Use the dairy-free ranch recipe to make a delicious meatless ranch pasta salad. It includes directions on how to make a dairy-free buttermilk substitute.
Navigating the buffet table at a Game Day party can be quite difficult if you are dairy-intolerant. I never realized how many dairy products ended up in Game Day recipes until trying to help my oldest son find something safe to eat at a football party. If you live in the southwest, you can often find salsa near the chips, but most of the other dips and appetizers include dairy in some form. That is why I set out to make a delicious Dairy-Free Ranch Dip that my son could enjoy.
This Dairy-Free Ranch Dip is so flavorful that even those who can have dairy enjoy it. It is perfect for dipping chips, vegetables, pizza bites, and fries. You can also use it in any recipe that calls for traditional ranch dip.
I use Silk Cashewmilk to make a dairy-free buttermilk substitute because it is thick and creamy. The thickness of the Cashewmilk makes it a great replacement for buttermilk. Cashewmilk also has a very mild flavor that is not distinguishable in the final product. Not sure where to find Silk products? Use Silk’s store locator to find Silk Dairy-Free products in a store near you.
Dairy-Free Buttermilk Substitute
Ingredients:
- ~ 1 cup Silk Cashewmilk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
- Add 1 tablespoon to a liquid measuring cup. Add enough Cashewmilk to reach the 1 cup measuring line.
- Let the Cashewmilk and lemon juice mixture sit for 10 minutes.
- Use in recipes in place of buttermilk.
I use homemade dairy-free buttermilk in a variety of recipes, but one of our favorite ways to use it is in my Dairy-Free Ranch Dip Recipe.
This dip is easy to make and comes together quickly, but it does need to be chilled for at least 2 hours before serving. You can make this dip the night before a party to make party prep easier.
Dairy-Free Ranch Dip Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Silk Cashewmilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Directions:
- Add the lemon juice to the Cashewmilk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise chives, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, ground mustard, dill, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Add the Cashewmilk to the Mayonnaise mixture and blend well.
- Refrigerate in an air-tight container for at least 2 hours before serving.
This dip keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
I love coming up with ways to sideline meat on Monday nights, but this #MeatlessMondayNight Recipe is born out of a desire to use up leftover cut vegetables and dip from a weekend party, as well as take a night off from eating meat. I combined leftover vegetables from the veggie tray with cooked pasta and then coated it with Dairy-Free Ranch Dip. It is such a scrumptious and filling meal that your family will not miss the meat! You can find more ways to Sideline Meat with Meatless Recipes from Silk here.
You can make this Ranch Pasta Salad the night before, let it chill overnight, and serve it cold for an easy Meatless Meal on Monday for dinner. Since I prep the pasta salad the night before, I don’t have any pots and pans to wash on Monday night which is nice because I would much rather spend Monday night watching football instead of washing dishes!
I should mention, you can make this delicious Ranch Pasta Salad even when you don’t have leftovers! Just chop the vegetables and make the ranch dressing while the noodles are boiling. Then combine the ingredients and let it chill for a couple hours before serving.
Ranch Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 lb rotini noodles (use gluten-free noodles to make this gluten-free)
- 1 cup ranch dressing (recipe above)
- 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
- 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
Directions:
Cook the rotini noodles according to package directions.
While the noodles are boiling, make the Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing if you don’t have some already made.
Once the noodles are done cooking, rinse them with cold water to cool the pasta. Drain excess water.
Place the noodles in a large bowl. Add the carrot slices, broccoli florets, and cherry tomatoes. Pour 1 cup of dressing over the top of the pasta and vegetables and stir to coat. You can add a little more dressing if you wish, but add it in small quantities, so you don’t accidentally overwhelm the salad with too much dressing.
Cover the bowl and place the pasta salad in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
Meatless Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb rotini noodles
- 1 cup ranch dressing
- 1 1/2 cups sliced carrots
- 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes
Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Silk Cashewmilk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- While the noodles are cooking, make the Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing.
- Add the lemon juice to the Cashewmilk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise chives, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, ground mustard, dill, salt and pepper. Mix well to combine.
- Add the Cashewmilk to the Mayonnaise mixture and blend well. Set aside.
- Once the noodles are done cooking, rinse them with cold water to cool the pasta. Drain excess water.
- Place the noodles in a large bowl. Add the carrot slices, broccoli florets, and cherry tomatoes. Pour 1 cup of dressing over the top of the pasta and vegetables and stir to coat. You can add a little more dressing if you wish, but add it in small quantities, so you don't accidentally overwhelm the salad with too much dressing.
- Cover the bowl and place the pasta salad in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours.
More Dairy-Free Recipes
Dairy-Free Chocolate Frosting Recipe
Dairy-Free Hot Chocolate Recipes
This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.
Mary says
what kind of mayonnaise do you make–it needs to be dairy free–help!!!!
Alea Milham says
Mayonnaise is dairy-free. It is made with egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, and salt. While you can make it from scratch, you should be able to buy mayonnaise at the store – just check the label.