I am happy to share with you my best version of a vegan Ranch dressing. It is thick, creamy, garlicky and yes, maybe even addictive. Did I mention that it is indeed, oil free, nut free, dairy free, gluten free and still packed with amazing flavor. Tom and I are both obsessed with this dressing.
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This recipe took me a long time perfect. I probably have made a version of it every month for the past year! I am not kidding. I tried it with white beans, hemp seeds, cauliflower, dried herbs, fresh herbs, lemon juice, vinegar, soy milk, almond milk, oat milk, tofu and the list goes on. I have spent a small fortune on ingredients and lots of time on recipe testing for this one. All of my attempts were indeed tasty but I was holding out for the one that I felt tasted most like a standard American Ranch dressing but without all the fat and sodium.
Let’s remember that I haven’t actually tasted a regular non vegan ranch dressing since about 2012 so my memory may be a little fuzzy. I hope this dressing will live up to everyone’s high expectations. What I do know is that this dressing is incredibly delicious and we can’t stop finding ways to enjoy it. even outside of having it on a salad.
It looks like a lot of ingredients, but it’s all readily available ingredients. These are the brands of products I use but you can use whatever brands you prefer. To make a good plant based salad dressing you need 5 components. Something to create a creamy base, acid, sweet, salty and aromatics.
Vitamix high powered blenders are made to last! This is the blender I use. It is fabulous!
We hope you enjoy this short video showing you how to make this amazing Ranch dressing.
For creaminess this recipe uses organic Silken Tofu which is a shelf stable tofu that comes in an aseptic package. It has a creamy texture to begin with and it just the right texture for a ranch dressing. Be sure to look at the silken tofu label and choose the one that says “soft” for soups, salads and desserts. It is usually found on the shelf in the Asian food aisle of the grocery store. However some grocery stores put the Mori-Nu silken tofu in the refrigeration section along with the other tofu selections.
I prefer the JOI oat milk or almond milk for this recipe to help add creaminess. Of course if you want to stay nut free use oat milk. I tried it with Soy milk and the soy flavor was too prominent for my taste. Oat milk or almond milk are a mild flavor that allows the fresh herbs and garlic to be the super stars for flavor. Use our JOI affiliate link and code NUTMEG to save 10% on your order.
Use our JOI affiliate link and code NUTMEG to save 10% on your order.
For aromatics this recipe uses fresh dill, chives and Italian parsley to make this dressing incredible. After several attempts at making this recipe with dried herb, I gave up as it just didn’t have the flavor punch I was looking for. Please use fresh herbs and you will love the result. Visit Holland Bowl Mill for amazing wood bowls that can be used through out your kitchen.
We are using both fresh garlic and garlic and onion powder to layer the flavors in this dressing. I tried it with out one or the other and the best result is with all of them.
Check out Local Spicery for all of your spice needs. Mention Nutmeg Notebook in the order notes at check out and get 2 free spice samples.
Natural sweetness comes in the form of one Medjool date or 2 Neglect Noor dates to create a nice balance to the apple cider vinegar with out making the dressing too sweet. Using the whole date also adds fiber which helps to thicken the dressing.
Medjool dates are large, soft and deliciously sweeet!
White chia seeds are perfect for a light colored dressing. Of course, you can use the regular black chia seeds and they do a good job too, they just add little black flecks to the dressing. Chia seeds help the dressing to thicken as it chills and add nutrients as well as omega 3’s.
Chia seeds work well to thicken salad dressings.
This is our favorite salt substitute seasoning. Tom calls it magical Stardust! It gives the dressing a salty flavor with out sodium.
Apple Cider Vinegar worked better in this recipe than lemon juice for that little bit of acid that is needed to balance the dressing.
These mini liquid measure cups are so handy. I have two of them!
I am making this salad dressing once or twice a week – we want it every day!
I love this cute little pitcher for salad dressings, syrups and sauces.
