Creamy and loaded with fresh onion and garlic flavor, this vegan ranch dressing tastes shockingly similar to the real thing. Made with raw but unsoaked cashews, it comes together in seconds, and after a brief chill in the fridge, it’s ready for all of your veggie dipping and salad needs!
My friend Gena Hamshaw, who writes the blog The Full Helping , introduced me to the wonders of cashew cream several years ago. She was visiting for the weekend, and one night, while I prepared our chickpea taco bowls for dinner, she soaked a few cups of cashews in water. Just before serving, she drained them, and then blitzed them in a blender with water, salt, and fresh lemon juice.
In seconds, the nuts transformed into a silky smooth, bright white emulsion, which we then drizzled over our bowls. There was neither sour cream nor cheese on the table that evening, and I didn’t miss either, the cashew cream lending all the tang, richness, and creaminess the dairy would have provided.
Gena describes cashew cream as a “secret weapon” recipe she wishes she could share with anyone “who’s nervous about giving up dairy,” and as I spooned more of the cashew cream over my chickpeas as I ate, I understood why: nothing about it tasted like a sacrifice.
Although I am not vegan, I continue to make cashew cream and other cashew-based dressings because I so enjoy their flavor and texture. Earlier this month I used Gena’s base recipe for cashew cream and adapted it into a ranch dressing by adding garlic, tons of chives, and a small amount of olive oil.
Creamy, tangy, and loaded with allium flavor, it tastes astonishingly similar to the real thing, and it is such a treat to have on hand for raw veggies, simple salads, and — dare I say it — to serve alongside pizza . I hope you’ll agree.
Vegan Ranch Dressing, Step by Step
First, gather your ingredients:
Place all of the ingredients, except for the chives, in a high-speed blender. I’m using a Vitamix.
Blend at high speed for 1 minute.
Add the chives and blend for another 10 seconds.
Transfer to a storage jar and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Remove from the fridge, thin with water if necessary, then use as you please: as a dip for veggies or drizzled all over your favorite greens.
Description
Adapted from The Full Helping’s all-purpose cashew cream recipe .
Notes:
Salt: If you are using Morton Kosher salt or fine sea salt, use 3/4 teaspoon (or the same amount by weight.
I have only ever used a high speed blender, which makes an especially creamy dressing without having to soak the cashews. If you do not have a Vitamix or other powerful blender, consider soaking the cashews in water for at least 2 hours before making the dressing.
1 cup ( 135 g ) raw cashews
3/4 cup ( 176 g ) ice water, plus more as needed
1½ (5 g) teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, see notes above
1/4 cup ( 65 g ) fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons ( 28 g ) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 cup ( 20 g ) chives
Flaky sea salt, optional, to taste
- In a high-speed blender combine the cashews, ice water, salt, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and maple syrup. Blend at low speed for 10 seconds, then turn the blender to its highest setting and blend for another 50 seconds.
- The mixture should be completely smooth. Taste. And adjust with a pinch of flaky sea salt if necessary. Add the chives, and blend on low for another 10 seconds.
- The mixture will be slightly warm due to the intensity of the blending, and because of this, it’s difficult to accurately evaluate the flavor. Because of this, I recommend transferring it to a storage vessel and transferring it to the fridge for at least 2 hours before using. In this time, the ranch flavors will intensify and the dressing will thicken — you may want to thin the dressing with another tablespoon of water to make it a more pourable consistency before using. You may also want to add a pinch more kosher salt or flaky sea salt to taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dressing
- Method: blender
- Cuisine: American
Description
Adapted from The Full Helping’s all-purpose cashew cream recipe .
Notes:
Salt: If you are using Morton Kosher salt or fine sea salt, use 3/4 teaspoon (or the same amount by weight.
I have only ever used a high speed blender, which makes an especially creamy dressing without having to soak the cashews. If you do not have a Vitamix or other powerful blender, consider soaking the cashews in water for at least 2 hours before making the dressing.
1 cup ( 135 g ) raw cashews
3/4 cup ( 176 g ) ice water, plus more as needed
1½ (5 g) teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, see notes above
1/4 cup ( 65 g ) fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove
2 tablespoons ( 28 g ) extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 cup ( 20 g ) chives
Flaky sea salt, optional, to taste
- In a high-speed blender combine the cashews, ice water, salt, lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, and maple syrup. Blend at low speed for 10 seconds, then turn the blender to its highest setting and blend for another 50 seconds.
