This oil free, vegan celery ranch dressing is a quick and easy recipe! a flavorful take on the classic – celery adds a crisp pop of flavor to this cool ranch!
recipe originally published January 22, 2013
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Vegan Ranch
In all my years of ranching (heh…), I have become quite the connoisseur. Not all ranch is the same. For instance, I love the flavor and consistency of something like a packet of ranch powder mixed with milk.
I do not enjoy the flavor or consistency of most ready made, store bought ranch dressing. I am not a fan of most bottled dressings.
I do love to make my own, and it takes just minutes to do.
First of all, I like a thin dressing. This celery ranch dressing is thin, dippable. I like the traditional ranch flavors, including whatever Cool Ranch means. Cool is most definitely an aspect of this flavor, and I have been trying to recreate it for a while now, in addition to the tangy herby flavors ranch is known for.
How to make vegan ranch dressing
This vegan ranch dressing has options - an oil free version and one that is mayonnaise based.
While it may seem like a completely strange ingredient, coconut milk helps give it the cool taste I was looking for. If you want to try this recipe and think I’m nuts, please feel free to substitute milk of your choice, I promise it works with just about any unsweetened milk. I make it with all kinds of milk.
If you want to use your vegan mayonnaise, just use it in place of the first three ingredients listed - leave out the cashews, lemon juice, and water.
If you like a Dill Ranch Dressing, add more dried dill! The flavor is incredible, and the color will take on a glorious green hue:
Should salad dressing be cold before using?
This celery ranch dressing definitely needs to be stored in the refrigerator, but it does not need to be cold before you serve it. I prefer my ranch "cool" but it tastes great right after you make it, too.
Benefits of celery
Celery has been having a moment recently. More than a moment, a lengthy pause in the spotlight.
I will eat a piece of celery when I need a vehicle for a peanut butter snack, knowing I am benefitting from all sorts of fiber, antioxidants and vitamins.
Ever hear the phrase "eat your water" from a doctor or nutritionist before? Celery is mostly water, and has a satisfying crunch under all of that peanut butter.
Celery adds great flavor to this ranch dressing, a pairing that tastes like it was meant to be.
How long does ranch dressing last?
When refrigerated in a tightly covered container, this dressing will last about two weeks. It probably won’t last anywhere near that long – this deliciousness disappears quickly in our house.
Take a few minutes to add this recipe into your meal prep plans, and enjoy it all week!
More vegan dressing recipes
- Green Goddess Dressing
- Easy Poppyseed Dressing
- Vegan Thousand Island Dressing
- Tangy Lemon Dressing
- Quick Dill Pickle Dressing
- Walnut Mustard Dressing
- Warm “Bacon” Dressing
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Vegan Ranch Dressing
this quick and easy vegan ranch dressing recipe is flavorful take on the classic that is a favorite of so many - celery adds a crisp pop of flavor to this tangy cool ranch!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups raw cashews, soaked several hours* see notes for mayo
- juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ cup water – + depending on desired consistency
- 2 stalks celery, cleaned and trimmed
- ½ cup coconut milk (carton, not can), or your favorite non dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- small bunch fresh chives, minced fine
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Himalayan salt
Instructions
- In blender, combine soaked cashews, lemon juice, and water. Blend at high speed until smooth. Pour into container you will store finished dressing.
- Chop celery into smaller pieces, about an inch or so.
- Add celery and milk to blender. Purée celery to a liquid until no celery strands remain.
- To the blender, add cashew mixture, apple cider vinegar, chives, parsley, onion powder, dill, garlic powder, salt and pepper - blend to combine.
- Store covered in refrigerator.
Notes
to substitute mayonnaise for the cashews:
add 1 cup mayonnaise and leave out the first three ingredients: cashews, lemon, and ½ cup water.
Like dill?
add more! another ½ teaspoon of dried dill turns this into a Dill Ranch Dressing. you may not taste the celery as much, but the benefits are still there.
