes about a cup

Easy vegan ranch dressing with lots of herbs

I have a lot of recipes for ranch. This homemade vegan ranch dressing recipe is perfect.

It’s all about the balance between fresh and pantry. You’ve got parsley, dill, chives, and lemon juice doing the bright, green, herby thing. And then onion powder comes in underneath and does what onion powder does best, which is… make everything taste like ranch. That combination of simple, fresh ingredients and shelf-stable staples, used wisely and in the right proportions, is what separates an amazing salad dressing from a “meh” one. This easy vegan recipe gets it right!

The base is vegan mayo, and (don’t hate me) I recommend using homemade vegan mayo if you’re up for it. THAT SAID. Vegan mayo from the store works just wonderfully and the ranch is still amazing. Either way, you end up with a thick, creamy, herb-loaded vegan ranch dressing that tastes like the ranch you remember from before you stopped eating dairy, except better, because you made it and you can see all the green flecks of real herbs in there and there’s no mysterious powder involved.

One important thing: when I say that the herbs should be “finely chopped,” I mean chopped teeny tiny. Like, small enough that it could squirt through the tip of a ketchup or mustard bottle. Not that you’re going to do that, but just that it could. Chopping the herbs that fine is what spreads the flavor into every single bite instead of getting a random chunk of dill in one spoonful and nothing in the next. If you’d rather not stand there mincing herbs forever, you can do a rough chop and then pulse it a few times in a blender. But be careful: pulse, don’t blend. You want tiny pieces, not green soup.

It’ll be kind of thick at first. That’s normal. The mayo absorbs the liquid from the herbs as it sits, and the whole thing loosens up and comes together. If it’s still too thick for you, thin it with water a tablespoon at a time until it’s where you want it: thick but pourable. And it’s always better the next day, once everything has had time to get to know each other.

Stir It Up: Homemade Vegan Ranch Variations

Avocado Ranch: Mash a ripe avocado into a puree along with an additional teaspoon of lemon juice. Stir into the finished ranch until well combined. This one only keeps for a day or so because avocado likes to brown, so use it quickly.

Chipotle Ranch: Stir in 3 tablespoons of the adobo sauce from a can of chipotles. Smoky. Spicy. Good on everything the regular ranch is good on, but more so.

Buffalo Ranch: Stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of your favorite hot sauce (Frank’s, Cholula, whatever you like). The classic wing night combo, but in dressing form.

Everything Bagel Ranch: Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of everything bagel seasoning. Seedy, garlicky, onion-forward. Great with a veggie platter or spread on a sandwich. Or, and this is a novel idea, a bagel.

Cilantro Ranch: Cilantro lovers unite! Replace the parsley with cilantro. I love it like this, especially with nachos.

Roasted Garlic Ranch: Mash about 6 cloves of roasted garlic into a paste and add it right in. This is one of my top faves of my already favorite ranch!

Pickle Ranch: Stir in 2 tablespoons of finely chopped dill pickles plus a tablespoon of pickle brine. Tangy and a little funky. Incredible on burgers, specifically the Quarter Pounder Beet Burger.

Ways to Use Vegan Ranch Dressing But Of Course You Already Know

I know you know how to use ranch. But here are a few of my favorite ways.

With Kate’s Buffalo Tofu Wings, obviously. Ranch and buffalo sauce is a combination that needs no explanation and accepts no substitution.

On a Quarter Pounder Beet Burger with all the fixings.

With Baked Garlic Curry Fries. The cool creaminess against the warm curry spice is something else.

On To-Fish Sandwiches instead of the tartar sauce.

On a salad with sliced Gluten-Free Chick’n Tofu Cutlets. This is a whole meal and it takes about 20 minutes.

All over Scrambled Tofu. A drizzle of ranch on a scramble changes the entire breakfast situation.

Alongside BBQ Tempeh Ribs for dipping or drizzling.

I don’t know about you, but I love ranch on Mac & Cheese! Use any of these recipes. And then add some Buffalo Wings, too. Perfection.

And then of course on pizza, on every salad, and on all the avocado toast.

MY FAVORITE VEGAN RANCH FAQ:

What mayo should I use? Any vegan mayo works. I like homemade best, but store-bought options like Hellmann’s vegan, Follow Your Heart, or Just Mayo are all fine. The flavor and consistency of the ranch will vary a little depending on the mayo, so taste and adjust the salt and lemon accordingly.

Can I make this without mayo? Not this recipe! But I do have other ranch dressing recipes without mayo. This one (Sanctuary Ranch Dip) uses cashews and tofu, just thin it out a bit.

How long does it keep? Five days in the fridge in an airtight container. The flavor actually gets better after the first day.

Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh? Naw dog. The fresh herbs are the whole point here. Dried herbs will give you a dusty, muted version that tastes like a packet mix. If you can’t find fresh dill, you can lean heavier on the parsley and chives, but try to keep at least two of the three fresh.

Is this a dressing or a dip? Both! I like my ranch THICK. So it does work as a dip. But you can thin it as you like.

Can I make this ahead? Hells yeah. It’s better the next day. The herbs wilt into the mayo and the flavors meld. Make it the night before if you’re prepping for a party or a week of salads.

My ranch is too thick. What do I do? OMG! Add water a tablespoon at a time and stir until it’s where you want it. Different mayos have different consistencies, so yours might need a little loosening up.