Paleo Ranch Dressing

This Paleo Ranch Dressing is rich, creamy, dairy-free, and perfect for salads! It’s also an ideal meal prep addition because it will last through the workweek!

It’s possible I’m a little over-the-top excited about today’s Paleo Ranch Dressing. If you are able to bear with me though this post, may the stars shine upon your patience. Because why a person even gets super-excited about a dressing is beyond me. 

Except that today it IS me.

I’m a salad freak. Except that I don’t love salads exclusively for their health benefits, especially since Mom and I didn’t exactly make the healthiest salads when I was growing up. Three cheeses, two types of olives, spoonfuls of heavy dressing, handfuls of bacon, and several pepperonis later, we had a salad. And that’s not an exaggeration. We really didn’t know much about nutritional balance or portion control. But we did love the idea of a salad and all the flavors that came with it.

The truth is I love salads for their crunchiness. If I could crunch-munch for every meal, I probably would. Yet salads without dressings just aren’t my thing. And I love dry salads about as much as I love dry cookies. Which is to say I don’t like dry salads or dry cookies. But to complicate matters further, I don’t love soggy salads either. So what’s a picky salad freak to do?

Perfect the salad dressing. 

And, friends, this Paleo Ranch Dressing recipe fits the bill. You don’t have to add large amounts to your salad to savor the flavor. Little bits here and there will do just fine. I don’t typically like ranch dressing on my salads because it feels heavy and gloppy, interfering with my crunch-munch ratio. 😂 But I LOVE this recipe specifically because it adds a little zing to my salad and because I don’t have to add much to get the taste I want. If you happen to LOVE dressing on your salads, then this recipe still works. It fits in wherever you need it to.

Adding a twist to a traditional salad dressing recipe, Paleo Ranch Dressing is brought to you by olive oil, full-fat coconut milk (I use only the cream portion to get the flavor and consistency I want), dry mustard, and dill, to name a few ingredients. For a truly paleo dressing, make sure to select a coconut milk that also happens to be paleo-friendly. If you’d like to learn more about different types of coconut milk, then you might like Healthy Eater’s post, Coconut Milk: Brands to Choose, Brands to Avoid. 

So, if you’re in the mood for some Paleo Ranch Dressing, then let’s dive in and make a batch!

In case you need a few additional reasons to love this recipe, Paleo Ranch Dressing isn’t hard to make, and it’s ready in minutes. I don’t know about you, but I’m more likely to stick with my meal plan if I can get to it quickly. It also harkens back to the flavors you’ll find in Paleo Tzatziki Sauce. If that’s a recipe that trips your trigger, then you might find Paleo Ranch Dressing is another recipe to add to your repertoire.

INGREDIENTS FOR PALEO RANCH DRESSING:

Ingredients for Paleo Ranch Dressing are straightforward and typically easy to find online or in most grocery stores. 

• One egg, lemon juice, sea salt, dry mustard, and olive oil. These ingredients make up a paleo mayo that is used as the base for Paleo Ranch Dressing.
• Full-fat coconut milk, onion salt (or powder), garlic powder, dill weed, and pepper. These ingredients make up the “ranch” portion of the dressing and take it to next-level deliciousness!

HOW TO MAKE PALEO RANCH DRESSING:

There are two phases in the process of making Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing. First, there’s the base, followed by the “ranch” mix-ins that give it its distinct flavor. While the steps happen one right after the other, it’s helpful to have a blender for the first step and a mixing bowl and whisk for the second step.

1. Let the egg sit at room temperature for about an hour. Then add the egg and lemon juice to a high-speed blender and blend on high until evenly mixed.  
2. While the blender is running, add sea salt, dry mustard, and olive oil. Continue blending until all ingredients have blended together.  
3. Transfer mixture from the blender to a mixing bowl and add the coconut milk, onion powder, garlic powder, and dill. Whisk until ingredients are mixed.
4. Store dressing in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.

BEST PRACTICES FOR PALEO RANCH DRESSING:

To get the most out of your Paleo Ranch Dressing recipe, check out the tips below!

• To get a thick, creamy consistency, I chill a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight (don’t shake it) and then skim the cream off the top, leaving the oil at the bottom of the can.
• Add seasonings in small increments. When adding the onion salt (or powder) and the garlic powder, add them in increments of about 1/4 teaspoon, until you reach the desired flavor. A little bit goes a long way.
• If you over-season your batch, then add a little extra coconut cream or dill. Those two ingredients will help offset a batch that may have too much onion or garlic seasoning in it.
• Olive oil has a distinct taste. For a more neutral flavor, you can work with light olive oil instead or work with avocado oil.

And now you have an out-of-this-world delicious, versatile paleo salad dressing that just fits right in with your salad plans! If you’re looking for additional salad dressing recipe inspiration, then you might like these recipes, too!

• Lemon Celery Seed Dressing
• Homemade Italian Salad Dressing

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