In case you haven’t noticed, ranch dressing is extremely popular in America. I’ve seen it on salads, as a veggie dip, on pizza, and even poured on spaghetti. For a dietitian (or just anyone who is health conscious), this is not a pretty sight. Ranch dressing contains buttermilk (saturated fat and cholesterol), as well as a laundry list of preservatives and oils. If you try to avoid purchasing the bottle by buying the ranch seasoning packet, you get a lot of MSG (monosodium glutamate), a neurotoxic flavor enhancer that is potentially dangerous.
What we love about ranch is not the chemicals or the dairy, but rather the combination of seasonings — onion, garlic, dill, salt — and the creamy texture. So why not make a dip that includes these things but excludes the bad ingredients?
This avocado ranch dip makes an excellent dip for fresh veggies (kid friendly!), homemade potato chips, and my oven fried pickles! You can also add water gradually to thin it and turn it into a salad dressing. I guarantee that if you like traditional ranch dip, you will also love this nutritious version!
Avocado Ranch Dip (Dairy-free)
Ingredients:
- 2 small avocados (or one large), flesh only
- 3 T. lemon juice
- 1 1/2 t. dried dill (aka, dill weed)
- 1/2 t. fine sea salt
- 1 t. garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
- 1/2 t. onion powder
- 2 T. vegan mayo (optional)
- 1/2 t. dried parsley
- Pinch black pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor until creamy. Add more salt to taste. If making ranch dressing, add water 1-2 Tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Store covered in the refrigerator up to two days.
Shown as a dip for my oven fried pickles
Lately I’ve been into making guacamole and avocado pesto, but this ranch sounds like it would be amazing! 🙂 I’ll be the parsley and dill really complete it.
It’s great! I just demolished a plate of raw veggies with the avocado ranch and hummus. Lunch! 🙂