Homemade Ranch Dressing – creamy rich buttermilk ranch dressing with subtle flavors from fresh parsley, dill and chive. Just the right amount of tanginess with a kiss of heat. You will never ever buy store-bought ranch dressing again!
I love Hidden Valley Ranch dressing! I’d love it on my salads, as a dip for my veggies, grilled cobb and a whole lot more. Until I ran out of one on a Saturday afternoon. Of course, I won’t drive down to the store and get trapped in LA traffic just for a bottle of ranch. And so I decided I’ll need to make my own ranch. Oh boy, I gave myself a huge pat on the back after it turned out as a hit. 😉
Ranch Dressing Recipe
Do you know that ranch dressing is *THE* best-selling salad dressing in the United States since 1992? It took over Italian dressing and from then on it becomes a staple in most American homes.
Ranch dressing was said to be developed in the 1950s by a plumber named Steve Henson. Steve and his wife then opened up Hidden Valley Ranch – a tourism ranch – in Santa Barbara County, California where they serve homemade ranch dressing to their guests. It became popular and they began selling it in packages for customers to take home.
Today, we come to know Ranch Dressing as a type of salad dressing made from buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs and spices mixed with a mayo-based sauce. And we love them on salads, chips, grilled meat and so much more.
Ranch Dip vs. Dressing
There’s actually a little difference between a ranch dip and dressing. Ranch dressing tends to be thinner and pourable as they are used on salads. This homemade ranch dressing here is pretty thick but still pourable enough on salads. But if you’re going for a dipping sauce, you’ll want to have it a little thicker.
To thin out this ranch, add whole milk, water or canola oil. Make sure though to add sparingly and adjust the flavor when needed. Keep in mind that adjusting the dressing will alter the flavor a bit; so don’t go all out in thinning out this recipe.
What’s in a Ranch Dressing?
Greek Yogurt & Sour Cream. Both Greek Yogurt and Sour Cream adds creaminess and tanginess to this salad dressing. I decided though to use 1/4 cup each of these two instead of going all out with sour cream for a healthier option. Sour cream actually has higher fat and calorie content while Greek yogurt adds more protein in this dressing with lower calories. You may go full Greek Yogurt, but, of course, that would alter the taste of this recipe as it is surprisingly tangy.
Fresh or Dried Herbs. I use fresh chives, parsley and dill for this homemade ranch dressing. Fresh herbs tend to have spectacular flavor and texture on this dressing.
Buttermilk Ranch. This homemade dressing is pretty great compared to those regular ranch dressings. That buttery note from buttermilk totally bumps up the flavor which complements well with the mayonnaise. If you don’t have buttermilk, you may substitute buttermilk by mixing whole or 2% milk with lemon juice or vinegar.
Tip: To substitute buttermilk, for every 1 cup of milk, mix it with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 10 minutes until it curdles before adding it to the dressing ingredients.
Hot Sauce. Yes, this salad dressing here has its nice little kick by adding half a teaspoon of hot or sriracha sauce. Feel free to leave it out if you don’t want some heat in in this dressing.
How Long Will Homemade Ranch Dressing Last?
This homemade dressing could last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container or those squeeze bottles with lid. Aaaand don’t forget to put a marker on the bottle to indicate expiration date.
What to Serve with this Ranch Dressing
Aside from veggies, you can serve this ranch dressing here to various other dishes like these ones below:
- Chicken Tortilla Pinwheels
- Jalapeno Poppers
- Baked Crispy Chicken Wings
- Sausage Balls
- Samosa Recipe
- Southwest Chicken Salad
Ranch Variations
Like a lot of other recipes, this ranch dressing can also be customized and tweaked to your liking. Below are just some of the popular variation of this popular salad dressing:
Chipotle Ranch – add some chipotle powder into the mixture
Avocado Ranch – mash one avocado and stir it into this dressing
Blue Cheese Ranch – toss in crumbled blue cheese
Miso Ranch – for that umami flavor, add in a tablespoon of miso (a Japanese essential ingredient) in a tiny portion of this dressing before incorporating it to the entire ranch dressing
Smokey Ranch – add a few dashes of smoked paprika for that nice touch of smokey flavor
How To Make Ranch Dressing
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic, onion powder, mustard, hot sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper until fully blended.
Gently pour in the buttermilk a little at a time and mix until fully combined and at desired consistency. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Serve with baked chicken, fish or any veggies of your choice.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup (116g) mayonnaise
- ¼ cup (57.5g) sour cream
- ¼ cup (61g) Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon (3g) minced fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon (4g) parsley leaves , minced
- 1 tablespoon (3g) fresh dill , minced
- ½ teaspoon (2.5g) garlic , minced
- ¼ teaspoon (0.5g) onion powder
- 1 teaspoon (5g) Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon (2.5g) hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon (2.5g) kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon (1g) ground black pepper
- ¼-½ cup (61-122g) buttermilk (as needed for desired consistency)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic, onion powder, mustard, hot sauce, salt, and pepper until fully blended.
- Gently pour in the buttermilk a little at a time and mix until you reach the desired consistency and it's well combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Serve with salad, baked chicken, fish, or vegetables.
Tips & Notes:
- You can use either sour cream, yogurt, or a combination of both for this recipe; just make sure you have ½ cup of whatever you choose.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition Information:
Barbara Jackson says
How much vinegar? It’s not on the ingredient list. I look forward to trying this! I like all the fresh herbs—so much better than dehydrated!
Imma says
Thanks for catching that typo, and I’ve fixed the recipe. The sour cream, yogurt, and buttermilk add plenty of acidity to the recipe. You don’t need vinegar for this one.
Michele says
I absolutely love your recipes. I do have a question concerning the ranch recipe. I don’t drink wine so don’t have a clue of which kind would have the best flavor. Can you recommend a wine or a replacement?
Joanna Bennett says
How long does this ranch dressing last in the refrigerator?
imma africanbites says
This homemade ranch dressing could last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Just make sure you store it in an airtight container or those squeeze bottles with lid.
Melanie Lee MD says
Your recipe for ranch dressing is delicious! I always have to make homemade everything because I have Celiac Disease and can’t have “any parts per million’ of gluten without significant damage to my small intestines. Even if your recipes contain Gluten, I can substitute gluten-free products easily! You are such a wonderful Cook-Chief! Your recipes have a very well rounded seasoning which makes them superb! As soon as we finish paying for our new back yard fence and landscaping I designed, I must buy your cookbook so that I can prepare all the delights and we can dine outside! Your celebration of life is found in every recipe you offer!
imma africanbites says
You’re the sweetest! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your thoughts. Will let you know once I decided to make my own cookbook. 🙂