Learn how to make the BEST Paleo Ranch Dressing! This easy dairy-free ranch recipe comes together in 5 minutes or less and tastes good on just about everything! (Gluten-free, paleo, Whole30-approved)
I know I’ve said it before, but I’m WAY more likely to eat more veggies when I have a yummy dip or dressing with them. Ranch dressing is a staple, and when we went gluten and dairy free 6 years ago, paleo ranch dressing became a staple at our house.
This creamy homemade ranch dressing (or dip!) is dairy-free and delicious on basically EVERYTHING. We make a new batch every week or so (it’s easy to make a half batch, too!) and it’s always a big hit. SO many of you have enjoyed this recipe over the years, I wanted to give it a fresh makeover with new photos, updated directions, and a recipe video tutorial to go with it.
Here’s what goes into our FAVORITE paleo ranch dressing recipe…
Simple Ingredients To Get Started
My recipe for paleo ranch dressing is an easy one, made with a handful of staple ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, such as:
- PALEO MAYO. Usually this means avocado oil mayonnaise. You can buy several brands in the stores these days. This one and this one are two I often choose. (This one is really tasty but not strictly paleo) (You can also make your own. I used to have a tutorial for the mayo here, but found that my friend Cassie explains it much better than I ever did–complete with video!–using the same method I love. Here’s how to make your own paleo approved mayo.)
- NONDAIRY MILK OR WATER. To thin the mayo out a bit and keep this a dairy-free ranch dressing, you’ll add a splash of dairy free milk or water. For milk, my two faves are unsweetened cashew milk (thinner, with a super neutral flavor) or canned full-fat coconut milk, which is much creamier (and doesn’t make it taste coconut-y). Water also works, and I use it almost all the time.
- APPLE CIDER VINEGAR. I like the kind with “the mother” in it. The mother is basically strands of proteins, enzymes and gut-friendly bacteria that give cider vinegar that murky look. Braggs or this one are my two faves.
- FRESH HERBS (OR DRIED HERBS). I love making this with fresh dill. 1 Tbsp gives lots of fresh flavor and some pretty flecks of color, but I use dried dill more often than not. For dried dill, you use 1/3 the amount of fresh. (So 1 teaspoon dried dill = 1 Tablespoon fresh dill)
- PANTRY SEASONINGS. Really basic, but great flavor comes from garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and black pepper.
- EXTRAS. Feel free to add fresh chives, some cooked crumbled bacon, and more!
How To Make Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!
- Combine. In a small bowl or a jar, combine mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp milk or water, cider vinegar, dill, garlic & onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk or blend together until smooth.
- Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or seasonings to taste.
- Adjust Consistency. Add additional milk/water if desired for a thinner consistency.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away on all your favorite or store in an airtight container in the fridge. Ranch dressing will keep for 1 week.
8 Yummy Ways To Enjoy This Paleo Ranch Dressing
Dairy-free ranch dressing is truly good on almost everything. Our family isn’t paleo, but we are 100% gluten-free, so some of our favorites are gluten-free but not paleo-approved. Try this ranch…
- DRIZZLED ON SALADS. Obvious, but true. This ranch is great with all kinds of salads (like this BLT Chopped Salad!). Mix and match your favorite proteins and veggies and drizzle with paleo ranch. Instant delicious lunch or dinner!
- AS A DIP WITH VEGGIES. Everyone at my house is more likely to eat vegetables when there’s something yummy to dip them in. This paleo ranch dip is a classic for kids and adults alike. It always goes well on a crudite plate at a party, and no one even realizes its paleo. Try it with carrots, celery, cucumbers, radishes, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, and more!
- ON BUFFALO CHICKEN BURGERS. Our paleo & Whole30-friendly Buffalo Chicken burgers are delicious with a drizzle of homemade ranch on top!
- WITH CRISPY SMASHED POTATOES. The combination of these Crispy Smashed Potatoes and the creamy ranch will change your life. This recipe is Whole30 approved and fantastic if you include potatoes in your diet.
- SERVED WITH CRISPY BAKED CHICKEN TENDERS. We love this with our Gluten Free Crispy Chicken Tenders, Paleo Almond Flour Chicken Tenders, and our Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenders. Drizzle, dunk, or dip those chicken tenders! (Or chicken wings, for that matter!)
