Silken Tofu Ranch Dressing
Silken Tofu Ranch Dressing is packed with protein and is low in fat but is so flavorful and the perfect sauce to add to your salads, veggies, pasta, and more. You will love this nut-free vegan ranch dressing that is ready in only 5 minutes! Meal prep and enjoy this flavorful sauce all week long.
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I love a good sauce. So far I’ve shared with you my Plant Based Nacho Cheese Sauce, my Oil-Free Balsamic Vinaigrette, Sweet Lime Oil-Free Vinaigrette, Oil-Free Pesto, 3 Ingredient Plant Based Chocolate Sauce (for dessert!) and countless oil-free hummus dips (which I often dilute with lemon juice/vinegar/water to make a sauce or dressing), but this silken tofu ranch dressing is NEXT LEVEL. (I’m also working on a ranch hummus… coming soon!)
I’ve actually been making this nut-free vegan ranch dressing for years… the recipe is actually still on my other blog (not WFPBNO, but it is vegan). But since I’m heading down a more whole food plant based path these days (and avoiding salt, sugar, and overt fats as much as possible), I thought I’d make a couple modifications to that recipe and share a new and improved (and compliant) version with you today.
What kind of changes did I make?
Over the years I’ve started adding a pinch of nutritional yeast for a little bit more zesty and savory flavor. It doesn’t make the plant based ranch dressing taste cheesy. But leave it out if you’re not a fan.
I also swapped the salt for miso paste. I love the flavor the miso adds.
Sometimes I use fresh herbs and sometimes I use dried. Lately I’ve been trying to save money, so dried can really come in handy there. I’ll give instructions for both, don’t you worry.
Finally, I used silken tofu instead of firm + non-dairy milk. This not only simplifies the recipe but it makes the sauce smoother and, well, silkier!
I really think you’re going to love this silken tofu ranch dressing. If you’ve been looking for more oil-free salad dressing recipes, definitely put this one at the top of your list to make next.
I love putting it on my salads, dipping my veggies in it, and even drizzling it over cooked sweet potatoes, pasta, whole grains, cooked veggies, etc. Give it a try!
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the full ingredients list (with amounts) and instructions.
- Silken Tofu: This recipe calls for 16 ounces of silken tofu. You can find 16-ounce packages of silken tofu in the refrigerator section at your local grocery store, that’s where I buy mine even in my little town that has almost nothing. But if you can only buy your silken tofu in the shelf-stable 12-ounce aseptic containers, you can either use 1 + ¼ of those, or just use one pack and add 2-4 tablespoons of soaked raw cashews, soaked raw sunflower seeds, cooked white beans, or dehydrated potato flakes.
- Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice: I prefer fresh squeezed lemon juice but I have to be realistic and tell you I don’t always have it. Or sometimes I’m honestly too lazy to squeeze it. I LOVE the Italian Volcano brand of lemon juice (it’s organic and so much better than any other brand I’ve tried), which I often purchase in a 2-pack from Costco.
- White or Yellow Miso Paste: This is to replace the salt in the recipe, but I also love the little hint of umami flavors. Per Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org, the soy in miso has a protective effect so the sodium in miso paste will not affect us negatively. Please feel free to omit or use a pinch of salt if that is what you prefer.
- Nutritional Yeast: This gives our oil-free ranch dressing a slightly more zesty and savory flavor but it’s not super cheesy nor is it a super strong flavor in the ranch. Instead, it adds savoriness and depth.
- Granulated Onion and Granulated Garlic: For flavor!
- Dried Chives and Dried Dill: Pulse these herbs in at the end… this is where that real ranch magic happens!
Substitutions
- Silken Tofu: If you can only find soft or regular tofu (don’t use firm), you can use this and just add a little plain unsweetened non-dairy milk (just enough to blend). If you don’t want to use tofu at all, you can do 1+½ cups drained and rinsed canned (or cooked from dried) white beans, or 1 cup of either soaked raw cashews or soaked raw sunflower seeds (and you will need water or plain unsweetened non-dairy milk to blend, and how much depends on how long you soaked them so start with equal parts nuts/seeds and liquid and adjust from there.
- Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice: Bottled works too! You can use white wine vinegar if you don’t have any fresh or bottled lemon juice on hand.
- White or Yellow Miso Paste: If you’re fine eating salt (or if you eat the potassium chloride salt substitute) you can go ahead and use that. If you are totally avoiding added sodium, you can leave it out. Maybe add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice and/or some dulse flakes!
- Nutritional Yeast: If you can’t eat nutritional yeast, try a little extra miso, onion, and garlic.
- Granulated Onion and Granulated Garlic: If you can’t have one of these, feel free to omit.
- Dried Chives and Dried Dill: Use 2-3 tablespoons chopped herbs (2-3 tablespoons of each, if you have them) if you prefer fresh herbs. Some people just use dill for their vegan ranch dressing, but I think chives really add to that ranch flavor.
How to Make Silken Tofu Ranch Dressing
- Blend the base: Add the silken tofu, lemon juice, miso paste, nutritional yeast, granulated onion, and granulated garlic to the the blender. Blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust: Now is the best time to adjust the flavor of the base. Is it salty enough? If not, add a teaspoon of miso (or a quarter teaspoon of salt). Is it acidic enough? If not, add a tablespoon of lemon juice. Blend again and taste again. Adjust until you are happy with it.
- Add the herbs: Add the dried herbs (or chopped fresh herbs, if using). Pulse or blend on a low speed for 4-8 seconds until the herbs are fully mixed in but not pulverized.
