This vegan ranch dressing will amaze you – both in taste and how easy it is to make!  There’s no need ever to buy store-bought ranch again once you’ve tasted this delicious, rich, and creamy homemade version made from soy milk!  It tastes like the Hidden Valley Ranch that you remember from your childhood, yet it’s made vegan.  Perfect for salad dressing or dipping veggies. 

A white plate filled with salad drizzled with vegan ranch dressing with a fork sticking in it.

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Why you’ll love vegan ranch

I promise that your kids will love it, and you can whip it up in less than 5 minutes!  You’ll love that it’s dairy-free, gluten-free, and nut-free, and can also be made soy-free with ease.

My kids have been vegan their whole lives, so naturally, there are just some foods that they have never had.  However, I try my best to create vegan alternatives for all the foods that I loved as a child. 

Why make this dressing

For some reason, ranch dressing was overlooked, that is, until I volunteered in my oldest son’s kindergarten class on a day when they were served carrot sticks and celery as a snack.  Every kid there would only eat the veggies if they were dipped in ranch. 

I forgot how much kids love ranch dressing, so I was determined to figure out a vegan version that my kids would love.  After some trial and error with proportions, I developed a ranch dressing that is surprisingly similar to what I remember from my childhood.

Ingredients and substitutions

  • Oil – any neutral-flavored oil, like canola oil, avocado oil, or light olive oil, will work.  Avoid using extra-virgin olive oil or other strongly flavored oils. You need the oil to emulsify the dressing and make it creamy.  Don’t try to reduce the oil in this.  It requires the correct ratio between oil, soy milk, and vinegar to emulsify correctly.
  • Soy Milk – to make it creamy. Soy milk or Ripple pea milk works best. You want plant-based milk that has enough protein to make it emulsify.
  • Vinegar – to add a tangy taste and to interact with the oil and protein in the plant milk, making it creamy. White vinegar works best, but any type will do.
  • Herbs – for flavor.  I usually use parsley and dill, but feel free to use your preferred herbs.  Fresh herbs have a great flavor, but their intensity can be too much for young kids, so feel free to use dried herbs instead.
  • Garlic – for flavor.  You can use fresh or garlic powder.  Fresh garlic is delicious, but it may be too strong for kids.  When I make it for kids, I use garlic powder.
  • Sea Salt – for flavor
  • Black Pepper – for flavor.  Fresh ground pepper tastes best.
A close up of a salad with rich and creamy vegan ranch and tomatoes on it.

Fresh or dry herbs

If you use dry ingredients, the dressing will have a mild flavor.  If you use fresh garlic and herbs, it is absolutely delicious, but the flavors may be intense for kids. 

How to make vegan ranch dressing

  1. Put all the ingredients except the water into a blender or an immersion blender container.
  2. Blend for about 30 seconds, or until the mixture is thick and creamy.
  3. Slowly add an additional 2-3 tsp of water while blending until you reach the desired consistency. (You may not need any water depending on how thick you want it.)

Serve it as you would ranch dressing on salads or use it as a dip.  It’s also delicious on my vegan buffalo “chicken” sandwiches or as a dip with my vegan buffalo cauliflower.

Soy-free instructions

If you want to avoid soy, Ripple brand pea milk also works great in this recipe.  I have tested this recipe with almost every plant-based milk available, and soy or Ripple simply works the best.

Types of plant-based milk

Other types of plant-based milk can be used with some modifications to the recipe, such as almond, oat, or coconut milk, which contain less protein. To compensate, add a teaspoon of pea protein powder or a tablespoon of aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) to the mix.  There must be enough protein in the mixture to facilitate the chemical reaction between the acid in the vinegar and the base in the oil and milk, which causes the dressing to thicken.  

You can also add 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum to the mixture to help it emulsify and thicken if you are not using soy or Ripple milk.

Pro Tips

  • Different types of plant-based milk work differently in this recipe; even different brands of soy milk will alter the thickness, so you may want to add the water slowly to adjust the dressing to the desired thickness.
  • If you plan on using it as a dip, don’t add any additional water.
  • Add the water slowly at the end to achieve the desired thickness.
  • Use plain plant-based milk, not vanilla-flavored.
  • Use an immersion blender to make it super easy and whip up a batch in minutes!

Storage

Store your ranch dressing in the fridge for up to 5 days in a sealed container.  You can put it in a freezer-safe mason jar and keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

A top view of a salad with vegan ranch on it.

More vegan dressing recipes

Vegan ranch dressing recipe

A white plate filled with salad drizzled with vegan ranch dressing with a fork sticking in it.
4.92 from 12 rating

Vegan Ranch Dressing – Vegan Ranch Dip

Yield: 10
Prep: 5 minutes
total time: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
Easy homemade vegan ranch dressing or dip that you can make in minutes. 
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup oil, any neutral-flavored oil like canola – not extra virgin olive oil or other strong flavors.
  • 1/3 cup plain soy milk, or Ripple milk
  • 3 tsp white vinegar
  • 1 tsp dry parsley or herb of choice , or 2 tbsp fresh herbs
  • 1/4 tsp dill, or 1 tsp fresh dill
  • ¾ tsp garlic powder, or 1 clove of fresh garlic
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2-3 tsp water until desired thickness is reached, or no extra water for dip
  • Fresh ground pepper to taste

Equipment

  • blender or immersion blender

Instructions
 

  • Put all the ingredients except the water into a blender (or use an immersion blender).
  • Blend for about 30 seconds.
  • Add water a teaspoon at a time, blending between each addition until the desired thickness is reached.
  • Store in an airtight container or bottle in the fridge.

Notes

  • Soy milk or Ripple milk works best for this recipe, as it contains protein that reacts with the vinegar, causing it to thicken.
  • The thickness of this dressing will depend on your choice of plant milk.
  • You may not need additional water.  Add the water slowly until you reach the desired thickness.
  • Omit the water for the vegan ranch dip.

How to make it soy-free:

  • Use Ripple Brand milk!
  • If you must use almond, oat, coconut, or another milk that contains little protein, add a teaspoon of pea protein powder or a tablespoon of aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas) to the mix.  There must be enough protein in the mixture to facilitate the chemical reaction between the acid in the vinegar and the base in the oil and milk, which causes the dressing to thicken.  
    • You can also add 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum to the mixture to help it emulsify and thicken if you are not using soy or Ripple milk. 
Serving: 2tbsp, Calories: 135kcal, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 119mg, Potassium: 9mg, Vitamin A: 15IU, Calcium: 10mg
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!

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*This recipe was originally published on March 21, 2017.  It was updated on May 27, 2020, to include new images, a recipe video, and more detailed recipe instructions.