- SPREAD ON SANDWICHES OR WRAPS. Swap your regular mayo for this paleo ranch! It’s fantastic on all kinds of sandwiches and wraps.
- IN CHICKEN SALAD AVOCADO CUPS. One of my favorite recipes ever. I love this Ranch BLT Chicken Salad and scooping it into lettuce cups or avocado cups makes it extra amazing.
- WITH CHIPS. Not exactly paleo, but this homemade ranch dip is AMAZING with some salty potato chips! It disappears at parties!
FAQ + Tips For The Best Paleo Ranch Every Time
HOW LONG WILL HOMEMADE MAYO STAY FRESH? If you’re using store-bought mayonnaise, this paleo ranch will easily keep in the fridge for a week. If you’re using homemade mayo, I recommend going through it in closer to 4-5 days, if you can. I keep mine in a Mason jar or airtight container for best results.
WHOLE30? READ THIS! To make this as Whole30 ranch dressing, you need to be sure your mayo is Whole30 compliant (no soy, no added sugar, etc.) This brand and this brand are approved. (Or, you can follow the tutorial I linked above for making your own!)
CAN YOU LIGHTEN THIS RECIPE UP? If you’re not paleo (or include dairy in your diet), you can swap half the mayo for plain unsweetened Greek yogurt or grass-fed yogurt in this homemade ranch dip recipe. It’ll be tangy and creamy and delicious!
CAN YOU MAKE IT VEGAN? You bet! Swap your favorite veganaise in place of the mayonnaise below. (Note: it probably won’t be paleo-approved in this case)
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Paleo Ranch Dressing recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
The Best Paleo Ranch Dressing (or Dip!)
Ingredients
For the ranch dressing:
- 3/4 cup paleo mayonnaise such as avocado oil mayo*
- 2-4 Tablespoons coconut milk (or water, or unsweetened cashew milk)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon fresh dill or 1/4 tsp dried dill
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (I like more salt!)
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine. In a small bowl or a jar, combine mayonnaise, 2 Tbsp milk or water, cider vinegar, dill, garlic & onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk or blend together until smooth.
- Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or seasonings to taste.
- Adjust Consistency. Add additional milk/water if desired for a thinner consistency.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away on all your favorite or store in an airtight container in the fridge. Ranch dressing will keep for 1 week.
Notes
- Paleo Mayo. Look for avocado oil mayonnaise with no refined sugar, such as Primal Kitchen, Better Body, Chosen Foods, etc.
- Another Choice. If you aren’t strictly paleo, you may also like Sir Kensington’s avocado oil mayo. (If not paleo, you can use whatever mayonnaise you like.)
- Vegan? For vegan version, use your favorite veganaise.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/paleo-ranch-dressing/Post, photos, and recipe updated June 2019. Originally posted March 2015.
My nephew has a lot of allergies, and one of the things he missed most was Ranch. This recipe is amazing. I will not buy store-bought ranch again.
do you think this would be OK to freeze?
I don’t recommend freezing it–mayo doesn’t tend to freeze well. But you can make a half batch if you don’t think you’ll get to it all in time!
I love how easy this is! I just made it thinned with water, added parsley, and fresh dill. So so good. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you loved it Kim! It’s my ALL-TIME favorite!
Thank you for this!! I’m paleo and have been really struggling finding recipes that work, this ranch is a keeper!!
YAY! I’m so glad it was a win for you. I’ve been making a batch most weeks for YEARS. It’s my favorite!
Could you make this using unsweetened Almond milk?
Could you omit the garlic and onion? Can’t have them.
Vera – You must have missed my last reply! Almond milk will work fine as long as it’s unsweetened and not vanilla! Without the onion or garlic, the flavor will be a little different, but you can compensate with a little extra pepper + dill, to taste. Hope you love it!
Love it
This really was amazing! I was skeptical as I’ve never found a homemade ranch recipe I’ve liked. This was so easy and delicious!
Kristen – I’m SO glad you loved it! I make a batch almost every week!
I know this is an older recipe but it is literally the best ranch I’ve ever had. My husband is dairy free so I made it for him but then I used it too, so amazing!
Amanda – THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a review! It’s one of my ALL-TIME favorites! I’m so glad you love it, too! My sister and her husband aren’t dairy intolerant and they make a batch almost every week. It’s so good!
How much Apple cider vinegar? Maybe I’m reading it wrong but it says 1 1/1?
