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Dairy-free ranch seasoning is the perfect way to add a flavorful, herby kick to any meal! This easy dry mix recipe is ready in minutes.
Growing up with food allergies, I never had ranch dressing, but my sister loved it! It was a snack staple at our house for carrots and pretzels.
So, when Hidden Valley came out with their plant-powered ranch, I was so excited to try it!
While it's convenient to buy vegan ranch dressing at the grocery store, there is something about homemade ranch seasoning that hits the spot.
You'll love the fresh flavors and the ability to adjust the amount of homemade ranch seasoning mix in your ranch dressing. I think this copycat recipe tastes even better than Hidden Valley ranch packets you can buy from the store!
Plus, this seasoning mix comes together in seconds… or however long it takes for you to measure a handful of spices.
My favorite way to enjoy this ranch seasoning mix is to sprinkle it on avocado toast, popcorn, or air fryer peas for an added flavor boost!
Of course, you can also make the best vegan ranch dressing or oil-free avocado ranch with it!
Here are some other reasons why you will love this vegan ranch seasoning mix:
- It is allergy-friendly because it is dairy-free, egg-free, gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free!
- You most likely already have all the ingredients to make it in your spice rack.
- There is no buttermilk or milk powder, just simple ingredients to make a delicious seasoning blend!
- It is cheaper than a store-bought ranch packet. Plus, it has no preservatives, sugar, or artificial flavor.
Ranch Seasoning Ingredients
You will need these simple ingredients to make dairy-free ranch seasoning mix:
- Parsley Flakes, Dill, and Chives - These are essential for this seasoning blend. Don’t skip out on these, or else that classic ranch flavor may be lacking! They give an aromatic and herbaceous quality to the seasoning mix.
- Tarragon (optional) - For added tang. If you are not a fan, you can omit it.
- Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, and Onion Flakes - Gives a distinct zingy flavor to the ranch. The sweet and savory flavor of onion balances the powerful hit from the garlic.
- Garlic powder is more potent than onion powder. Do not swap onion for more garlic.
- Use dried granulated garlic and onion, not the fine, flour-like powder.
- The onion flakes or dried minced onion freshen the flavor.
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper - Just a touch of these classic seasonings help to round out the blend!
Check the expiration date on your dried herbs and spices for the best results! Spices lose flavor over time, especially when they are not stored properly.
Please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and detailed instructions.
Can I Use Fresh Herbs?
This recipe works great with dried, fresh, or a mix of both, depending on what you have on hand.
Dried herbs result in a super quick and easy recipe since they are all things you most likely already have. Fresh herbs elevate your seasoning mix and would work great when coasting vegetables or chickpeas before roasting.
If using fresh herbs, make sure to convert the amount! Here’s how to do it:
- For every 1 teaspoon of dried herbs, use 1 tablespoon of fresh. In case you didn’t know, that would be 3 teaspoons!
- To ensure proper conversion, measure finely chopped fresh herbs.
Dried herbs are more concentrated and thus pack more of a punch with a smaller amount. That’s why you can use ⅓ less of the amount!
Fun Ranch Seasoning History
Dried herbs are what give ranch seasoning its classic flavor. This is how the inventor, Steve Henson, originally made it in 1949!
Henson briefly worked in Anchorage, Alaska as a construction worker and an occasional cook for the crew. Fresh herbs and perishables like dairy were hard to come by. Henson’s invention was a necessity to please the other workers!
Henson later moved to a ranch in California which he named Hidden Valley. He distributed ranch packets for people to mix with mayonnaise, buttermilk, or even sour cream. And you can do the same thing with this non-dairy ranch seasoning mix!
Ways to Customize
Here are some ways to customize your dairy-free ranch seasoning mix:
- Make it spicy - Add cayenne if you’re looking for extra heat! Start with just ¼ teaspoon, then add more depending on your heat tolerance.
- Make it cheesy - Add nutritional yeast for a slightly cheesy and umami flavor. This also gives the mix give an even more savory feel.
- Make it fresh - Swap dried herbs for freshly chopped herbs. Swap the garlic powder for fresh crushed garlic for an extra zingy flavor.
Ways to Use
There are so many great ways to use dairy-free ranch seasoning blend. Here are just a few ideas:
- One of the best ways to use this seasoning is to make vegan ranch dressing or oil-free avocado ranch dressing!
- Both make a delicious salad dressing or dip for french fries.
- Sprinkle the dry mix on top of popcorn, sweet potato fries, or avocado toast.
- Add a kick to your pizza crust by adding the dry seasoning to the dough!
- Stir ranch seasoning with mashed cauliflower or mashed potatoes for an extra flavorful kick.
- Use it in chickpea salad for a delicious herbaceous flavor.
Storage
Store non-dairy ranch seasoning like any other spice mix! Keep the ranch blend in a cool, dry place in a mason jar or other airtight container.
Try storing the dry mix in an old spice container. That way, you can shake some out like your other spices! Just give the container a good shake to ensure an even distribution of the spice blend.
I like to make a big batch that I can always keep on hand for when I want to make ranch dip. Just sprinkling it on a meal can add so much flavor!
FAQ
Hidden Valley ranch seasoning packets generally contain 3 things: herbs, alliums, and buttermilk powder. Ranch packets also usually have a lot of additives and fillers to preserve the mix.
This recipe doesn’t replace buttermilk powder, the main reason traditional ranch seasoning packets aren’t vegan. It makes it much simpler just to use spices you already have.
Herbs and alliums combine to create a delicious ranch seasoning blend without dairy! The buttermilk powder and other additives dilute the seasoning. Removing the additives means you don’t have to use as much of the mix for ranch dressing or sprinkling it on a meal.
Italian dressing mix is similar to ranch but stronger and more intense. It also has slightly different variations of herbs, usually adding basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and marjoram.
If you don’t have all the spices needed for this recipe, you can always make a twist on ranch seasoning with what you already have.
Did you make this recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Dairy-Free Ranch Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon optional
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder granulated garlic not fine powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder granulated onion, not fine powder
- 1 teaspoon dried onion flakes dried minced onion
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and store in an air-tight container. Sprinkle on popcorn, avocado toast, or make ranch dressing!
Leslie Loehrer says
Does this make the equivalent to 1 package of Hidden Valley ranch seasoning?
Sarah Pilley says
Hi Leslie! That's a great question... it's difficult to say because the Hidden Valley packets have filler ingredients in them such as the buttermilk and maltodextrin. So the actual amount of spices in the store-bought mix is not as concentrated when compared to this seasoning mix, which is just the spices. It looks like most Hidden Valley packets have 3 tablespoons of mix. I'd estimate you could probably use half or even a third of this recipe.