Just because you can’t have dairy that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve some delicious creamy ranch dressing! This dairy-free version is so good, you may have to fight off the rest of your dairy eating family for it!

What exactly is Ranch Dressing?

In Europe, it’s called “American Sauce.” Honestly, that’s a great name for the creamy herb taste of Ranch Dressing. The dressing had a simple beginning. It was invented in the 1940s by a plumber working in Alaska who liked to cook for his friends. A few years later, he moved his family to California where they bought a ranch (in a somewhat “hidden” valley. A’hem.) and started selling the dressing to their guests. Soon after, the dressing was marketed and since the 1970s has gained nation-wide approval for it’s creamy deliciousness.

Unfortunately, a growing number of people can’t metabolize dairy very well. As of last year, approximately 30 million Americans suffer from lactose intolerance (the inability to digest milk’s naturally occurring sugar)–myself included! Since I dearly love Ranch Dressing, I set out to find a tasty, dairy-free alternative.

Ingredients

How do you make Ranch Dressing dairy-free? Substituting avocado oil mayonnaise is a healthy and tasty way to make Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing. It also makes the dressing healthier since it contains the avocado’s naturally occurring “good” fats.

What can I substitute for the vinegar? If you don’t have lemon juice on hand, you could substitute an equal amount of white vinegar for it.

Can I use dried dill to make ranch dressing? Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing tastes best when you prepare it with fresh dill. But, we don’t always have fresh herbs on hand, do we? No worries! You can substitute 1 teaspoon of dried dill for the fresh variety if you need to. Your dressing will still turn out great!

Preparation

How do I make homemade ranch dressing? It’s really simple! All you have to do is whisk the ingredients together and store them in an airtight container. Your Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing will stay fresh for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Can I make ranch dressing thin? Sure! While some people prefer a thicker dressing to use as a veggie dip, others prefer a thinner consistency. If you’d like to thin out your Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing, just add a little more milk and continue whisking until it’s just the way you like it.

dairy free ranch dressing poured on a lettuce salad

Serving Suggestions

What foods are best served with Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing? Well, I serve Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing with a lot of the dishes I prepare in some way or another. It makes a great salad dressing, of course. But, you can also add it to tacos and burrito bowls much like you would a sauce. We’ve even used it to dress-up burgers! You can make the consistency a little thicker and serve it alongside fresh veggies–it makes a tasty dip!

Related Recipes

Give some of my other homemade dressings a try! Trust me–you’ll enjoy the freedom and peace-of- mind of making your own dressings from scratch and controlling the ingredients.

Cajun Dipping Sauce

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

Yum Yum Sauce

Chipotle Lime Mayo

Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing

Sriracha Mayo

Easy Yogurt Sauce