- Store: Pour into a jar or airtight container and refrigerate your silken tofu ranch dressing for up to 5 days. It can be used right away, but if you want it to be cold, refrigerate it for at least 2-3 hours before using.
Expert Tips
- Thickens in the fridge: Because of the nature of tofu, silken tofu dressing recipes can thicken while in the fridge. To thin your silken tofu ranch dressing, add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice, plain unsweetened non-dairy milk (any), or water and stir (or place on an airtight lid and shake briefly).
- Fresh herbs vs dried: Fresh herbs add a brighter flavor to this recipe, but I usually don’t have them on hand (and I make this oil-free ranch dressing a lot!). If using fresh herbs, you need a bit more than with dried. I’d start with 2-3 tablespoons chopped dill and 2-3 tablespoons chopped chives. Pulse or blend them in on the lowest speed for a few seconds and taste.
- Add some richness: Is the silken tofu base too light for your tastes? Add 1-2 tablespoons soaked raw cashews, soaked raw sunflower seeds, or hulled hemp seeds to the blender in Step 1. This will also make the vegan ranch dressing thicker, so you might need to follow it up with a tablespoon of plain unsweetened non-dairy milk or water.
Serving Suggestions
Well, the first suggestion is salad, of course! This silken tofu ranch dressing goes well with any salad. It would be perfect on any of the salads on my site such as my Kale Sweet Potato Salad, Kale Salad with Blueberries and Grapes, or use it instead of the provided dressing in my Healthy Plant Based Broccoli Salad.
You can also use this nut-free vegan ranch dressing as the sauce in Oil-Free Pasta Salad, Whole Food Plant Based Potato Salad, or drizzled on any bowl containing plant foods like cooked or raw veggies, potatoes or sweet potatoes, cooked whole grains, pasta, and more.
Also, try dipping raw veggies such as cucumber, bell pepper, carrots, celery, radishes, etc. in this whole food plant based ranch dressing!
More Healthy and Delicious Plant Based Recipes to Try
- Healthy Chickpea Tuna Salad
- Pizza Hummus
- Creamy Mushroom Stroganoff
- Classic Oil-Free Hummus
- Golden Beet Beans and Greens
- Spinach Artichoke Hummus
- Plant Based Burrito Bowl
- Beet Hummus
- Butter Bean Scramble
- Hummus Veggie Sandwich
- Butter Bean Hummus
- Bell Pepper Nachos with Edamame Guacamole and Plant Based Nacho Cheese Sauce
Silken Tofu Ranch Dressing
Equipment
- 1 Blender or a food processor may be used, but how smooth it gets depends on the strength of your machine
- 1 Blender spatula not necessary, just makes it easier to get all of that vegan ranch goodness out of the blender!
Ingredients
- 16 Ounces Silken Tofu, see Notes section below for substitutions
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice, fresh is best but bottled is fine
- 1 Tablespoon White or Yellow Miso Paste, see Notes section below for substitutions
- 2 Tablespoons Nutritional Yeast, optional
- 1 Teaspoon Granulated Onion
- 1 Teaspoon Granulated Garlic
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Chives, or use 2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Dill, or use 2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped dill leaves
Instructions
- Blend the base: Add the silken tofu, lemon juice, miso paste, nutritional yeast, granulated onion, and granulated garlic to the the blender. Blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust: Now is the best time to adjust the flavor of the base. Is it salty enough? If not, add a teaspoon of miso (or a quarter teaspoon of salt). Is it acidic enough? If not, add a tablespoon of lemon juice. Blend again and taste again. Adjust until you are happy with it.
- Add the herbs: Add the dried herbs (or chopped fresh herbs, if using). Pulse or blend on a low speed for 4-8 seconds until the herbs are fully mixed in but not pulverized.
- Store: Pour into a jar or airtight container and refrigerate your silken tofu ranch dressing for up to 5 days. It can be used right away, but if you want it to be cold, refrigerate it for at least 2-3 hours before using.
Notes
- Silken Tofu: This recipe calls for 16 ounces silken tofu. You can find 16-ounce packages of silken tofu in the refrigerator section at your local grocery store, that’s where I buy mine even in my little town that has almost nothing. But if you can only buy your silken tofu in the shelf-stable 12-ounce aseptic containers, you can either use 1 + ¼ of those, or just use one pack and add 2-4 tablespoons of soaked raw cashews, soaked raw sunflower seeds, cooked white beans, or dehydrated potato flakes.
- To Substitute the Silken Tofu: If you can only find soft or regular tofu (don’t use firm), you can use this and just add a little plain unsweetened non-dairy milk (just enough to blend). If you don’t want to use tofu at all, you can do 1+½ cups drained and rinsed canned (or cooked from dried) white beans, or 1 cup of either soaked raw cashews or soaked raw sunflower seeds (and you will need water or plain unsweetened non-dairy milk to blend, and how much depends on how long you soaked them so start with equal parts nuts/seeds and liquid and adjust from there.
- Yellow or White Miso Paste:This is to replace the salt in the recipe, but I also love the little hint of umami flavors. Per Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org, the soy in miso has a protective effect so the sodium in miso paste will not affect us negatively. If you’re fine eating salt (or if you eat the potassium chloride salt substitute) you can go ahead and use that. If you are totally avoiding added sodium, you can leave it out.
- Thickens in the fridge: Because of the nature of tofu, silken tofu dressing recipes can thicken while in the fridge. To thin your silken tofu ranch dressing, add a tablespoon or two of lemon juice, plain unsweetened non-dairy milk (any), or water and stir (or place on an airtight lid and shake briefly).
