This vegan BBQ Ranch Dressing is creamy with a smoky BBQ flavor, and it's better than traditional ranch dressing. Enjoy it beyond salads. It's delicious with chips, on burritos, Buddha bowls, wraps, and more.
I've been making this vegan dressing for years and have yet to find one that compares. The flavors are spot on, making it a great addition to almost any dish that could use a touch of creaminess.
It's become my favorite dressing because it's simple to whip up. It only takes about 15 minutes to prepare, and just like my vegan ranch dip, it uses cashews instead of mayo, so it's oil-free.
Ingredients You'll Need
With only nine simple ingredients, you'll make the best vegan dressing you've had.
- Cashews – Use raw, unsalted cashews for the best taste. The cashews should be soaked to soften them for a smooth and creamy dressing. See my "How to Soak Cashews" post for three easy methods.
- Plant milk – I like almond milk, but any kind (oat, rice, cashew, etc.) will work.
- BBQ sauce – Brands differ, so it is best to use your favorite BBQ sauce for this recipe.
- Lemon juice – Use freshly squeezed for the best taste.
- Fresh chives – They give the dressing an extra pop of flavor and should be added after blending. To substitute, use fresh or dried green onions.
- Seasonings – Salt, onion powder, garlic powder, dried parsley, and pepper season this vegan BBQ dressing.
How To Make Vegan BBQ Ranch Dressing
- Add all the ingredients, leaving out the parsley and chives, to a NutriBullet or a powerful blender. Blend it up until it’s smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the parsley and chives. Transfer the dressing to a sealed container.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour before serving. If needed, add more non-dairy milk to achieve your desired consistency.
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 it's time to slather it on everything!
We'd love to hear from you!
If you enjoyed this vegan recipe, please leave a 5-star rating in the recipe card and share your thoughts in the comments below.
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See ya there!
Recipe
Vegan BBQ Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews, soaked
- ½ cup non-dairy milk, or more as needed to thin
- 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce of choice
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoons fresh chives
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- Pepper to taste
- Optional: cayenne pepper or chipotle powder for some added heat
Instructions
- Soak the cashews using one of the three soaking cashew methods.
- Then, place all the ingredients, leaving out the parsley and chives, into a NurtiBullet or high-speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in the parsley and chives once the dressing is fully blended. Transfer it to a jar or lidded container.
- Chill the dressing in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Give it a good stir before serving and, if needed, mix in more non-dairy milk to achieve your desired thickness.
Notes
- Allergy-Friendly Dressing: To create an allergy-friendly Creamy BBQ Ranch Dressing, replace the cashews with an equal amount of sunflower seeds or hemp seeds. If using sunflower seeds, soak and process them per the cashew instructions.
- When doubling the recipe, start with just ¾ teaspoon of salt and add more if needed after blending. You can also use a bit less plant milk for a thicker dressing.
Nutrition
**Nutritional info is provided as an estimate based on the ingredients I used and for convenience and as a courtesy only.**
Vegan Summer Favorites
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Dana Wentling
So good! I added a couple shakes of Frontier Co-op Chipotle Smoked Red Jalapeño spice.
Marlena Luna
YUM! I love that you added a little spice to the dressing! Thanks so much for sharing!!
Lia
Absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to use it on my Buddha bowls and wraps.
Marlena Luna
Yum, that sounds amazing! Thank you for your wonderful feedback, Lia!
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.
Marlena Luna
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!
Marlena Luna
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!
Marlena Luna
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!
Marlena Luna
Isn't it!? I always have to make a double batch!
Karen
Do you think ground flaxseed would work instead of cashews?
Marlena Luna
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!!
Marlena Luna
I'm so glad you enjoyed it Tonya! :)
Mary
Delicious!
Marlena Luna
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 !
Marlena Luna
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! :-)
Marlena Luna
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!
Marlena Luna
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 (affilate link) :)
Salina M
Hi, I was wondering if the cashews and non dairy milk could be replaced with cashew milk? Thanks
Marlena Luna
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!!!
Marlena Luna
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.
Marlena Luna
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! :)
Marlena Luna
So happy you enjoyed the dressing, Erin! :)
Kay Dee
I don't salt! Is is good without salt?
Marlena Luna
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. :)
Jessica
Looks delicious! How long will it keep in the fridge?
Marlena Luna
The dressing keeps for about 4-5 days in the fridge. :)