Indulge in the irresistible flavors of Cashew Ranch dressing, elevated with the sweetness and complexity of black garlic. This oil-free and healthy dressing combines the beloved taste of Ranch with the nutritional benefits of cashews, creating an addictive blend. Use this Black Garlic Cashew Ranch Dressing as you would any Ranch dressing – drizzle it over your favorite salad or serve it as a creamy dip for crisp crudites. Or, like I did, in my Black Garlic Mushroom salad.
Making Black Garlic
After I fell in love with the unique flavors of black garlic a few years ago, I decided to make a large batch to use in my recipes. This is incredibly easy by keeping it, wrapped in aluminium foil, in a rice cooker, Which I set to “keep warm” for 40 days. Make sure you have this in a well aired room, to minimize the intense garlic smell for the first 2 weeks.
Check this post for detailed instructions on how to make your own Black Garlic.
The result are small black gems with a captivating blend of liquorice, umami, and fruity balsamic notes. It can be used in a million ways, including sliced on your favourite cheese. Or just nibbled straight from the jar, as I love doing.
Since I now had a full jar of the precious cloves, I decided to combine it with a Cashew Ranch dressing – my personal favorite, to use on another recipe from this weeks series: A Black Garlic Mushroom Salad.
Inspiration for the Dressing
I got the Inspiration for the base Cashew Ranch recipe came from the fantastic YouTube channel, “The Whole Food Plant Based Cooking Show.” Their amazing plant-based recipes make a healthy diet both easy and delicious. To enhance the dressing’s sweetness, they replace maple syrup or sugar with raisins or sultanas, resulting in a better nutrition profile without compromising on taste.
My Adaptation
While traditional Ranch dressings often rely on powdered and dried herbs, I prefer to use fresh ingredients whenever possible. The exception is dried onion powder, which offers a distinct flavor that complements the dressing perfectly. If fresh herbs are not readily available, dried alternatives can be used. However, I highly recommend incorporating fresh dill if you can find it, since its delightful flavor enhances the dressing and pairs wonderfully with the anise undertones of the black garlic.
How to make it
Creating this Cashew Ranch dressing is incredibly simple. Once you have your black garlic and soaked cashews. Just combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend for approximately a minute until the cashews turn creamy, and voila – your dressing is ready to be enjoyed.
Health Benefits
Being oil free, based on nuts, this is fantastic for weight loss, because it skips the mayonnaise from the classic Ranch dressing, resulting in just 38 calories per portion. It also has a better nutritional profile due to the added fibre from nuts and sultanas, helping you with weight loss.
Black Garlic Cashew Ranch Dressing
Equipment
- High Speed Blender (preferred) or Food Processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup cashews
- 2 tbsp raisins Try 1 tbsp first if you prefer your dressing on the more savoury side.
- ½ tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp fresh dill
- 1 tbsp fresh Parsley
- 1 clove fresh garlic
- 3 cloves black garlic
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp liquid aminos or Tamari or soy sauce Liquid Aminos are slightly sweeter, so you might have to adjust the seasoning if you are using one of the other options
- ½ cup water
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Soak the cashews overnight in cold water or for about 1h in freshly boiled water.
- Add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
- Have a taste and adjust the seasoning, adding salt, pepper or vinegar to your taste.
Notes
Calories: Approximately 78-82
Fat: Approximately 5-6 grams
Protein: Approximately 2-3 grams
Carbohydrates: Approximately 7-9 grams
Fiber: Approximately 1-2 grams
Sugar: Approximately 3-4 grams
This worked exactly as written, thanks!