Here’s my recipe for a super healthy and flavorful ranch dip that just happens to be vegan… what’s not to love?Getting kids (or big kids) to eat their veggies is super easy when they’re smothered in zesty, cheesy, cool ranch dip right? But made with bad fats, cheese, dairy and all kinds of artificial flavors, its not always the best choice.

Here’s my alternative! A super tasty vegan version that is so tasty you’ll want to eat it by the spoonful… and since its so healthy really why not?

DRESSING

  • 1 cup raw cashews (soaked in hot water 30 minutes, or overnight in cool water)
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or any non-dairy unsweetened milk of your choice
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1ย  clove garlic, peeled
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more to taste)
  • 1 pinch black pepper (or to taste – I like to add more after its been blended for a peppercorn style ranch)
  • 1/2 – 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (can omit this but we love extra garlic flavor!)
  • 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp maple syrup (or other sweetener of choice to taste)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast (optional if you don’t have it on hand – adds a cheesy taste and tons of nutrition!)

HERBS

  • 1 Tbsp fresh minced dill (or 2 tsp dried)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh minced parsley (optional)
  • 1 tsp fresh chives (or 1/2 the amount dried chives // optional)

Instructions

  • Soak cashews in very hot water for 30 minutes. Mix almond milk and lemon juice and set aside to make the buttermilk.
  • Drain and rinse cashews several times and drain again. Then transfer to a small blender (a blender is preferred over a food processor for achieving a smooth texture) and add almond buttermilk, garlic, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, vinegar, maple syrup and nutritional yeast. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes or until very creamy and smooth.
  • Remove to a container and stir in the herbs and more salt and pepper to taste.
  • Use immediately at room temperature or refrigerate for 3-4 hours to chill. It will thicken in the refrigerator, so you can add moreย  milk or water later on to thin if needed.
  • Enjoy with fresh veggies, wraps, pizza… basically pretty much everything is better with ranch!

This recipe has been adapted from https://minimalistbaker.com