I have more oil free salad dressings that you might also like. The Ultimate Caesar Dressing is a family favorite and my most requested dressing to make for pot luck salads.
If you would prefer a Nut Free Caesar Dressing I have you covered and it is also oil free.
This Creamy Balsamic Dressing has been a very popular salad dressing in the plant based community. It is oil free and so easy to make. All of these healthy salad dressings are enjoyed by everyone, even if they don’t eat plant based and oil free. Good food is good food!
You will eat more vegetables just so you can enjoy more Ranch dressing! It has the best flavor after being allowed to chill in the refrigerator for a few hours. It will thicken and the fresh herbs will be more prominent after a little refrigerator time – be patient.
You have to try these Vegan Ranch Twice Baked Potatoes.
Enjoy this Ranch dressing on your favorite salad, burrito bowl, nourish bowl, over a veggie burger, with raw veggies for dipping, on steamed or air fried vegetables, wraps, baked potatoes and great as a dip for air fried potatoes.
One of the healthy habits I have had established is to eat a salad for one meal a day every day since 2013! It helped me lose almost 50 pounds and keep it off. I offer a Beautiful Chopped Salad Course so you can learn how to make incredible chopped salads and enjoy them as much as I do!
A Nutmeg Notebook Online Course. Beautiful Chopped Salad Course Link
Use Discount Code Nutmeg30 to save 30%
Tami Kramer’s Beautiful Chopped Salad Course includes a complete full color 40+ page recipe PDF eBook and 12 instructional videos. In the course Tami will teach you how to batch prep salads, what to shop for, and tips to ensure that your stored salads will last for a week. She will share different methods for chopping salads, and all the details about how she tops these beauties. Included are 25 different ways to top a chopped salad, 5 oil free salad dressings, gluten free croutons and crunchy toppings, hummus, salsa’s and more! Please enjoy the course videos at your own pace. There are approximately 2 1/2 hours of instruction spread over the 12 individual topic videos. When completed you will be well on your way to enjoying these beautiful, chopped salads as often as you wish, perhaps even daily as Tami does.
Substitutions
Tofu – can sub 1 can or box of white beans drained – it won’t be as creamy but it’s still good
Oat milk – unsweetened plant milk – soy milk to me, is over powering
White Chia Seeds – black chia seeds
Dates – 2 tablespoons raisins
Stardust salt substitute – any salt substitute that you prefer
Fresh herbs – please don’t use dried as they don’t work as well
Vegan Ranch Dressing Oil Free
Equipment
- Blender, measuring cups, measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 12 ounces Silken Tofu – soft
- 1/2 cup plant milk, unsweetened
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 garlic clove
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt substitute – Well Your World Stardust
- 1 tablespoon white chia seeds – can use black too
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 Medjool date or 2 Deglet Noor dates soaked in water if needed to make the date soft
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- In the blender container of a high powered blender put the first 10 ingredients – starting with tofu all the way to the dates. Process until mixture is creamy smooth making sure the date and the chia seeds have been well incorporated.
- After the mixture is creamy smooth add the fresh herbs to the blender container and pulse gently to incorporate them but not so much that the dressing turns green! No problem if it does but I think it's prettier when the dressing is white with flecks of green herbs through out.
- Refrigerate the dressing in a container with a lid. It will thicken after it chills and the flavor of the herbs is more prominent after it has been chilled. It will last 5 days in the refrigerator – you'll most likely eat it all before then!
Notes
Get Healthy 
Stay Healthy One Meal At A Time
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We are also Holland Bowl Mill Affiliates. The 15 inch Holland Bowl Mill Cherry fruit bowl has a permanent home on our kitchen island. It’s beautiful and useful. The heart shaped bowl makes me happy – I love everything heart shaped! We use our 15 inch Beechwood & cherry bowl (his and her’s) to chop our salads everyday. Eating a salad for one meal every day helped me lose weight and become a size 4. I still eat a salad for one meal a day but now it’s a Big Beautiful Chopped salad and it helps me stay a size 4! See the Chopped Salad Blog Post to find out how you can incorporate a chopped salad into your daily food plan and how you can get a free mezzaluna knife with your Holland Bowl salad bowl order when you use our Holland Bowl affiliate link as well as free engraving and free shipping.
