Paleo Ranch Dressing & Dip

paleo-ranch-dressing-&-dip

Calling all ranch lovers! This Paleo Ranch Dressing Recipe is creamy, dreamy, and dairy-free. Making a batch will be the best 5 minutes you spend this week. Stir it together and just watch those salads and veggies disappear when they get drizzled or dipped into this delicious homemade dairy-free ranch dressing made with simple real-food ingredients right out of the pantry.

This recipe was originally published on May 31, 2016; Updated on May 27, 2021.

Creamy ranch dressing in a glass bowl with a gold spoon taking a scoop out

An Easy Recipe for Paleo Ranch Dressing and Whole30 Ranch Dressing

This is a Dairy-Free, Paleo, Whole30 Ranch that’s easy to make and perfect for veggie dipping, drizzling on a bed of greens, or as a dipper for all of your favorite dip-needing foods.

Our quick recipe makes it easy for you to say goodbye to highly-processed ranch dressings made with unpronounceable ingredients and cheap, inflammatory oils. Once you make it, you’ll be saying hello creamy, dreamy, homemade ranch made with fresh, real-food ingredients. With just a few ingredients and less than 5 minutes of your time, you’ll want to print and hold on to this paleo ranch dressing recipe forever. We’ve combined mayo, coconut milk, and a blend of dried herbs to create the iconic ranch flavor that so many love.

Close up view of creamy Paleo ranch dressing in a small bowl surrounded with freshly cut veggies

Ingredients to Make Paleo Ranch Dressing & Substitutions

  • Mayonnaise – use homemade or purchased; we love the Primal Kitchen avocado oil mayonnaise, which doesn’t contain any inflammatory oils and tastes great. You can also use vegan mayonnaise (which doesn’t contain eggs) if you want a vegan ranch recipe
  • Canned coconut milk – use full-fat coconut milk (here’s one we love from Thrive Market) to create the perfect ranch dressing consistency. This is what makes this recipe so creamy and you’d never guess it’s dairy-free. We don’t recommend other types of non-dairy milk, as they make a thinner consistency and can affect the taste
  • Dried parsley – can substitute 1 tablespoon fresh parsley for the 1 teaspoon dried parsley. If using fresh, mince the parsley super fine, or blend everything in a small food processor
  • Dried dill – can substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill for the 1/2 teaspoon dried dill. If using fresh, mince the dill super fine, or blend everything in a small food processor
  • Garlic powder – get a great deal on organic garlic powder from Thrive Market
  • Onion powder – and get a great deal on onion powder and many other organic dried herbs and spices from Thrive Market
  • Dried chives – we love the addition of dried chives, but this ingredient is optional if you don’t have any on hand
  • Sea salt – once mixed together, taste and add more salt, if desired
  • Ground black pepper – helps round out and complete the iconic ranch flavor

A Primal Kitchen Deal for You: For an incredible deal on our favorite Primal Kitchen Foods products, click here.

A Thrive Market Deal for You: For organic pantry staples like coconut milk or dried spices and herbs, you can’t beat the prices at Thrive Market. If you’re not a Thrive Market shopper, use our link to sign up and get a free gift valued at $24.

Overhead view of spices for paleo ranch dressing in a small speckled bowl sitting on a wooden coaster.

How to Make Paleo Ranch Dressing

This is one of those recipes where you measure everything out and then dump it in a bowl to mix together. No cooking required. Easy, peasy paleo ranch for all to love! If you have a lot of ranch lovers in your home (like we do), we recommend making a double batch. This recipe makes about 1 cup.

Paleo ranch dressing in a clear glass bowl sitting on a small speckled plate with fresh herbs scattered around.

Tips to Make Perfect Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing Every Time

Full-fat coconut milk is the secret ingredient that makes this paleo ranch dip recipe so creamy and thick, and it doesn’t even taste like coconut. Be sure to shake the can really well before opening since the fat solids and coconut water can separate (this is normal). If you already have the can open, just use a spoon or whisk to mix it all together before combining the coconut milk with the mayonnaise and dried herbs.

Are coconuts a nut?

You’ll see that this recipe is listed as nut-free, which may be confusing if you consider coconuts to be a nut. Many people think that a coconut is a nut, especially since the word coconut has “nut” in its name. And from a culinary standpoint, many people consider coconuts to be a nut, but it is not really a true nut. Coconuts are technically a type of fruit called a drupe. Coconuts don’t have the same proteins that people who are allergic to true tree nuts (like almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, pecans, and more) react to. While some people who have a severe tree nut allergy may also be sensitive to coconuts, most people who have a tree nut allergy can safely eat coconuts. If you’re interested, you can read more here about coconuts and their true classification as a drupe.

Yogurt-based Health Homemade Ranch Dressing

Don’t need a dairy-free ranch dressing? Or don’t want to use coconut milk? We have another delicious recipe for Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing that has a base of yogurt and sour cream. Check it out here.

A platter filled with brightly colored veggies displayed around a small bowl of Paleo ranch dressing, topped with fresh dill

6 Ways to Enjoy Paleo Ranch Dressing

This Paleo Ranch Dressing is our go-to to add that finishing flavor pop to recipes and just to make veggie dipping that much better! The good fats in this homemade dairy-free dressing make it easier for you to absorb all the nutrients in fresh produce. That’s a nutrition win-win!

A fresh cucumber spear being dipped into a bowl of creamy homemade ranch dressing.

How to Store Homemade Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing

Store the paleo ranch dressing recipe in a covered mason jar or other covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can easily double the batch if ranch goes as fast in your home as it does in ours!

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Let’s Get Cookin’

Paleo Ranch Dressing & Dip

This creamy, dreamy, dairy-free ranch dressing is the real deal! One taste and you’ll see why it’s our go-to for drizzling over salads, serving with fresh veggies, and as a dipper for all things!

  • Author: The Real Food Dietitians
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 5 mins
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Dressing & Dip

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (homemade or purchased)*
  • 1/41/3 cup full-fat canned coconut milk (shake or stir well before using)
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried chives (optional)
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt (plus more to taste)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy.
  2. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  3. Store in a covered container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

* To make vegan ranch, use vegan mayonnaise that doesn’t contain eggs.

You can use fresh herbs in place of the dried herbs, if you’d like. We call for dried herbs so you can easily make this recipe year-round. To use fresh herbs, use 1 tablespoon fresh parsley and 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill, and mince them super fine, or use a mini food processor to blend everything.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
  • Calories: 109
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Sodium: 200 mg
  • Fat: 12 g
  • Saturated Fat: 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 1 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 0 g
  • Cholesterol: 6 mg

Pin It Now, Make It Later!

A collage of paleo ranch dressing photos


All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

About Stacie Hassing

Stacie is a Licensed and Registered Dietitian from rural southern Minnesota where she, her husband and daughter reside with their two pups. She’s a co-founder of The Real Food RDs and content creator of simple and wholesome recipes. She loves all kinds of fitness and has a passion to inspire as many as she can live a healthier and happier life both in and out of the kitchen – the driving force behind the co-development of the The Real Food RDs brand.

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