Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing Recipe

According to the New York Times, a 2017 study found ranch to be the most popular salad dressing in America. In fact, a whopping 40% of Americans listed ranch as their favorite dressing. A lot of the dressing's popularity comes from its multiple uses beyond the salad bowl: a dip for wings, pizza, and veggies alike, a tangy addition to steaks or grilled chicken, even as a great flavor for potato chips or popcorn. 

But despite all its deliciousness, ranch can at times feel a bit heavy, tending to overwhelm thin leafy greens and more delicate flavors. The solution? This vegan ranch from recipe developer Maren Epstein. Epstein specializes in healthy food on her website Eating Works, adapting traditional recipes to ones that focus on health of the body as a whole. With her vegan ranch recipe, even those avoiding dairy can enjoy America's favorite salad dressing — plus, the addition of apple cider vinegar provides the gut with healthy probiotics. It's a win-win!

To make this tangy vegan substitute, you must first start by gathering your ingredients. You will need half a cup of vegan mayo, a quarter of a cup of water, two tablespoons of fresh dill, two tablespoons of fresh parsley, one tablespoon of fresh chives, two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, one tablespoon of yellow mustard, a quarter teaspoon of paprika, a pinch of sea salt, and a pinch of black pepper.

Epstein says that dried herbs will work just as well for this recipe if you don't have fresh — just swap out the two tablespoons fresh for one tablespoon dried. Plus, if you always have these dried herbs on hand, you can whip up this ranch dressing any time you feel like it.

Now that you've gathered your ingredients, you may be looking at your supplies and wondering how this recipe compares to that iconic packet mix of dried Hidden Valley. But don't fear, Epstein made sure to pack this recipe with the right ingredients to still give you that characteristic ranch-y tang. She says the vegan mayo and the herbs will give this dressing its classic flavor, and plus, "Home-made is always better than store-bought. It's fresher!" Epstein's update on a classic is sure to satisfy all your cravings, so go ahead and trust the process on this one.

Having gathered your ingredients, it's time to blend. For this step, simply place all ingredients in the blender and make that baby go! Epstein made sure to mention that the blender won't break the emulsification, so keep on blending until you achieve the creamy, whipped texture you're looking for. Blending will also make sure your herbs are in small, evenly distributed pieces, so there's no reason to fuss over chopping them beforehand. Once everything in the blender has been combined to your liking, you are ready to move on to the next step.

Finally, you'll want to chill the dressing for a little while, as all the chopping and blending can heat up the mixture. For that classic ranch feel, you'll probably want it cold and straight out of the refrigerator. This is especially true if you are eating the dressing with something cold, like carrot sticks. However, if you tend to grab your bottle straight from the shelf or drizzle it on something hot, feel free to eat it at room temperature. It's up to you! Just make sure to pop whatever's left back into the fridge for storage once you're done eating. 

Finally! It's time to enjoy your tangy, herby, creamy, vegan creation. Serve with fresh chopped veggies for dipping, drizzled over a salad, or however else you please. Epstein recommends slathering some on top of roasted chicken and then coating the chicken in breadcrumbs — yum! And while you're at it, don't forget the classic pizza-and-ranch combo (it's a classic for a reason!). No matter how you choose to indulge, you can rest easy knowing you've made a healthy (and delicious) choice for you and your gut. Now get to munching!