Hi Tami.
I’ve made a half-hearted attempt at replicating the ranch flavor! Thank you for your diligence and determination! I can’t wait to try this recipe. I will substitute beans for the tofu, though. Forgive me if I’ve already shared my discovery with you; Eden Foods Great Northern Beans could pass for heavy whipping cream when pureed judging strictly on creaminess. They are slow cooked with kombu, which they say is what softens the bean in the absence of salt. I haven’t been able to find their cannellini beans at Whole Foods or kroger.com yet, and I haven’t pureed their chickpeas yet.
While I’m sharing, I also buy Eden Foods Miatake dried mushrooms, mill them and use it for umami seasoning in so many things. They have a very informative website. I order these from kroger.com with free shipping over $35.
Hope you’re finding balance!
Hi Memrie,
Thank you so much for sharing your tips. I have not tried those beans but you have wondering about them!
Happy healthy cooking,
Tami
1x, 2x & 3x all call for 2 Deglet Noor dates. Is this correct?
Hi Gene,
There is 1 date in the single recipe, 2 dates for 2x and 3 dates for 3 times. That is what is shown when I click on them and that would be correct. Of course you can adjust to suit your personal taste preferences.
Happy Cooking,
Tami
I see what you see, Gene. The quantity for the Medjool changes, but the quantity for the Deglet doesn’t. My guess is that the program is designed so that only one ingredient per line is multiplied. I would think that you would want to increase the Deglet by the same multiples as the recipe multiplies the Medjool.
Was very good considering no oil. It would make a great party dip for a healthy option.
I used black chia cause it was all I had. I was afraid the dressing might be a funky color – but black chia worked great!
Hi Bernie,
I am glad you liked it! It can be a great party dip as well as a dressing.
Happy healthy cooking,
Tami
I Have been trying for years I cannot use tofu any kind of seeds or nuts!! Im so limited I love your recipe when I was reading then got discouraged as cant use most of your ingredients YIKES any ideas for substituting chias and TOFU? Thanks for your input
Hi Melody,
I am sorry you have food sensitivities and I know that makes it more difficult to find recipes. Please see the “Substitutions” listed in the blog post and at the bottom of the printable recipe. I posted that you can use white beans in place of tofu. It won’t be as creamy but it is still good. I don’t have a substitute for chia seeds but you can leave them out – they provide thickness but it can still work with out them. I do my best to provide substitutions but since I don’t have the same allergies or food sensitivities as everyone who is looking at the recipes I don’t always have an answer for all substitutes for all people. If you do a google search you might be able to find a vegan ranch, oil free recipe that doesn’t use tofu to begin with. I think this is the only recipe with tofu I have posted in the last 5 years! It’s not an ingredient I use very often for myself. Happy Cooking, Tami
Melody, Plantiful Kiki has a nut free, tofu free version of Ranch Dressing that might work for you. https://plantifulkiki.com/ranch-dressing/
Can you use firm tofu in this recipe? Will it work at all?
Alona,
I did not try firm tofu as it is not suitable for a dressing. In my opinion you need something that will be lighter and creamy. With a firm tofu I would imagine you’ll end up with a thick dip or something akin to ricotta cheese rather than a pourable dressing. If you added enough liquid to thin it then the flavor of seasonings and fresh herbs would be very diluted – does that make sense? The ingredients I have in this recipe were what worked the very best to me after many, many tries. Of course you can experiment and try it and adjust the other ingredients to suit your personal preferences and see how it turns out. Necessity is the mother of invention. Happy cooking! ♥️ Tami
I’ve tried the recipe without the dates and it’s good! I added a little bit of salt to enhance the flavour
since I don’t have Stardust. Thanks for sharing!
