Vegan BBQ Ranch Dressing is a creamy dreamy dressing worth slathering on everything from salads to tacos & burritos! This healthy salad dressing is vegan, oil-free and gluten-free! It also has a nut-free option to make it allergy friendly.
This Creamy Vegan BBQ Ranch Dressing is an old favorite!
It has been with me since the beginning of my vegan journey. It started out as a vegan mayo-based dressing, but that quickly changed as I became more health-conscious. I replaced the mayo with cashews and non-dairy milk, then added a few more seasonings for the perfect dressing.
How to soak cashews?
For an ideal creaminess, this dressing is best with soaked cashews.
You can use one of the 3 methods in my soaking cashews post. Or follow the simple steps below for my favorite way to soak cashews.
- Bring about a cup of water to a boil, then turn off the heat.
- Toss the cashews in and let them soak for 15-20 minutes, or until softened.
- Drain and rinse the softened cashews.
The cashews can also be soaked overnight. Place them in a lidded bowl. Pour in enough fresh water to cover the cashews. The next morning, drain and rinse the softened cashews.
What else can I use this creamy dressing on?
The only way to find out how irresistible this dressing is to give it a taste! After mixing in the parsley and chives, I dare you not to give the spoon a lick.
It's that good!
And, it's practically impossible to avoid slathering this stuff on more than just salads! Liven up tacos, burritos, and tostadas with this healthier dressing.
It's an amazing sauce!
How do I make this dressing allergy-friendly?
I know, I know......
You're probably thinking... "This dressing looks irresistible and I want to try it, but I'm allergic to nuts!"
No problem!
Just replace the cashews with an equal amount of sunflower seeds or hemp seeds to create an allergy-friendly Creamy Vegan BBQ Ranch Dressing!
Now join us in slathering it on everything!
• • •
If you enjoyed this recipe you may also enjoy one of these:
Apple walnut chickpea salad sandwich
We'd love to hear from you!
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Creamy BBQ Ranch Dressing (vegan, gluten-free, oil-free)
BBQ ranch dressing is worth slathering on everything from salads to tacos & burritos! This healthier dressing is vegan, oil-free and gluten-free! It also has a nut-free option to make it 100% allergy friendly.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked
- 1/2 cup non-dairy milk, or more as needed to thin
- 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce of choice
- 1-2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoons fresh chives
- 1/2 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- Pepper to taste
- Optional: cayenne pepper or chipotle powder for some added heat
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients (except parsley and chives) into a NutriBullet or high speed blender. Blend until creamy.
- Pour the dressing into a lidded storage container and stir-in the parsley and chives.
- Place the dressing in the fridge to cool for at least 30 min to an hour before serving. If needed, add more non-dairy milk to achieve desired consistency.
- Enjoy this creamy BBQ ranch drizzled over your favorite salads, tacos or burritos.
Notes
- Allergy Friendly Dressing: To create an allergy friendly Creamy BBQ Ranch Dressing, replace the cashews with an equal amount sunflower seeds or hemp seeds. If using sunflower seeds, soak and process them per the cashew instructions.
- For extra dressing double the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 3 small salads Serving Size: 1 small saladAmount Per Serving: Calories: 149Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 23mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 6g
**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**
Updated: May 18, 2019
Margo Meave
Thank you for this phenomenal recipe, but instead of daring us to give the spoon a lick, dare us not to....
The 2nd time I prepared it, I didn’t have chives, nor onion powder. I used some dried onion I had in stock & it came out great, too.
Marlena Luna
Whoops! I just fixed the typo. You're very welcome, Margo!
Jennifer Steinbock
This is amazing stuff! I could put it on anything!
Marlena Luna
Yay!! So glad you love it as much as we do!
whitlynmiller
How long will this store in the refridgerator? I would love to make this.
Where you get your protein
It should keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Enjoy! :)
Nathan
Going to give this a try here in a bit! I'm used to making vegan ranch with vegan mayo, but like you stated, it's just not that great for you (all that dang canola...) And not to mention using vegan mayo just for ranch gets pricey quick. Excited to give this a try.