Beth – Sorry for the confusion! It’s 1 1/2 tsp. 🙂
THE BEST ranch I’ve ever had! I used fresh garlic instead of the garlic powder tho.
YESSSS! I’m so glad to hear that! We make a batch basically every week!
I made this recipe with chicken bone broth instead of coconut milk and it turned out great! I love it especially with fresh dill which I grow. Thank you!!
Great idea! Thank you for sharing!
I just made your Homemade Ranch dressing and it was excellent! My husband looked at me and said his taste so much better than any store bought Ranch we’ve ever purchased. My reply was, it’s healthier too! Thank you for sharing~
Oh how wonderful! I’ve got some in my fridge right now. It’s my FAVORITE!
Love this dressing! I used avocado oil mayo instead of making my own which required a little more Milk and seasonings, but so pleased with the results! I’m picky with dressings and have many diet restrictions, this is a life saver!
That’s the best! I almost always use avocado oil mayo (so convenient to have that step done!). I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
I make mayo with an immersion blender a lot and use pasteurized egg whites instead of raw egg. One time it didn’t thicken, and by trial and error, I added some more pasteurized egg whites, used the immersion blender again, and it thickened right up to mayo consistency.
I love making mayo with my immersion blender but I prefer not to use raw eggs. I use pasteurized egg whites instead and it comes out great. I use the equivalent of 1 egg as indicated on the container (3 T or 46 g) and it emulsifies just as quickly, and it keeps a lot longer in the fridge since it doesn’t have raw egg in it.
What a great solution! Thanks for sharing!
We do not add the Dill. We use parsley instead and add 1/2 t mustard powder. We also add 1/2 t salt. We use Chosen Foods avacodo oil mayo. Hope this helps somebody.
Yum! That sounds delicious Hailey!
I can’t eat coconut milk….anything I can substitute for it? Thanks!
Mary – Sure! Can you do any other non-dairy milks? Cashew milk works great here, or unsweetened almond milk can work. Coconut milk is nice because of the thickness, but other milks will also work well, too. You may want to start with slightly less than the amount of coconut milk and add a little bit at a time from there till you reach the thickness you like.
I have made several paleo ranch dressings and this one is by far the best! I would say better than the real thing, actually. The coconut milk is genius- makes it so creamy! Thank you!
I’m so glad to hear that Amy!
I have been so hesitant to make my own ranch so I keep buying it even though I’ve had this pinned for months…and I finally ran out my Tessemaes and whipped this up and ITS BETTER! And way way cheaper !!!
Thanks for such an easy recipe! I’ll be making this pretty much every week 🙂 yum
Oh, I’m so glad to hear it! You just made my day!
Can you use Almond milk?
Could you use Dukes mayo?
I can’t have any garlic or onion for health reasons could you leave this out?
Almond milk will work fine as long as it’s unsweetened and not vanilla! And yes, Duke’s mayo should be fine. Without the onion or garlic, the flavor will be a little different, but you can compensate with a little extra pepper + dill, to taste. Hope you love it!
What can you use in place of egg yolk? Allergic to eggs.
Lydia – With an egg allergy, you can’t make this mayo recipe since it relies on the emulsification of the egg yolk and won’t work without it.
You CAN make the ranch by using 1 cup veganaise in place of the mayo. My favorite brand is Just Mayo, which uses pea protein. I use the Just Mayo veganaise all the time with great results!
I use aquafaba, the liquid from a can of garbanzo beans. Use 3 TAB of aquafaba to replace the one egg. Follow the recipe and presto, you have beautiful mayo. No kidding!
GENIUS! I keep meaning to try this with aquafaba and I’m so glad to know just how to do it!
So glad I just came across this recipe! My husband and I wanted to eat a salad for lunch and we were looking for a creamy healthy dressing. We were actually making funny comments how bad and unhealthy traditional “ranch” is for you and so many people eat that stuff!! I just made your dressing and can’t wait to share it with my family. It is nice to try new recipes and discover what other healthy family eats! Love you site as well Emily!
Cheers
Mireille
Do you use coconut milk from can or the unsweetened coconut milk in refrigerator section?
Truthfully either will work. I used canned milk, but either is totally fine!
Thanks for sharing! I will give this a try with store bought mayo. I love homemade ranch, but hate buying buttermilk special for it or having to take lactaid just to eat a salad.