After I shared that I was stepping back from blogging a bit, I received so much encouragement — thank you. Admitting you need to slow down isn’t always easy, but I’m focusing on my health and working with a functional medicine doctor to better understand my issues. Fingers crossed for progress.
To ease back into recipe writing, I created a super-easy Dairy-Free Avocado Ranch Dressing that works beautifully as a salad dressing or a sauce for chicken, fish, or burgers. It’s creamy, herb-forward, and dairy-free thanks to full-fat coconut milk. And of course it includes one of my favorite ingredients — avocado — which adds richness and a silky texture.
I’ve been off dairy while I sort out my health, and finding satisfying substitutes can be a challenge. This avocado ranch is a flavorful, healthier alternative to traditional buttermilk ranch and works for vegan, paleo, or dairy-free diets. To make it quickly and smoothly, I used a hand blender to combine avocado, coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice until silky. The blender makes it effortless to reach a uniform texture in minutes.
Once blended, I folded in fresh herbs and seasonings by hand. Chives and dill contribute the classic “ranch” flavor, while garlic, oregano, and thyme round out the savory notes. The result is bright, herbaceous, and indulgently creamy without dairy. This dressing is versatile — drizzle it over a simple garden salad, use it as a burger topping, or serve it with grilled chicken or roasted vegetables.
It’s one of the easiest recipes on the blog. I tossed baby spinach, shredded carrots, tomatoes, and extra avocado together and spooned this dressing over the top. Leftovers kept in the fridge made an excellent burger sauce — we loved it that way and I’ll be sharing a burger recipe soon. Until then, enjoy!
- 1 avocado
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon thyme
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- Blend avocado, coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, and minced garlic with a hand blender or in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
- Stir in chopped chives, chopped dill, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and use within a couple of days.
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