August 13, 2013 98 Comments

Homemade Ranch Dressing {dairy-free} & substitutions

Name: Homemade Ranch Dressing
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 12 Servings
Ingredients: 1/3 cup unsweetened CashewMilk ((or coconut milk in a box)); 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 1 cup mayonnaise; 2 cloves garlic ((pressed or finely minced)); 2 Tablespoons chopped Italian parsley; 3 Tablespoons minced green onions; 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar; 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

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Ranch dressing has always been my absolute favorite, and this Ranch Dressing Recipe is absolutely perfect whether you use regular milk or a non-dairy substitute. When I post a recipe as “dairy-free” I get a lot of emails asking how to make it with regular products, which is completely fine with me 🙂 I love your emails….I just thought maybe I could simplify things and make the recipe appeal to everyone…..

When I convert a recipe to dairy-free, I generally do not change the measurements unless absolutely necessary. This usually works, unless the composition of the substitute is completely different. It’s the same concept as using non fat milk in a recipe that calls for whole milk, it will be more diluted and not as thick. Traditional Ranch Dressing is made with whole milk, so I substituted coconut milk (box in the refrigerator section) and the consistency is the same as the original.

How to make Homemade Ranch Dressing:

Pour apple cider vinegar into coconut or cashew milk. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes to “curdle” and become buttermilk.

In a bowl or jar, whisk/shake the together mayonnaise, pressed garlic, parsley, green onions, white wine vinegar, “buttermilk”, and pepper…..

Pour into container and store in refrigerator. Use within 7 days.

this picture was taken right after I made it, I was loosing daylight. Once it chills for a few hours, it will be thick and creamy just like you would expect a Ranch Dressing to be:)

How to make Dairy-free substitutions:

I originally made this dressing with soy milk, also a good substitute for whole milk…but there is a huge drawback. Soy milk is made from soybeans that contain flavonoid compounds called isoflavones that exhibit a weak-estrogenic activity when ingested. The medical community is still arguing the effects of consuming soy for men and women alike. The commercial soy bean growers also use genetically modified seeds that is then used to produce the soy milk. So I am limiting my consumption of soy milk until there is a better understanding of how it truly affects the human body. That’s just me, the choice is yours 🙂 ***Update – it turns out that my hormone imbalance, joint pain, and mood swings were being caused by soy, so I no longer go anywhere near it!!***

Let’s move on to Almond and Rice Milk. Also great substitutes for dairy, but their viscosity is closer to that of non-fat milk. It all comes down to the recipe that you are converting and what roll the milk plays. If the recipe is a cake, it may need the additional fat that whole milk provides. Almond and rice milks have half the amount of fat as coconut or soy milks, so that needs to be factored in.

This is how I convert recipes:

Heavy Cream = Coconut Milk (can)

Whole Milk = Coconut Milk (box) or Cashew Milk in the refrigerator section

Non Fat Milk = Almond or Rice Milk

Half & Half = Half Coconut Milk (can) & Half Coconut or Cashew Milk (box)

More homemade salad dressing recipes:

Whole 3o Ranch Dressing – identical recipe but whole30 & paleo compliant

Creamy Feta Dressing

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

Sweet Onion and Citrus Dressing

Italian Dressing

By the way, this Homemade Ranch Dressing also works really well as a dip!

Enjoy!!