Stumbled here through your tostada recipe. Can't believe I haven't found your site yet! My mind is still being blown by the carrot hot dog recipe. Gonna have to try that soon. I love your ideas for turning the processed store-bought vegan alternatives into purely plant based meals. Can't way to try some soon!
Where you get your protein
That's awesome! I'm so glad to have you here Nathan! Enjoy the dressing, it's my absolute favorite! I'm also working on a vegan mayo recipe, no canola of course. So keep an eye out for it! :)
Nathan
Perfect! I'm looking forward to it! I have a recipe or two, just haven't had time to try and make it yet. Yours seem relatively simple and straightforward so that's a plus.
I'll need to make the dressing again. I was a bit impatient and didn't speed soak the cashews long enough (I'll blame our 3 month old for consuming all our time!) Too gritty. Although I will say that this is one of the first times I feel I should've added MORE lemon juice. I usually play it cautious with it, but this time I felt I should've added more. I'm curious to experiment with the recipe too, possibly try and make a "plain" ranch. Thanks again for the recipes!
Where you get your protein
Yes, i definitely suggest soaking the cashews until they are soft. Also a high speed blender or nutri bullet works best for a creamy, smooth consistency. I hope you give it another try! Enjoy, Nathan! :)
Cynthia
This stuff is the bomb!
Where you get your protein!
Isn't it!? I always have to make a double batch!
Karen
Do you think ground flaxseed would work instead of cashews?
Where you get your protein!
I don't think flaxseed would be a good replacement. If you are looking for a nut free option I'd suggest sunflower seeds.
Tonya
This tastes delicious! Thanks so much!!
Where you get your protein!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it Tonya! :)
Mary
Delicious!
Where you get your protein!
Thank you Mary!
Emily
Delicious!!!!!’ I’m new to being vegan and this recipe tastes better than ‘normal ranch’ no joke!!! Thank you for sharing !
Where you get your protein!
You're so welcome Emily!! I'm glad you loved the dressing! I must agree with you, it IS better than 'normal ranch'! It's honestly my favorite dressing!!
Paramdayal
Hello! Thank you for all the wonderful info about this recipe. It look amazing! Can you please be more specific of what bbq sauce you used and the nut milk? Thank you! :-)
Where you get your protein!
Hi! I use original Organicville BBQ sauce in this recipe. As for the non-dairy milk I use organic original unsweetened almond milk I purchase from either Aldi's or Sprouts. But, feel free to use your preferred brand of BBQ sauce and non-dairy milk. :)
Mariell
Hi! Where did you get the glass jar? Beautiful!
Where you get your protein!
Thank you! I purchased it at Whole Foods a few years ago. They are called quilted jelly jars. They're also availible on amazon. - http://amzn.to/2Du1bjJ :)
Salina M
Hi, I was wondering if the cashews and non dairy milk could be replaced with cashew milk? Thanks
Where you get your protein!
Hi Salina! Cashew milk can be used in place of the non-dairy milk. However, the cashews can not be replaced, they help thicken the dressing. Without the cashews it would be too thin and runny.
Tami
I made this can’t even begin to tell you how great this is!!!
Where you get your protein!
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the dressing Tami!! :)
Tracey
I made this recipe but instead of bbq sauce i used no salt mustard. It was AWESOME!! The rest of the recipe is a good base.
Where you get your protein!
Thank you Tracey! The mustard sounds interesting. I think I might have to try it some time! :)
Erin
I tweaked the recipe to fit what I had at home and it turned out great! Thank you for a great base recipe for a creamy BBQ ranch!!! It's a keeper! :)
Where you get your protein!
So happy you enjoyed the dressing, Erin! :)
Kay Dee
I don't salt! Is is good without salt?
Where you get your protein!
I haven't tried it without salt, but I'd say give it a try Kay. To replace the salt and create more flavor, I suggest adding a little extra chives and parsley (maybe fresh?) before blending. Then taste the dressing and if needed add a bit more BBQ Sauce. If you do give it a try, let me know how it comes out! :)
Jessica
Looks delicious! How long will it keep in the fridge?
Where you get your protein!
The dressing keeps for about 5 days in the fridge. :)