I’m glad you like the recipe. ❤️
Made this last night and I really like it. Unfortunately I did not have all of the required ingredients, so I improvised. My no salt seasoning has onion and garlic powder in it so I used it instead, increasing the amount. Also did not have fresh herbs, so after it was finished, I added a little dried Italian seasoning. When I used it today it was perfect – creamy, a little spicy. just right for a green salad. Also added salsa and black beans, so I had a quick delicious meal.
Oh that sounds delicious!
Excellent recipe because I was missing Ranch dressing. I had almost all of the ingredients including Well Your World Stardust already. I have used it on my chopped salad and to dip veggies into.
Thank you for your review!
I’ve madethis twice now…the first I did not have fresh dill, and the second time I might have overcompensated and used too much dill… I really like it though and will eventually get it right. I don’t have oat milk so used almond and also added an extra date as I just wanted a little more sweetness to counteract the vinegar. We also don’t have all the salt substitutes you have in the US but I did use something with a bit of a citrusy taste we have here in Oz. Third time will be today and will report back!
This recipe was my favorite balance of ingredients but we all have different personal taste preferences so I hope you find the right balance for you!
This dressing is positively delicious! I had the shelf stable tofu, but mine was firm, I just added a bit of water. So good!!! Thank you!
Thank you so much Tami, for sharing this delicious Vegan Ranch Dressing recipe!! This is by far the best vegan dressing I have ever made.
My husband said that : this is better than any store bought dressing . Let me tell you that this is a huge compliment coming from him.
Good advice: Always double the recipe👍🏻👏🏼
That makes me so happy! I am delighted that your husband likes it too. Oh yes, double it for sure!
I don’t own a high powered blender but I do have a Cuisinart food processor.. Would that work?
I think it’s too liquidy for a food processor and would leak. If you have a regular blender use it bit soak the dates I. Boil water to make them very soft it use date paste I stead and I think you’ll be fine.
I made this last night. It is a keeper! It satisfied my craving for ceaser salad. It does make a lot, just like you said. I hope it keeps for a week. I used a Vitamix, so the garlic was pretty powerful. I will see for dinner today, if it mellowed out a bit overnight. One question, I’ve been having a hard time finding Kelp granules. Yesterday, I found Bragg’s Kelp Seasoning Mix and used this. Thanks for sharing this recipe. I have really been inspired by you chopped salad recipe(s).
Hi Sue,
It does last for a bout 7-10 days for us. I haven’t seen the Bragg’s Kelp Seasoning mix – does it contain salt?
Sometimes I get some garlic that is really strong – it’s always better to start with a smaller amount because we can always add more.
Happy Cooking,
Tami
I used Mori Nu soft tofu & oat milk. The tofu flavour was too prevalent for my taste, so I wil likely stick to cashew or hemp-seed based based ranch and Caesar dressings.
Thank you though!
Hi Mia – I’m sorry it didn’t appeal to you. We all have different taste preferences.
This was yum! Great recipe. Easy and quick to make with easy-to-find ingredients. I used black chia seeds vs. the white and I didn’t think the black seeds were too unappealing visually. Thanks, Tami!
I’m glad you like it!
I’m also a big salad per day fan but have almost given up on making a decent salad dressing, until now. This is absolutely perfect in taste, texture, viscosity, and health-promoting ingredients. A symphony of flavors that seems almost too decadent to be healthy. Arugula and kale paid so well with this dressing. Thanks so much for your diligence in creating this recipe. I’ve spent years looking online and in recipe books and have never been satisfied with any dressing recipe. I seriously think I could just drink this and call it a day!
Thank you so much! I’m delighted to know you like this recipe!
Happy healthy cooking!
