There’s nothing like a cool, home-made, herbal, creamy ranch dressing to accompany a crisp salad, fresh veggie platter, entree, sandwich, wrap, or appetizer recipe. And you can whip up a batch of my Vegan Ranch Dressing just as easily as you can a non-vegan recipe. Based on a few essential ingredients—light vegan mayo, plant-based milk, vinegar, garlic, and fresh herbs—this 5-ingredient recipe (not including pantry staples) is a cinch. Just mix it up in a small bowl, and you’re ready to go. I love to utilize my herb garden for making this ranch dressing, which calls upon freshly chopped herbs of your choice. In the summer, I turn to basil, oregano, tarragon, rosemary, thyme, and chives, and in the winter I turn to cooler weather herbs, like dill, cilantro, and parsley.
You can change the flavor profile of this dressing based on the herbs you add, too. If you favor a more Latin profile, try cilantro and oregano; for a Mediterranean flavor, try basil, oregano, and rosemary; a French twist can be encouraged with tarragon, parsley, and thyme; and for a Scandinavian flair, try dill, parsley and tarragon. If you haven’t tried growing your own herbs, I encourage you to give it a try. It’s one way you can grow a bit of your own food, even if you don’t have access to digging in the soil outdoors. You can try growing an herb pot in a sunny kitchen window, on your doorstep, or balcony. Not only will it flavor your favorite foods with fresh, herbal tastes, it will be a lovely accent to your home.