- The mixture should be completely smooth. Taste. And adjust with a pinch of flaky sea salt if necessary. Add the chives, and blend on low for another 10 seconds.
- The mixture will be slightly warm due to the intensity of the blending, and because of this, it’s difficult to accurately evaluate the flavor. Because of this, I recommend transferring it to a storage vessel and transferring it to the fridge for at least 2 hours before using. In this time, the ranch flavors will intensify and the dressing will thicken — you may want to thin the dressing with another tablespoon of water to make it a more pourable consistency before using. You may also want to add a pinch more kosher salt or flaky sea salt to taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dressing
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: American
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2024/01/14/vegan-ranch-dressing-cashew-no-soak/
Made with whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and rolled oats, this simple Irish brown bread comes together in no time and yields a hearty, super-tasty loaf, perfect for toasting and slathering with good Irish butter. Break out the Kerrygold!
If you Google “brown bread,” search results pull recipes ranging from black-hued breads baked in cans to light-hued brioche-like loaves baked in Pullman pans.
This traditional Irish brown recipe includes rolled oats and comes from Reader Michael in Ireland. Unlike Irish soda bread , which is made from a thick dough that can be formed before going in the oven, Irish brown bread is made with a very wet dough and requires a loaf pan or other mold. Typically, it’s made with a good amount of whole wheat flour and wheat germ.
I love this bread for many reasons, but especially for its speed and simplicity: the batter can be mixed together before the oven preheats; it smells like a savory pancake as it bakes; and it yields a super flavorful, hearty loaf perfect for slicing, toasting, and slathering with good Irish butter.
My children love this bread with their eggs for breakfast, and when it’s freshly baked, they love packing buttered slices in their lunch boxes. If you love soda bread, you will love this delicious take on the Irish quick bread. Find step-by-step instructions below.
Irish Brown Bread, Step by Step
Gather your ingredients: As noted above, I’m using a mix of Cairnspring Mills flour, but you can use any stone-milled or whole-wheat flour you like.
Measure them out, if you wish. For best results, use a scale to measure.
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl:
And whisk them together:
Whisk together the wet ingredients:
Then add them to the dry:
Stir until you have a very sticky dough/batter:
Transfer it to a buttered 8.5×4.4-inch loaf pan:
Sprinkle with oats:
Then transfer to the oven:
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes:
Let cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing:
While I wouldn’t use this bread for sandwiches, I couldn’t recommend it more for toast:
Break out the Kerrygold!
Enjoy.
Description
Made with whole wheat flour, wheat germ, and rolled oats, this simple Irish brown bread comes together in no time and yields a hearty, super-tasty loaf, perfect for toasting and slathering with good Irish butter. Break out the Kerrygold!
Recipe adapted from reader Michael — thank you!
Notes:
For best results, use a scale to measure.
Flour: I’m using 100% Cairnspring Mills stone-milled flour here. For the bread flour portion of the recipe, I used their Glacier Peak Bread Flour, and for the whole wheat flour, I used their Sequoia All-Purpose Flour. Just know that you can really use any mix of whole wheat and all-purpose or bread flour here — it’s a dense, hearty bread so many flours will work. You need 2.75 cups flour total.
Salt: If you are using Morton Kosher Salt or fine sea salt, use half as much by volume or the same amount by weight.
- 180 grams (about 1.5 cups ) bread flour, see notes above
- 165 grams (about 1.25 cups ) whole wheat flour, see notes above
- 50 grams (about 1/2 cup ) rolled oats, plus more for sprinkling
- 44 grams (about 1/2 cup ) wheat germ
- 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons ) brown sugar
- 10 grams (about 2 teaspoons ) Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, see notes above
- 5 grams (about 1 teaspoon ) baking soda
- 1 egg
- 450 grams (about 1.75 cups ) buttermilk
- 28 grams ( 2 tablespoons ) melted butter
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Butter an 8.5×4.5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to mix until you have a wet, sticky batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan. Using a wet hand, spread the batter out evenly in the pan. Sprinkle oats over the top to cover.
- Transfer to the oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out cleanly. If you have an instant-read thermometer, it should register roughly 205ºF when it’s done. Do be sure to test the loaf before removing it from the oven — once I removed it without testing, and upon cutting it, I found a pocket of un-cooked dough in the center. Err on the side of over-baking — it’s forgiving!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: American, Irish