I added a large squeeze of lemon to the mix …AMAZING dressing! I believe that you should consider your own COOK BOOK!!! Your recipes are consistently GREAT!!! I have been “plant based” most of my adult life. I’m almost 60 years young now. I have a collection of the “best” chefs’ cookbooks…but your recipes are ALWAYS GREAT!
Consider what a gift to the plant based world this would be!
Thank you for all you do! You and your talents are much appreciayed.
Thank you so much for your kind comments. I would love to make a cookbook one day – they are very time intensive and I don’t seem to have any extra time in my life right now! One day hopefully it will be something we can accomplish. In the meantime you can print off the recipes you like and put them in a 3 ring binder. That is what I do and it works pretty well. Happy Cooking!
Hi Tami, made this tonight to go on my salad with my WFPB spaghetti. I used my Silken Tofu that had been frozen, enough for half a batch. Turned out great. . . thanks Tami for what u do.
I give it 5 ‘tongues’ up 😋
That’s great to know that the frozen tofu worked well. Thank you for sharing.
Happy healthy cooking!
Thanks for this recipe ~ it’s FANTASTIC! I do think I went a bit overboard with the garlic; I grow my own garlic and my cloves are pretty large so next time I’ll try a half and add more if needed. Also I did not drain the tofu. I just tossed it in to my blender. Was that right? My dressing was a bit runny, but I don’t care because the taste is amazing! I need to watch myself that I don’t just start drinking it down! Thanks again Tami!
HI Julie,
It does get thicker as it sits in the fridge. The chia seeds thicken it up. If your tofu had a lot of water in it you might need to drain it. I do warn in the video about not using too large of a garlic clove – it can be overwhelming. You can always add more but you can’t take it away!
Happy Cooking!
I just made Ranch for the first time tonight. Only had the orange pkg tofu added a splash of plant milk. It’s delicious. After it chills it will be extra delicious. Thank you Tami
Tucson, AZ
Teresa Holm
Hi Teresa,
I am so glad you like this recipe!
Happy Holidays,
Tami
Can soft tofu be substituted for silken?
Hi Alice,
I haven’t tried making it with soft tofu so you’ll have to experiment and see how it works. You might make half a batch to see how it turns out. Since it will be a thicker tofu you might have to use a little less and add more milk. Play around with it and I am sure you can come up with something tasty.
Happy Healthy Cooking,
Tami
😳 wow!Tami, This is great! Amazing flavor, creamy, addictive, and I’m so glad you tried so hard with this recipe it really shows. Thank you thank you thank you
Hi Carole,
I am so glad you liked this recipe. Thank you for your feedback – it’s nice to know that you are enjoying this recipe.
Happy Healthy Cooking,
Tami
I have been making a cashew-based ranch dressing for a couple years and was looking for a lower fat option, so I was excited to try your dressing. Unfortunately, I find the flavor is overwhelmed by the garlic. I may be due to the fact that I use Penzy’s garlic and onion powders that are very fresh and potent. If I make it again, I will cut way back, possibly eliminating the clove of garlic.
Hi Linda,
We all have our own unique personal taste preferences. I always tell people that recipes are just an idea and feel free to tweak them to suit your personal preferences. Some people tell me they add more garlic – I use a small garlic clove and level measurements of the the dry ingredients. Even how we measure things makes a difference. Tweak it until it makes you happy!
Happy Cooking,
Tami
Thank you Tami for this amazing recipe! I’ve made it and it is absolutely the best WFPB dressing I’ve had! You need to bottle it! Thank you again for getting it right!
Bev
Hi Bev – thank you so much!
Hi Bev,
Thank you so much! I am delighted to know you like this recipe. It’s a favorite at our house too.
Happy Cooking,
Tami
LOVE THIS recipe! Making double batches to eat on my daily big chopped salad. Thank you so much Tami for creating this!
I love hearing this! We love this recipe too!
Is it safe to freeze it?
Hi Michelle,
I haven’t tried freezing it because we go through it so quickly. Try freezing it and let me know how it goes.
Happy Cooking!
