Easy Vegan Ranch
This Easy Vegan Ranch is made with whole foods, which means you can ditch the chemicals, preservatives, and inflammatory oils that are usually found in store-bought dressings.
I think most people are intimidated to make dressings from scratch, but it’s actually really simple! All you need is 8 ingredients and a blender.
The only time-consuming part is soaking the cashews to soften them. This step is completely optional though, so don’t let the soaking process deter you from trying this recipe. I’ve made it with soaked and unsoaked cashews and trust me when I say that both versions are delicious.
The purpose of soaking cashews (and nuts in general) is to remove the phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors that make them hard to digest, thereby increasing nutrient bioavailability.
Depending on how much time you have, you can either soak the cashews in hot salt water for 30 minutes (quick-soak), or room temperature salt water for a 2-3 hours. Water and salt work synergistically to neutralize enzyme inhibitors present in nuts.
Both methods will create a velvety smooth and ultra-creamy dressing. However, if you’re not in a rush, I recommend soaking the cashews in room temperature salt water in order to retain their full nutritional value.
Suffice it to say, I’m obsessed with this vegan ranch! It pairs perfectly with a fresh salad, but you can also use it as a dip for your favorite vegetables, pizza, and fries.
What’s Inside?
Cashews – This creamy nut is a popular substitute for dairy in vegan recipes. Cashews are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, protein, and minerals including copper, magnesium, and zinc. Research suggests that nut consumption may help reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and inflammation.
Lemon Juice – The acidity mimics the flavor profile of buttermilk and sour cream that’s used in traditional ranch. Lemon also helps with nutrient absorption.
Pink Himalayan Salt – This healthier alternative to table salt can contain up to 84 trace minerals.
Seasoning Blend – Well it wouldn’t be ranch without onion, garlic, dill, and chives, right?
easy vegan ranch
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups (200g) raw cashews *soaking optional, see notes
3/4 cup (200g) water
2 lemons, juiced **
2 tsp (8g) onion powder
1 tsp (4g) garlic powder
1/2 tsp (3g) pink Himalayan salt
3 tbsp (5g) fresh dill, finely chopped ***
2 tbsp (3g) fresh chives, finely chopped ****
Instructions
Add the cashews, water, lemon juice, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a blender. Mix on high until very smooth. Add extra water if you want a thinner dressing.
Add the dill and chives, and pulse a few times to combine. DO NOT BLEND or else the ranch will turn green!
Serve on a salad or with your favorite snacks for dipping. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week. It will thicken in the fridge, but you can thin it out with water to reach your prefered consistency.
Recipe Notes
*How to quick-soak cashews: Bring 3 cups of water and 1 tsp of pink Himalayan salt to a boil. Turn off the heat, toss in the cashews, and cover with a lid. Let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse thoroughly.
*How to soak cashews for 2-3 hours (raw): Place the cashews in a jar or bowl. Add enough room temperature water to cover the cashews. Mix in 1 tsp of pink Himalayan salt. Cover with a lid, set on a counter, and let soak for 2-3 hours (do not soak the cashews longer than this, otherwise they’ll acquire a bitter taste and unpleasant texture). Drain and rinse thoroughly.
**Substitute with 2-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
***Substitute with 2-3 teaspoons of dried dill powder.
***Substitute with 1 teaspoon of dried chive powder.
Recipe adapted from Nora Cooks
Vinaigrette ranch vegan
Ingrédients
1 1/2 tasse (200g) de noix de cajou brutes *trempées, voir les notes
3/4 tasse (200ml) d'eau
2 citrons, pressées **
2 c.à.c. (8g) de poudre d’oignon
1 c.à.c. (4g) de poudre d’ail
1 pincée (3g) de sel rose de l'Himalaya
3 c.à.s. (5g) d'aneth frais, haché finement ***
2 c.à.s. (3g) de ciboulette fraîche, hachées finement ****
Instructions
Mettez les noix de cajou, l’eau, le jus de citron, la poudre d’oignon, la poudre d’ail, et le sel dans le blender. Mélangez à haute jusqu'à consistance lisse et crémeuse. Ajoutez plus d'eau au besoin pour obtenir la consistance désirée.
Ajoutez l’aneth et la ciboulette, pulsez à quelques reprises afin que tout soit bien mélanger (mais ne se mélangent pas ou le ranch devient vert).
Servez sur un lit de laitue ou avec vos légumes préférés. Se conserve au frais jusqu'à une semaine. Elle épaissira encore plus en refroidissant, mais vous pouvez l'éclaircir avec un peu d’eau.
Notes de recette
*Optionelle : Pour une texture encore plus crémeuse, faire tremper les noix de cajou pendant 30 minutes à 3 heures.
Méthode rapide : Ajoutez une pincée de sel, versez 3 tasses d’eau dans la casserole et amener à ébullition. Éteignez le feu, ajoutez les noix de cajou, et mettez un couvercle. Trempez pendant 30 minutes. Égouttez et rincez bien.
Méthode de 2 à 3 heures : Placez les noix de cajou dans un bol. Ajoutez juste assez d’eau à température ambiante pour couvrir les noix de cajou. Mélangez une pincée de sel. Mettez un couvercle et trempez pendant 2 à 3 heures (pas trop longtemps, sinon les noix de cajou seront améres). Égouttez et rincez bien.
**Vous pouvez utiliser 2-3 c.à.s. de vinaigre de cidre de pomme.
***Vous pouvez utiliser 2-3 c.à.c. d’aneth en poudre.
****Vous pouvez utiliser 1 c.à.c. de ciboulette en poudre.
Article : Pourquoi faire tremper ses noix ?