Creamy 10-Minute Cilantro Ranch (Dairy Free!)

Creamy and bright, this cilantro ranch makes the yummiest salad dressing, dip, or condiment for rice bowls or tacos alike! It comes together in about 10 minutes in a blender or food processor with mayonnaise, fresh cilantro, zippy lime juice, jalapeño (optional, for a little heat!), and some dried spices. Drizzly and delicious, and sure to bolster the flavor of any meal you add it to!

Creamy 10-Minute Cilantro Ranch: From dipping to drizzling, this easy homemade condiment is bursting with fresh flavor!

Good salad dressings and sauces are the upper hand that every kitchen needs! I wholeheartedly believe this.

There’s something so *magical* about a good sauce that can make a simple meal really special. It can tie all the other flavors together while also elevating the dish from good to great.

And this cilantro ranch is a sauce that checks all of those boxes.

I wanted it to have a ton of zesty cilantro flavor and a bit of a kick from the garlic, jalapeño, and lime juice so that the boldness of those ingredients would contrast perfectly with the creaminess from the mayonnaise and dairy-free milk.

So while a whole cup of fresh cilantro might sound like a lot, it truly lands on the perfect amount of flavor and freshness that makes this such a stand-out condiment.

I tested it with less, and it just didn’t have the same delicious & spunky vibe that I was after!

You can just tell from the bright green color that this sauce boasts A LOT of flavor.

It’s just as yummy drizzled on a salad as it is with rice bowls, tacos, or as a dip for fresh cut veggies. You could even use it as a dressing for your favorite southwest-inspired slaw!

✨ If you love a delightful dairy-free homemade sauce as much as we do, be sure to check out our recipes for Herby Green Goddess Dressing, 5-Minute Garlic Herb Aioli, Mayo-Free Cashew Cream Ranch, Classic Dairy Free Ranch, & Everything Bagel Spice Ranch!

Ingredient highlights

Mayonnaise & dairy free milk

You’ll use mayo in combination with a little dairy free milk instead of sour cream and/or buttermilk.

It provides the same creamy texture and zingy flavor without any dairy!

Lots of fresh cilantro

When testing this recipe, I didn’t want there to be any question that this was a cilantro ranch once you tasted it! So you’ll use one full cup of fresh cilantro. It can be roughly chopped, since it’s going to be processed in the blender or food processor anyway.

You can use both the leaves and the smaller, tender stems.

Fresh lime juice

Fresh lime juice is always superior to bottled, IMO. The flavor is just, well, more lime-y and bright!

Jalapeño

Jalapeño is optional. Obviously you can leave it out if you don’t like spicy foods.

The amount of spice that you’ll get from what’s called for in the recipe will vary on the pepper that you use, but 1/2 a small jalapeño shouldn’t make it overly spicy. Although some jalapeños are just spicier than others!

Feel free to cut down on the amount according to your preference, but I love the kick that it adds to the sauce.

How to make dairy free cilantro ranch

🌿 All you need to make this sauce is a cutting board, some measuring cups & spoons, and a food processor or blender. It comes together in 10 minutes or less!

A note on blender containers

I have two Vitamix blenders. One is the low profile, wider style, and the other is the more traditional tall + skinny blender container (like you see in the photos below).

I always find that when blending up smaller amounts of ingredients for a sauce like this that the tall and narrow container does a much better job at properly incorporating the ingredients together.

If all you have is the wide style container, I’d recommend using a food processor instead if that option is available to you! A small personal size blender would also work well.

👉🏼 You can easily modify the texture and thickness of this ranch based on your preference and how you’re planning to serve it – it’s so versatile! For a thicker sauce, all you have to do is give it a little time in the refrigerator,as it will thicken up quite a bit once nice and cold. You could also start with less dairy free milk, although you need to make sure you have enough for it to blend properly. And for a thinner sauce that’s perfect for drizzling, just add a little more milk until you reach your desired texture.

Serving suggestions

You could use this cilantro ranch for everything from a salad to a sauce to serve alongside some grilled protein.

It’s delicious drizzled over our BBQ Chicken Rice Bowls, and would make an excellent dip for a fresh veggie platter or Crispy Buffalo Chicken Wings!

It should keep in the refrigerator for 5-6 days.

If you enjoyed this dairy free ranch we’d love it if you would take a moment to rate and review it below! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 It’s also a good place for questions, and super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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