October 4, 2012
With more and more friends hopping on the vegan train, I’m constantly on the hunt for easy recipes to satisfy the needs of our varied guest list.
This recipe for vegan ranch is awesome, tastes great, and satisfies—as any good dip/dressing should. It is not ideal for those with a nut allergy (try out Julie’s Classic Ranch for a nut-free option). Whether it’s with vegetables, cooked or raw, your guests will love it. When I served it alongside a veggie platter recently, no one believed it was vegan!
The original recipe came from my childhood best friend, Taryna. She’s a mother-extraordinaire to three gorgeous, talented kids, and is also a nutritionist. Taryna shared this recipe with me because her kids love ranch, but are somewhat lactose intolerant— aren’t we all?
1 cup raw cashews (soaked in water overnight)
1 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ tsp garlic powder or one fresh garlic clove
¾ tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill weed
1 tablespoon fresh chives
Dash of Tabasco
Place cashews in a glass bowl, cover with water and soak overnight. Drain cashews. Place cashews, water, lemon juice, garlic powder or clove, onion powder and salt in a blender. Process until smooth and creamy.
Then add the dried herbs and pulse briefly, just to incorporate. Careful, it will turn into “green” ranch if you over-mix. Ranch can keep for up to a week. Before re-serving, taste and add more salt or lemon juice if necessary.
