This dairy free ranch dressing is made with a few simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand, with none of the junky ingredients that are in the bottles at the store. Plus it’s ready in 5 MINUTES! So delicious as a dip or a dressing for your favorite salad. A healthy and tasty alternative to everyone’s favorite dipping sauce.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Ranch dressing and I are BFF’S.
Like best friends FOR-EV-ER. Till the day I die. Because it’s:
- Freaking delicious
- Super easy to make
- Versatile
- Really healthy if you do it right
I would go as far as saying that it’s made of magic. You can make a suuuper simple meal, top it with this amazing ranch dressing, and it tastes INCREDIBLE.
Maybe that’s why there’s shirts for sale on the internet that say “ranch dressing is a blessing”? 😂
And honestly I have to agree. (Although I’m not sure I’m ready to buy the shirt yet 😉)
A creamy, garlicky, herb flecked dressing that is super easy to make, versatile, and nourishing? COUNT ME IN.
In this post I’m going to share with you my recipe for the best dairy free ranch dressing that also happens to be paleo and whole30 friendly. I’ll teach you how to make it from scratch and also give you some tips to make the most of your new favorite dressing!
ingredients for dairy free ranch dressing
This dairy free ranch dressing is made with a few simple and clean ingredients that you likely already have on hand in your pantry.
The ingredients you need are:
- Healthy avocado oil mayonnaise
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Sea salt
- White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
- Fresh herbs – dill, parsley, and chives are all excellent options (or you can substitute with dried herbs)
- Water to thin
How to make dairy free ranch dressing
This recipe starts with healthy avocado oil mayonnaise as the base. You can make it yourself from scratch – which is actually way easier to do than it sounds! I have a easy to follow recipe for homemade mayonnaise that you can find HERE.
Or you can buy a clean avocado oil mayonnaise at the store.
Both Chosen Foods and Primal Kitchen make excellent store bought avocado oil mayo that are paleo and whole30 compliant. Thrive market (my favorite online natural grocery store!) also sells Primal Kitchen avocado oil mayo at a great price.
After you’ve got your healthy avocado oil mayonnaise, simply mix it together with the dried spices, vinegar or lemon juice, sea salt, fresh herbs, and water to thin. You can blend it in a blender, food processor, or simply whisk it together by hand.
why this dairy free ranch dressing is healthier than store bought ranch
Many store bought ranch dressings are made with dairy, highly processed inflammatory oils, sugar, and MSG.
By making this easy version yourself you can avoid all the junky ingredients and control exactly what goes into it.
This recipe contains:
- No buttermilk
- No dairy of any kind
- No sugar
- No highly processed oils / fats
- No MSG
Instead we’re using:
- Healthy fats that nourish our body and mind
- Simple pantry staple ingredients like dried spices
- Fresh herbs for flavor and minerals
- Healthy vinegar that can potentially contain probiotics (raw apple cider vinegar does contain probiotics)
- Mineral rich sea salt
Some serving suggestions
This dairy free ranch would be delicious:
- With your favorite green salad
- As a dip for fresh cut veggies
- As a dipping sauce for chicken wings
- As a dipping sauce for pan roasted potatoes
- Drizzled over chicken, pork chops, or a cast iron steak
Dietary modifications
To make this recipe:
- Vegan – use an egg free mayonnaise. Chosen Foods recently started making a healthy vegan mayo from aquafaba – the liquid leftover from cooking chickpeas! So cool! Check it out HERE.
- Whole30 – This ranch dressing is whole30 friendly if made with a clean avocado oil mayo that does not contain sugar, honey, or maple syrup 👍🏼
a few notes on the recipe
- This recipe for the best dairy free ranch dressing is a simple and healthy alternative to store bought ranch that everyone in your family can get down with!
- Because this is a sugar free recipe, it is low in carbs and keto friendly.
- This ranch dressing will keep in in a covered container in your refrigerator for up to one week.
The Best Dairy Free Ranch Dressing
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cup 1x
Description
This dairy free ranch dressing is made with a few simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand, with none of the junky ingredients that are in the bottles at the store. Plus it’s ready in 5 MINUTES! So delicious as a dip or a dressing for your favorite salad. A healthy and tasty alternative to everyone’s favorite dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 cup clean avocado oil mayonnaise (homemade or store bought both work)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt + more to taste
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of water + more as needed to thin
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs – dill, parsley, and chives are all excellent options (may substitute with 1 tablespoon of dried herbs)
Instructions
- In a food processor, blender, or bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, vinegar or lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of water.
- After mixing add more water as needed to thin to your desired consistency.
- Stir in chopped herbs and taste. Add more salt if needed.
- Store in the refrigerator and enjoy!
Notes
- Will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week
Brynn Brown says
This ranch dressing was so easy to make! I already had everything at the house to prepare it and am loving it! I used dried herbs and then threw in some green onion. It is definitely going fast around here, because we are using it for so many things. Mainly a delicious veggie dip.. My fave with carrots!
★★★★★