When I discovered the long lists of additives and preservatives in many store-bought dressings, I started making my own at home. This vegan French dressing is simple, wholesome, and far healthier than most commercial options. It requires only a few real-food ingredients and comes together quickly in a blender.
Made with raw cashews for creaminess, this vegan French dressing has a rich, smooth texture without any refined sugars or processed fats. If you prefer a nut-free version, there are easy substitutions below so everyone can enjoy it.
What ingredients are needed for vegan French dressing?
- ½ cup raw cashews (soaked overnight is optional)
- ½ cup organic ketchup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons agave (or substitute maple syrup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup water
Nut-free vegan French dressing variation
Variation 1 and 2 (if you are allergic to nuts)
- Substitute ½ cup vegan mayonnaise (Vegenasie) for the cashews and reduce water to ¼ cup
- Or substitute ½ cup silken tofu for the cashews and use ½ cup water
You’ll want a good high-speed blender to make this ultra-smooth. The dressing works great on salads, as a sandwich spread, or as a vegetable dip. If you want Thousand Island style, simply stir in diced pickles after blending to keep the texture chunky.
This dressing is especially good on a green salad with crispy garlic croutons, or as a drizzle on steamed vegetables. It’s also excellent for dipping a chickpea “tuna” salad sandwich.
My husband says it tastes like the real deal, and he’s our household taste-tester—if he approves, it’s a keeper.
If you like saucy, oil-free dressings, try these
- Asian salad with peanut dressing
- Vegan Thousand Island dressing (add diced pickles)
- Vegan ranch dressing
- Vegan blue cheese dressing
- Almond butter dressing
- Miso tahini dressing
- Vegan southwest dressing
- OMG oil-free dressing
- Creamy lemon pepper dressing
- Cumin citrus dressing
- Champagne vinaigrette tahini dressing
- Vegan cherry walnut salad dressing
- Fat-free vinaigrette Dijon dressing (Eat to Live)
📖 Recipe
Vegan French Dressing
Equipment
- High-speed blender (NutriBullet, Vitamix, or similar)
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Dressing
- ½ cup raw cashews (soaked overnight is optional)
- ½ cup organic ketchup
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons agave (or maple syrup)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup water
Variation (If you are allergic to nuts)
- Substitute ½ cup vegan mayonnaise (Vegenasie) for the cashews and reduce water to ¼ cup
- Or substitute ½ cup silken tofu for the cashews and use ½ cup water
Thousand Island
- Follow any variation above and stir in ½ cup diced pickles after blending (do not blend the pickles)
Instructions
- Place all dressing ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. If using pickles for Thousand Island, do not blend them.
- Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.