This sunflower seed dressing is rich and savory and made with lemon, garlic, and miso. You'll love it on everything from salads and raw veggies to potatoes and grains. It's a great dressing for meal prep and pairs well with so many dishes!
Only 6 ingredients (plus water and salt) and about 10 minutes to make a batch. Sunflower dressing is vegan and made without oil, refined sugar or gluten.
This creamy sunflower seed salad dressing is full of classic, savory dressing flavors like lemon and garlic, and it's a great sauce for meal prep because it pairs well with so many foods.
Use it as a dip for raw vegetables, spread for sandwiches, mayo replacement in chickpea salad, and even a topping for baked potatoes.
I actually created this dressing especially for this Creamy Vegan Kale Salad recipe, so be sure to check that out!
Experiment with adding your favorite flavors like smoky chipotle, roasted garlic, curry, or fresh cilantro. The base flavors of lemon and garlic taste great with so many ingredients!
Another thing we love about homemade salad dressings like this is that you can tweak the acidity and salt to your heart's content and really make it your own. I hope you love this sunflower dressing as much as we do!
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Ingredient Notes
- sunflower seeds - look for hulled raw sunflower seeds, often found in the bulk section of the grocery store. These are more mild than roasted sunflower seeds, and don't give the dressing a strong "sunbutter" flavor.
- lemon juice - adds a fresh, brightness to the dressing while still remaining mild in acidity.
- miso - healthy, fermented miso is a great way to add savoriness and salt to the dressing. If you don't have miso, increase salt to taste. Not familiar with miso? See this post: What is miso?
- fresh garlic - I haven't tested the recipe yet with garlic powder as a substitute, but that's always an option.
- maple syrup - or agave nectar.
- crushed red pepper - optional, but we really love the subtle warmth it adds.
See recipe card below for quantities and full recipe.
How to Make Sunflower Dressing
Preparing this pantry-friendly, dairy-free salad dressing is simple and only takes a few minutes.
- Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more miso, salt, lemon, or red pepper as desired.
Serving Suggestions
Pair this creamy sunflower seed dressing with:
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- raw veggies and as a dip for a vegetable platter
- baked or roasted potatoes and french fries
- as a dressing for kale salad
- spread for sandwiches and burgers
- sour cream substitute for baked potatoes
- a mayo replacement in chickpea salad
- and as a sauce for bean and grain bowls
Variations
- Mild - omit the red pepper flakes.
- Spicy - increase the red pepper flakes to taste, or add a small squeeze of sriracha or other spicy chile sauce.
- Herb - add a large handful of cilantro or a combination of parsley and dill or cilantro. Delicious!
Need more sauce ideas? Try our Tahini Salad Dressing 5 Ways.
Equipment Needed
A high-speed blender works best for creating ultra smooth sauces and dressings, but if you're working with a standard blender there's always a way....
Don't have a high-speed blender?
Soaking the sunflower seeds in hot water first helps with blending. To do it:
Place raw sunflower seeds in a bowl. Bring some water to boiling, and pour over the seeds, just enough to cover. Let soak 30 minutes to 1 hour, drain and rinse under cold water, and proceed with the recipe.
Another option is to blend only the seeds and water first, then strain through a nut milk bag to remove any unblended bits. Return the sunflower cream back to the blender and combine with the remaining ingredients.
More Ways to Use Sunflower Seeds
- creamy dill dressing
- vegan ranch dressing
- nut-free vegan mac and cheese
- sunflower seed pie crust
- sunflower seed flour
- sunbutter & chickpea non-dairy ice cream
Storage
Store dressing tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Sunflower seed dressing is freezer-friendly. If separation occurs whisk or blend to return to its normal creamy consistency.
More oil-free and nut-free dressings:
Recipe
Creamy Sunflower Seed Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- 2 large cloves garlic
- 4 teaspoons white or chickpea miso
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- rounded ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional - adds subtle heat but isn't very spicy.
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
- Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more miso, salt, lemon, or red pepper to taste. Add another tablespoon or two of water for a thinner consistency.
- Pour into a lidded jar or container, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Amy says
Something wrong with the water measurement, it was just garlicky water...
Lori Rasmussen says
Did you add the 3/4 cup sunflower seeds? That's what makes it thick, definitely shouldn't be anything like water.
Noreen says
Faboulous dressing - we use it on so many things. And we love how easy it is to change up by adding different seasonings or ingredients. Thank you for sharing this recipe, and all the work that went into it. We're big fans of your website.
Laura says
This is a great, healthy dressing. I tried it using half hemp seeds, half sunflower seeds. I will definitely try adding cilantro in the future.
Ty says
So good! I’ve tried so many vegan dressings, I’ve lost count. Some are ok, but this one is probably top 2! Plus, the protein is nice. If you’re on the fence about it, just try it! Some reviewers have said it’s thin, and it is, but that’s how I like it. There’s a restaurant in central Illinois called Avanti’s and they have a thin ranch dressing that I’ve always loved. Since becoming vegan, I have craved a dressing like theirs and this is definitely the one!
Maria says
Agree with some of the others. It was thin. I added additional sunflower and some tahini. I would decrease water next time. Thanks!
Ivy says
Great salad dressing! I had to omit the red pepper (allergies) but it was very good. Thank you!
Candace Folks says
I made this today and was impressed by how creamy it was and delicious too. Immediately, I wished I had more seeds so I could make more. This is a great base for anything!
Pita says
This was nice! I also wanted it a bit thicker so added seeds by the tablespoonful until it got there. Made it again with some ginger purée for a brighter taste. Seems very versatile so I might try green goddess herbs in it next.
kristina says
Just made this and can confirm its deliciousness! My first impression was that it was a bit too liquidy but after a few minutes it actually thickened up perfectly! Thank you for this light and tasty new recipe 🙂
Lori says
You're so welcome, Kristina. I'm glad you like it!
JoAnne says
This looks so yummy.
Can I sub roasted for raw sunflower seeds? I only have roasted sunflower seeds at the moment and can’t get out to shop for a while.
Lori says
Hi JoAnne,
I haven't tried it with roasted seeds. You certainly *can* do it, but the flavor will be very different. Have you ever had Sunbutter? It will taste more like that, with the strong roasted sunflower seed flavor. It could be interesting, though!
Barbara says
I tried this and it is one of the best salad dressing recipes I have had! Truly creamy and tasty and perfect pairing with kale. It will be one of my staples moving forward and I plan to feature it on my site Nourish to Flourish. Many thanks for providing it. Much appreciated.
SANJANA SACHDEVA says
Absolutely love this as my salad dressing or a dip. I had all the ingredients so it was a no brainer. Got tired of using olive oil and balsamic for my salad everyday...thank you!