No celery but have celery salt?
add a ½ teaspoon to begin, add more to taste.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
2 tablespoonsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 188Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 170mgCarbohydrates: 8gNet Carbohydrates: 4gFiber: 1gSugar: 3gProtein: 5g
nutrition calculations results vary by calculator, are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to replace medical advice or treatment.
about Kristina:
Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...
spabettie / Kristina Sloggett is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Heather @ Better With Veggies says
Kirk is a HUGE ranch fan and I've yet to get the flavors to my liking - this sounds great!
Kristina Sloggett says
if you make it I hope it is the flavor / style he likes... there are SO many different kinds! 🙂
assistantdoc says
One more reason I knew we are kindred spirits. I also am a connoisseur of Ranch. I love it on almost anything. I love pizza, but not so much for the pizza as for the ranch I drowned it in. Hehehe I am constantly looking for a recipe to equal the ranch at Abby's! 😀 I am also always looking for something, anything I can put ranch on. I am so excited to try this one. Mmmm Ranch.
Kristina Sloggett says
pizza + ranch = essential. we WILL do this Abby's field trip... 😀
Amanda@ Spiritual Sweat says
So I just found your website through this post on Pinterest and boy am I happy! This recipe sounds amazing because there are no nuts in it! Never knew I could get so excited over a salad dressing 🙂
Kristina Sloggett says
hi Amanda! there are so many flavors of ranch, and this one gets close to the kind I like! I was so excited too 🙂
great to "meet" you! - Kristina
Eileen says
My favorite dressing is a simple dijon red wine vinaigrette--but now I'm thinking I need to start branching out with other homemade dressings. This looks great! I would never have thought to start a ranch dressing with celery juice. 🙂
Kristina Sloggett says
it definitely gives a unique spin to the ranch flavor, and celery helps thin the dressing they way I like.
Sarah @ The Smart Kitchen says
Um. Yum. I love ranch dressing and ranch flavored things ('cool' ranch Doritos come to mind...) but you know, the whole dairy situation has eliminated that for me. I would never have thought to try coconut milk--or to blend celery--but I love it.
My favorite salad dressing is a little something I like to call "Hummus mixed with nutritional yeast mixed with sweet hot salsa of some variety and a dash of Bragg's, and maybe a shake of some other favorite seasoning blend." That's what goes on top of my nightly bowl of cr@&.
Kristina Sloggett says
I know - I admit the coconut milk sounds weird to me, too - but I thought why not? I knew I'd still eat it, even if it wasn't something I wanted to share... that flavor may not be for everyone but I LOVED it!
I LOVE using hummus as a salad dressing - and again, since I like "thin" dressings, that usually means I'll mix it with a bunch of lemon juice, even water. SO good!
janetha says
now that i am dairy free i miss ranch so much! making this!
Kristina Sloggett says
yay! hope you like it! 🙂
Kari@Loaves n Dishes says
I'm don't follow a vegan diet, but I still love this dressing! I think it's the celery that got me...yum!
Kristina Sloggett says
the celery adds a fresh flavor to the traditional ranch - I really liked it!
Jennifer says
Awesome recipe! I will have to try this! Thanks! Great blog, too! LOVE it!
Kristina Sloggett says
thanks so much, Jennifer! enjoy!
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
Oh my gosh! YES!!! I have missed it sooooo! I love ranch dressing on baked potatoes! I am so making this! I get to have ranch again!!!
Kristina Sloggett says
I hope you like it - you might want to adjust to make thicker if you're wanting it on a baked potato - it's pretty thin. YUMMY, though! 🙂
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
My favorite thing about my Vitamix is that it can blend celery. So cool. Now I need to make this. How is it that I NEVER had coconut milk on hand?
Kristina Sloggett says
yep - I used my Vita as well, really does a great job (there were just a few "strands" that I wanted OUT!) 😉 totally opposite from me, I ALWAYS have coconut milk on hand...