Avocado Ranch Dressing
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Avocado ranch dressing embodies everything you love about regular ranch but with a healthier, creamy twist! It's refreshing, vibrant, and herbaceous, using avocado instead of dairy to create a luscious creaminess while being healthier for you. It takes just minutes to whip up and can be used as a salad dressing, dip, or sauce!
For a herbaceous avocado-based dressing, make this avocado pesto salad dressing next!
Ranch is classic for a reason: it's refreshing and cooling, full of fresh and invigorating flavor, and super easy to make. If you want to keep things light, enjoy this dairy-free ranch that uses avocado to achieve a velvety, creamy consistency. This avocado ranch dressing recipe will have you scraping the jar for more!
Using avocado in place of dairy keeps it lighter, making it suitable for those eating a dairy-free or paleo, keto, or gluten-free diet ā you can also make it vegan by using vegan mayonnaise. Avocados also have numerous health benefits ā they contain healthy, nourishing fats and fiber, and are full of vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients notes
There are no hard to pronounce ingredients here! This avocado ranch dressing uses just a handful of fresh and wholesome items ā this is what you need:
- Avocado: Using creamy avocado omits the need for heavy dairy in this ranch!
- Other ingredients: mayonnaise, parsley, lemon juice, fresh dill, green onion, water, salt, and pepper.
How to make avocado ranch dressing
Whizzing this dressing together is a breeze in your blender! It only takes a few minutes to throw everything together and push a button ā this is how it's done:
- Blend: Pop the ingredients in your blender and whizz until smooth, adding water until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Meld and serve: Set it aside to let the flavors develop for 15 minutes, then enjoy!
Variations
This homemade avocado ranch dressing is super versatile, so you can adjust the flavors depending on your taste preferences or what you're serving it with. Here are some suggestions:
- Herbs:Ā Exaggerate or play with the herby flavor by blending in additional fresh herbs ā chives, parsley, or cilantro all taste great. If you don't have fresh herbs, dried herbs can work, too.
- Avocado lime ranch: For a zesty twist, make an avocado lime ranch dressing by subbing the citrus. Simply use lime juice in place of the lemon juice.
- Garlic:Ā Mince up some garlic and add it to the blender to deepen the savory profile ā keep in mind that raw garlic is a little bit more pungent than when it's cooked.
- Spicy kick: Blend in some jalapenos for a little tingly heat if you would like a spicy avocado ranch dressing!
- Spices: A pinch of paprika or chipotle will add a hint of smokiness, use garlic powder, or some cumin for warmth.
How to select ripe avocados
The secret to a deliciously creamy avocado ranch dressing is ensuring your avocados are of high quality and perfect ripeness! There are a few tips and tricks to this ā look for these things:
- Color: Ripe avocados have a darker skin ā it's a dark green, almost black color. Look for ones that have this hue.
- Touch: Hold your avocado and gently apply pressure with your thumb. It should give in just a little bit, without being too mushy or feeling hollow.
- Stem: Remove the little stem to see underneath it ā if it's green, you're good to go! If it's brown, the avocado's best days are behind it.
- Weight: You want your avocado to feel heavy for its size, which is a sign that the creamy fleshy part is well developed.
If you've done all of this and you still can't find a ripe avocado, you can use a little trick to help underripe avocados develop into ranch-dressing-ready ones! Simply pop the avocados in a paper bag with an apple or banana, close the bag, and set it on your counter. The fruit releases ethylene gas that helps the avocado's ripening process.
How to use avocado ranch dressing
Use this delicious avocado ranch dressing any way you'd use regular ranch: it's so versatile, you can enjoy it as a dip for finger foods, in wraps or sandwiches, or on salads. Here are some of our favorite ways to use it:
- Healthy snack: Use it to dunk in your favorite veggies, like sticks of carrots or cucumbers for a healthy snack.
- Finger foods: Dunk carrot fries, sweet potato wedges, fried chicken bites, cauliflower bites, or baked chicken nuggets.
- Sandwiches, burgers, and wraps: On this cauliflower burger, on baja fish tacos or buffalo chicken tacos, or in swiss chard wraps.
- Salads: Pour some over salads, like this grilled buffalo chicken salad (pictured below) or a loaded baked potato salad.
- Pizza: Drizzle some avocado ranch over a pizza loaded with your favorite toppings for a refreshing and creamy finish.
- Other: Honestly, put it onĀ anything!Ā On a baked potato, over corn salsa, nachos, burrito bowls, or just eat it straight from the spoonā¦ trust us on this. We've tried it!
Recipe FAQs
How do I store avocado ranch dressing?
Store this in an airtight jar, like a mason jar, or a container with the lid on. It will keep for 4-5 days in your fridge.
Can I make avocado ranch dressing vegan?
Sure thing ā just use vegan mayonnaise in place of the regular mayonnaise and you've got yourself a delicious vegan ranch dressing.
How do I cut an avocado?
To cut an avocado, hold it in your hand and carefully cut through the avocado skin at the top of the avocado. Now turn the avocado so that the knife cuts all the way around to the other side. Once you've cut the avocado skin, hold the two halves and twist them apart. To remove the pit, tap it with the heel of your knife (the part of the blade that is closest to the handle) and it should dig into the pit just enough for you to pull out the pit.
Avocado Ranch Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 large avocado
- Ā¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon fresh dill
- 1 sprig green onion (green part only)
- A generous pinch of salt and pepper
- Ā¾ ā 1 cup water (start with Ā¾ cup)
Instructions
- Add all the avocado ranch dressing to a blender and blend until smooth. Add more water if you would like a thinner dressing.1 large avocado, Ā¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon parsley, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon fresh dill, 1 sprig green onion, A generous pinch of salt and pepper, Ā¾ ā 1 cup water
- Preferrably, set the dressing aside to let the flavors meld for 15 minutes.
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our salad recipes!