This Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing is full of the flavor of fresh dill, garlic, and green onions. It adds pizazz to your salad with every drop. Just 5 minutes to make, and it's so much better than store-bought.
I decided to cut back on dairy last month. And one of the things I cannot live without is ranch dressing. I don't mind a vinegarette on baby spinach or mixed greens salad, but romaine just needs something creamy.
One of the problems I've found with dairy free ranch dressing recipes is that they taste like coconut. I really wanted a ranch dressing that tasted like ranch, not coconut. And it can be hard to find creamy store bought salad dressing without a lot of additives.
In order to hide the coconut taste from the coconut milk, I used fresh dill, raw garlic, and green onions. These give the dressing a lot of flavors and do a great job making this ranch dressing taste like a classic ranch instead of ranch-flavored coconut milk.
A simple whirl in the food processor, and this ranch recipe is ready. I drizzled mine on top of a salad of romaine, tomatoes, avocado, turkey, and last but not least, bacon. It wasn't until after my photoshoot that I remembered the slices of crisp bacon I hid in the refrigerator. You better believe I added them to this before eating my lunch.
What You'll Need
- Scallion: Using scallions is great because they have a strong flavor. It's perfect for covering the taste of coconut.
- Garlic: I'm a garlic fanatic anyway, but it's a must with this dressing.
- Dill: Using a little bit of dill is zesty and oh so good! Use fresh dill whenever possible.
- Coconut Milk: You need to use canned coconut milk.
- Mayo: There is much you could use to get that creamy texture as you do with mayo.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt, and pepper are the only seasonings you need. You probably already have it too.
How To Make Dairy Free Ranch
There really isn't much to making gluten free dairy free ranch. When I tell you it takes minutes to make, I truly mean it. So even if you don't feel like lifting a finger, you can whip up a batch easily.
First Step: Combine the scallion, dill, and garlic in a food processer and pulse until chopped.
Second Step: Pour in the coconut milk, mayo and sprinkle the seasonings. That's it! Keep it in the fridge until you are ready to eat it.
Variations
As I mentioned, I love creamy ranch dressing so much! If you are like me and could pretty much drink it, then you get my obsession. If you want to add in some extra flavors to it to change it up, go ahead! Here are few ideas to use as inspiration.
- Jalapenos - In the mood for some spice? Add in some fresh jalapenos during the first step. Make sure to remove the seeds and membranes, though.
- Avocado - To make the ranch dressing ultra-smooth and creamy, add in ½ of an avocado. You'll need to squeeze in a little bit of lime or lemon juice to make sure it doesn't turn brown.
- Spices - Another fun way to add flair would be to add in your favorite seasonings or spices. Cumin, cayenne pepper, chili powder, or anything else you like would be good. Just add to taste.
- Tang - If you like your homemade ranch dressing on the tangy side you can add a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar, pickle juice, or lemon juice.
How Do You Serve Dairy-Free Ranch?
Obviously, you can add this homemade dairy-free ranch dressing recipe to a salad. OR you could eat it with a whole bunch of other foods. I wanted to share a few ideas on foods to eat with ranch.
- Veggies: Whether you are eating some fresh veggies or roasting them, adding a touch of ranch dressing takes them to the next level. This is a great tip if you have kiddos that don't like veggies. You can talk them into it easier when ranch is involved. 🙂
- Fries: Add ranch to your go-to keto fries recipe, or check out my low carb keto fries recipe. Fries in ranch is food heaven.
- Chicken: Ranch dressing and chicken are a dream team. Don't believe me? Dip these healthy baked chicken tenders or my easy blackened chicken tenders in the ranch, and you'll see.
Is Homemade Ranch Healthy?
Just like any food, you should eat it in moderation, but there are some valuable nutrients in homemade ranch. Scallions are filled with vitamin K, vitamin C and has fiber too!
Garlic is not just an insanely delicious ingredient to add to recipes; it's loaded with nutrients too. It's filled with potassium, b vitamins, manganese, and vitamin C also.
Coconut milk is a wonderful way to add some good healthy fat into your diet too. Bottled ranch dressing doesn't have that...trust me! Anyway, coconut milk is a great source of potassium, iron, vitamin C, and more.
How Long Does Ranch Dressing Last?
As long as you keep the ranch in a sealed container and refrigerated, it will usually last 5-7 days. In some cases, even longer. Just remember to keep it chilled on ice if it's going to be sitting out for very long.
Like what you see? Follow me on Facebook! Love this recipe? Leave a comment & 5-star rating right here! Make sure you don’t miss new recipes by getting email updates!
Ingredients
- 1 scallion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup fresh dill
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 teaspoon roasted garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine the first three ingredients in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and pulse until well mixed.
- Store in the fridge.
Notes
Nutrition
Want more dairy free recipes? Click here! I have over 175 recipes that or dairy free or have a dairy free option!
Originally Published March 8, 2018. Revised and Republished April 22, 2021.
Leave a Reply