Approximately how many fluid ounces are in one recipe of dressing? I”d like to get a storage container for the fridge that I can pour out of, but don’t know how large to buy. Can’t wait to try it. Had to order white chia, but I they will be worth the wait.
HI Karen,
I haven’t paid attention to how much it makes but if I had to guess I would say around 24 ounces.
Tami, thank you very much for this recipe. I was out of apple cider vinegar but went ahead an made it anyway with lemon juice and it was terrific! It’s nice to have a WFPE creamy dressing for my big daily salads. Bon appetit.
Wonderful Sabine! I am so glad you like it!
I hope so much that someday you will write a cookbook with your own recipes. What would also be really nice too is to out together a cookbook collection of your favorite recipes that come from other cookbooks …. I’m sure they would give you permission if you give them credit and what book it came from.
Oh thank you so much for encouraging words regarding a cookbook. It is on our list of things to do. We know from talking with others how much work a cookbook is. Although it would be nice to have one – who knows, we might accomplish it one day!
This dressing is fantastic! The best vegan ranch recipe I’ve every had. Even my non-vegan parents loved it! I plan on making this weekly. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thank you much Jess! I am delighted to know that not only you but your non – vegan parents like it too!
I love this vegan ranch dressing. Definitely one of my favorite dressings and is on regular rotation.
I do substitute lemon juice for the apple cider vinegar and use fresh parsley with no dill because it’s hard to get fresh dill where I live without buying so much that most if it goes to waste.
THE well you world salt substitute sounds great but with shipping it is a bit pricey for me so I use a teaspoon of low sodium miso that I can buy locally.
I rotate between this dressing and Nan Simonsens Vegan Ranch. I do not use the tahini that Nan uses, though. She adds 1 teaspoon of dill seeds and 1/2 cup of white potato which I also like to add to the dressing sometimes,
Thank you for sharing your review and for sharing what you do! I’m so glad you like this recipe!
Second time making this ranch dressing. Equally satisfied. Just so good, thanks for inventing it!
So glad you like this recipe! It’s a big hit here too.
Yum! Only subimade was to use fresh soy yogurt I made yesterday in place of milk and I used salt. FANTASTIC!! It’s a keeper.
I am so glad you liked it – I bet it was good with fresh soy yogurt. What a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
So so good ! Everyone llooovved it , even the fussy ones ! We just added a bit of lemon for a bit more tartness .
I love that even the “fussy” ones liked it!
Great on the hummus board, and potatoes, and veggies, and salads, and anything!
Thank you Christine! I a delighted to know you like this recipe so much!
I’ve been trying to like tofu since 1998 to no avail………until now. Absolutely delicious! I did make changes like omitting the chia seeds because I already get enough daily- I compensated by reducing liquids . I also put in 1 Tbl nutritional yeast and had to use dry herbs and pure maple syrup instead of dates. I know. I know. I changed a lot; BUT if I still found it delicious and couldn’t tell it was tofu, I can’t wait to try it as written. I just couldn’t wait because I’m going to a family party tomorrow. My only dilemma is whether or not to tell people. I know they’d never guess it was tofu and didn’t have oil. I think I will just whisper it to my sister in law whose husband has had a heart attack. Mum’s the word!
Hi Pam – I am so glad you like this recipe.
I would love to know how everyone responded to the Ranch Dressing?
So yummy. I make a batch every week and use it on my big salad each day as well as potatoes and veggies. Sometimes I mix it with some balsamic vinegar or salsa for a different twist. Love it!
Thank you Diane! I like your additions for switching it up – thank you for sharing. It is so good on veggies and potatoes!
I tried this Ranch dressing and you nailed it. So much better than any other one I’ve tired. Will be making this dressing a lot see endless possiblities for use. Thanks Tammie for your diligence in getting it right. Love watching you and Tom.
Thank you so much Karen! I am so delighted to get your positive feedback. I am very proud of this recipe!