This Spicy Vegan Ranch Dressing is a super quick and easy recipe perfect for anyone looking to add a flavorful, dairy-free option to their meals. Made with just cashews, oat milk, and a blend of spices, it has a rich, creamy texture and a kick of heat. It’s a versatile sauce that can be used as a dip, dressing, or spread, adding a spicy twist to your meals. Plus, it’s both gluten-free and soy-free, making it perfect for parties and get-togethers!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s spicy and flavorful, and adds delicious kick to salads, snacks, and party foods. It’s more than just a dressing, it can be a dip too!
- It uses simple, wholefood based ingredients that you might even have in your pantry and fridge already — namely, cashews, which make this ranch extra thick and creamy.
- It’s easy to make and can even be prepared in advance for convenience.
Ingredients
This recipe uses raw cashews soaked overnight to create a creamy base, combined with oat milk for a smooth texture. Then, fresh lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard, and spices are added to bring everything together. All of these ingredients should be super easy to find at your local supermarket.
You’ll find the specific quantities for each ingredient listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but for your convenience, here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need:
- Raw cashews
- Oat milk (or other unflavored non-dairy milk)
- Fresh lemon juice
- Garlic
- Dijon mustard
- Onion powder
- Coarse salt
- Ground black pepper
- Dried parsley
- Dried dill
- Smoked paprika
- Cayenne pepper
Instructions
Step One: Soak cashews in water overnight, then drain.
Step Two: Add drained cashews, garlic, and oat milk to a blender.
Step Three: Blend on high until mostly smooth.
Step Four: Add mustard, onion powder, salt, pepper, parsley, dill, paprika, and cayenne.
Step Five: Blend until very smooth.
Step Six: Add lemon juice and salt to taste, and blend until incorporated.
Step Seven: Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Substitutions & Variations
Here are some substitutions that I recommend if you’re looking to swap an ingredient or customize this recipe:
- Oat milk: Almond milk, soy milk, or any other unflavored non-dairy milk. Not sure which one to buy? Check out this blog post from Happy Herbivore that breaks down the difference between all the non-dairy milks on the shelves these days.
- Cashews: Blanched almonds or sunflower seeds.
- Fresh lemon juice: Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.
- Dijon mustard: Yellow mustard or whole grain mustard.
- Garlic: Garlic powder (use less) or roasted garlic for a milder flavor.
- Dried parsley: Fresh parsley (use more) or dried cilantro.
- Dried dill: Fresh dill (use more) or dried tarragon.
- Smoked paprika: Regular paprika or chipotle powder for extra smokiness.
- Cayenne pepper: Red pepper flakes or hot sauce.
Storage
Store the Spicy Vegan Ranch Dressing in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Before serving leftovers, be sure to stir it well because the layers may separate.
Expert Tips
This recipe will thicken after sitting in the fridge for a few hours! It still tastes delicious, but if you’d prefer a thinner consistency, add a splash of unsweetened plant-based milk or water and mix well.
FAQ
Yes, you can substitute raw cashews with blanched almonds or sunflower seeds for a nut-free option.
This recipe has a mild-moderate heat. If you’re sensitive to chili, omit the cayenne pepper from the recipe and then add a little bit at the end, mix, taste test and add more until you’re happy with the level of spice.
Yes, you can substitute dried parsley and dill with fresh herbs. Use a larger quantity of fresh herbs compared to dried.
Yes, you can prepare the dressing in advance and store it in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.
Serving Suggestions and More Recipes
I mostly use this spicy ranch as a salad dressing or as a creamy spread in wraps. But it’s also delicious as a dip! Serve it with some fries for a game day treat — or for a healthier option, try it with celery sticks. If you’re looking to try your hand at more homemade vegan condiments then definitely give my Vegan Mayo or Homemade Chili Jam a try. The mayo is super creamy and tastes just like whole egg mayo and the Chili Jam is sweet but has a nice little kick of heat – perfect for brunch with Tofu Scramble or Corn Fritters.
I hope you enjoy this creamy and spicy vegan ranch. It’s a great way to add a little spicy kick to a classic dressing. Perfect for wraps, salads and even as a healthy snack with some veggie sticks on the side!
If you enjoy this recipe, I would be super grateful if you could leave a star rating and review – it really helps the algorithm send my recipes to more people! You can also tag me in your photos on Instagram @glowdiaries___ and I will reshare your posts to stories – I am so proud to see you make my recipes!
Spicy Vegan Ranch Dressing
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 1 cup Raw cashews (125g) soaked overnight
- ½ cup Oat milk (120g) or other unflavoured non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons Oat milk (30g)
- 2-3 tablespoons Fresh lemon juice (30-45ml)
- 2 cloves Garlic (10g) peeled and lightly crushed
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard (10ml)
- 1 teaspoon Onion powder (3g)
- 1 teaspoon Coarse salt (6g)
- ½ teaspoon Ground black pepper (1g)
- 1 tablespoons Dried parsley (3g)
- 2 teaspoons Dried dill (2g)
- 1 teaspoon Smoked paprika (2g)
- ½ teaspoon Cayenne (1g)
Instructions
- Place the raw cashews in a bowl, cover with water, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Drain well before using.
- Add the soaked cashews, garlic, and ½ cup oat milk to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until mostly smooth.
- Add the Dijon mustard, onion powder, salt, black pepper, parsley, dill, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Blend until completely smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and blend to incorporate. Taste and adjust the seasoning—add more lemon juice or salt to brighten the flavor, if needed.
- If the dressing is too thick, add more oat milk or water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.
- Transfer to a sealed container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop. Stir before serving.
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