Vegan Tahini Ranch Dressing

Reviving the classic ranch dressing with tahini to create a deliciously creamy vegan ranch powered by a good kick of garlic and herby flavours.

Why You’ll Love Our Vegan Ranch Dressing 

Everything you love about ranch dressing with a vegan twist: our tahini ranch dressing is nutty and creamy with a perfect balance of acidity and green aromatic herbs. 

This is the best vegan ranch dressing that goes well with all your crispy green or potato salads as well as a luscious dipping sauce for buffalo cauliflower, vegan wings, crudites, wedges or eggplant chips.  

I love how easy it is to make. All you need to do is chop everything and mix with savoury toasty tahini into a smooth dressing. 

This vegan tahini ranch dressing is made without dairy or mayonnaise yet retains a luscious and creamy texture. The fusion of tahini and lemon juice gives it a velvety tang like a traditional buttermilk ranch.

What is Ranch Dressing?

Ranch dressing is by far one of the most popular salad dressings in America. Invented in the 1950s, this creamy salad dressing has now overtaken Italian dressing as the best-selling salad dressing in the country. 

And its popularity goes beyond salad dressings. 

Ranch dressing regularly turns up to parties as a dip for French fries, chicken wings, vegetable crudites and anything that likes a good dunk. Plus, you can find “ranch” flavoured seasoning, corn chips, pizza sauce, sodas and even pop tarts!

What Makes Ranch Dressing, Ranch? 

Start with a creamy base of buttermilk or sour cream, then stir in generous amounts of finely chopped herbs such as dill, chives and parsley and add flavour with alliums like garlic and onion. Finally, season well with black pepper and salt. 

Is Ranch Dressing Vegan?

No, the classic ranch dressing recipe is not suitable for vegans as it uses buttermilk or sour cream as a base. To make a vegan version, I substituted buttermilk with tahini. 

What Does Vegan Ranch Dressing Taste Like?

Compared to the classic ranch dressing which is more creamy with a tangy finish, our vegan ranch is slightly nutty but still with a velvety texture. I like the allium pull of garlic and onion mixed with bright green herby flavours. 

What is Tahini?

Tahini is toasted and ground-up sesame paste. 

What has always been a staple in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine, you will now find tahini used in many different types of cooking.

It’s a versatile addition to salad dressings, such as our tahini miso dressing or beetroot tahini. It also serves as a foundational ingredient for dips, a flavour enhancer for stews, or a delightful drizzle over falafels.

You can buy tahini made from hulled or unhulled sesame seeds. Unhulled tahini is darker in colour and more robust in flavour. 

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients for vegan tahini ranch dressing:

• Red onion: You can use brown onion for this recipe, but I prefer red as it is sweeter. 

• Chives/Dill: Classic herbs used in ranch dressing includes dill and chives. Dill brings a hint of licorice, whilst chives will add a delicate oniony flavour. You can also add parsley and thyme. 

• Garlic: Traditional ranch dressing recipes call for garlic and onion powders. However, I prefer to use fresh garlic to give an extra punch.

• Tahini: There is a difference between good and bad tahini. Good quality tahini is mildly nutty, creamy and savoury. The luxurious texture is the stuff you want to eat with a spoon. Bad tahini has a chalky mouthfeel, slightly bitter and even acidic. As you may only use a few tablespoons each time, tahini stores well in the fridge. 

• Water: As tahini is too thick to add straight into dressings, we usually add a little water to break it down and thin it out.

• Olive oil: Good quality olive oil is always needed in the pantry for salads. 

• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice brings balance to the mixture. It helps to cut through the richness of the tahini. 

• Dijon mustard: Tangy and sharp, Dijon mustard adds a little spice to tahini ranch dressing. 

• Maple syrup: Maple syrup is a great vegan alternative to honey. This helps to add natural sweetness to balance the nutty and creamy flavours. 

• Salt and black pepper: To taste

Variations and Substitutions

Variation of herbs: Like the green goddess dressing, the ranch offers a base for diverse herbs. Try incorporating fresh parsley or thyme alongside dill and chives. Dried dill and chives are viable substitutes if fresh herbs aren’t on hand.

Alternative vegan base: Other non-dairy bases you can use for a vegan ranch instead of tahini include cashew cream, vegan mayo/sour cream, or even avocado. 

Lemon juice substitute: Apple cider vinegar would also work to balance the acidity in the ranch dressing.

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make vegan tahini ranch dressing:

Finely chop ¼ red onion. 

Wash and finely chop dill and chives. 

Crush garlic cloves with a garlic crusher or knife.

In a small mixing bowl, add tahini and water. Mix well together. You want a thick but smooth consistency. If still too gluggy, add a little more water.

Add olive oil, lemon juice, red onion, chives, dill, Dijon mustard and maple syrup. Mix until well combined.

Taste and then season with salt and black pepper. 

How to Store

You can store vegan ranch in a mason jar or airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The tahini sauce will thicken in the fridge so you will need to add a little water and stir to combine before using.

Best Salad For This Dressing

Little Gem Salad with Vegan Ranch Dressing

An uncomplicated side salad with grilled little gem lettuce and a punchy vegan tahini ranch dressing. Don’t be fooled by its simplicity; the flavours will surprise you.