When salad season heats up, one thing keeps my kitchen humming — a good homemade dressing. Sure, I’ll throw together a makeshift vinaigrette here and there, combining the bits from almost-used jars of condiments with vinegar and oil. I also adore creamy dressings — green goddess, ranch and the like — that typically take a little more thought.

A traditional recipe for one of the latter is all well and good, but when I want an alternative to a mayonnaise or buttermilk base, I get creaminess by including nuts (cashews are classic) in the blend. But what about nut substitutes because of allergies? That’s where Terry Hope Romero’s salad cookbook comes to the rescue, particularly with a recipe for Sunflower Ranch Dressing. She has you soak raw sunflower seeds and blend them with nondairy milk and a handful of other ingredients — including a good dose of garlic and some fresh herbs.

The punch of garlicky flavor is at home anywhere a traditional ranch would be: Salad greens top the list, naturally, but drizzle or dollop this on any combination of vegetables — try it on baked potatoes, white or sweet — and you’ll be happy.

SUNFLOWER RANCH DRESSING

Active: 10 minutes | Total: 70 minutes

8 servings (about 1 cup)

Make ahead: You’ll need to soak the sunflower seeds for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight. For best flavor, the dressing can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days.

Note: Use oat milk, coconut or hemp milk to keep this nut-free.

Adapted from “Show Up for Salad,” by Terry Hope Romero. Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2019

Ingredients

1/2 cup raw, hulled sunflower seeds

1/2 cup unsweetened plain almond milk, cashew milk or your favorite nut-free vegan milk

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 fat garlic clove, chopped

1 teaspoon dried onion flakes or 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons grapeseed oil or mild olive oil

Water, as needed

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill

Steps

Place the sunflower seeds in a medium bowl and add enough cool water to cover. Soak for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight (at room temperature).

Drain the sunflower seeds, discarding the liquid. Transfer them to a blender, adding the vegan milk, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, onion flakes or onion powder, salt and pepper. Puree until as smooth and creamy as possible, 2 to 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender jar several times as needed.

With the motor running, drizzle in the oil a little at a time, processing until the mixture is smooth and emulsified. It will be fairly thick; if you want it thinner, pulse in a tablespoon of water at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Add the parsley and dill; pulse once or twice to incorporate.

The dressing is ready to use, or you can transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 2 or 3 days.

Nutrition | Calories: 100; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 140 mg; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Dietary Fiber: 0 g; Sugars: 0 g; Protein: 2 g.