Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (2024)

ShawndaJune 16, 2010

Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (1)

I like to give The Foodie Groom grief about some of his eating habits. Because I’m mean. And it’s fun 🙂 Back in the day, the only green food he would even consider eating was guacamole. And regardless of the restaurant, if they had chicken quesadillas on the menu, he ordered them. When we went out to eat at a quesadilla-less establishment, I used to scout the menu online before leaving home so I could convince him that he wouldn’t starve.

These days, I have a lot less material to work with. I still find myself stuck with that terrible habit of going down the menu and telling him what he would like… even though he’ll try just about anything now. And he gives me The Eyebrow when I say, “Oh, look! They have X. Or Y – that’s made with Z. You like Z.” I might not have a lot to pick on, but I still have barbecue sauce.

My husband uses barbecue sauce the way others might use ketchup. Or salt. It goes on everything. He thinks it’s the perfect food. I mean, he can dip french fries, potato chips, chicken tenders, and his turkey sandwich in it. Heck, he’ll even go so far as to put it on grilled meat every once in a while. And as I was getting The Eyebrow for mocking his barbecue sauce love while I was dipping a bite of pizza into ranch dressing… Okay, so maybe I have a goofy habit or two, myself.

Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (2)

I use ranch dressing the way that others might use ketchup. Or salt. It goes on everything. Is it not the perfect food? I mean, you can dip both french fries, pizza, and broccoli in it. Heck, I might even go so far as to put it on a salad every once in a while.

Ranch dressing is super, super easy to make. You don’t need a pack o’ powder to do it, either. It takes more time to gather the ingredients than it does to make it. I use a blender – I’m a big fan of dump-it-in-the-bowl-and-turn-the-machine-on recipes. You absolutely can chop the herbs and use a spoon or a whisk if you’d rather go that route.

Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (3)

No preservatives. No high-fructose corn syrup. Creamy, tangy homemade ranch dressing in 5 minutes!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise (low fat is fine)
  • 3/4 cup sour cream (low fat is fine, consider splitting with fat-free Greek yogurt)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 small bunch of chives
  • Small handful of parsley
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp white pepper

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients with 1/4 cup of buttermilk in a blender
  2. Blend for 10 seconds. Check consistency and blend in additional buttermilk if desired. Less buttermilk for dipping, more for dressing.
  3. Store in an air-tight jar in the fridge for a week or more.
Nutritional InformationCalories: 102.3 | Fat: 10.7 | Fiber 0WW Points: 3

Notes

Yields: 16 2-Tbsp servings

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook, 2004

Estimated time: 5 minutes

42 comments… add one

  • I have a funny story…I call my husband “Chicken Sandwich Man”…he only orders chicken sandwiches no matter where we eat…when asked, he says it is what he likes and he cant eat anything else. Great recipe for the Ranch.

  • A lovely top picture oozing with yummyness!
    I need to get some mason jars too, they’re cute.

  • I have to agree… There are few foods that don’t go well with Ranch dressing. Your little story about your husband was funny – My husband is similar with the BBQ sauce! Great recipe!

  • Perfect timing on this recipe! My 7-year-old son and I were talking the other night about “fake” store-bought salad dressings while we were eating homemade blue cheese dressing, and I was thinking that I needed to find a homemade ranch dressing recipe!

    I can’t wait to try this!!

  • JonellaHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (8)

    I love that you’re taking time to calculate and post calories with some of your new posts. Thanks!

  • Yumm…homemade ranch is SO much better than the kind in a bottle!

  • MarlisHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (10)

    Oh yum. Looks delicious. I make a killer balsamic dressing but haven’t tried Ranch yet. Will try because my dd is a Ranch fiend. As to the hubby. Mine is a bit more adventurous. He asks me to be the lab rat first. If I OK a dish he’s more likely to try. And when we go out to a new place I have to help him by recommending what he’ll like. I haven’t struck out yet 🙂 Well, once, but he ate it because I loved it and we were newlyweds. In the name of love he ate steak tartare. LOL

  • HeidiHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (11)

    Just found your blog. Love it! I’ve been searching for a homemade Ranch dressing that I can make for my kids. I make Creamy Jalepeno Ranch Dressing, but it was a bit to spicy. Thanks! I’m also a fan of dump and whir. Cute jar!

  • ChristinaHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (12)

    Oh my bizcuits!!! I LOVE RANCH!!! And yes… it’s so much MORE versatile than even mere ketchup!! And yes, pizza dipped in ranch is exquisite!!! Probably my favorite combo, better than peanut butter and jelly!!! I typically make my own ranch but using the powdered crap from “the valley you can’t see”, lol… but now… I am SO excited, I’m going to try your recipe!!! Thank you thank you!!! (and yeah bbq sauce on everything, ick!!!) lol

  • Mmmmm! I’ve always been a huge fan of ranch dressing, but I’ve never had it homemade. I can’t wait to give this recipe a try!

  • Looks great! I’ll have to try it! Thanks so much for sharing!

  • Just made this with black pepper, and doubled the recipe. Superb! Thanks, Shawnda, for another delicious formula! 🙂

  • mabelHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (16)

    thank you so much i have not had ranch in so long cus im alergic to msg .. i turn ino a puffer fish .. but again thnks so much

  • MandieHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (17)

    how long will this keep in the fridge before going bad? As long as the date on the buttermilk? Thanks!

    • A little more than a week, 7-10 days.

    • DeniseHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (19)

      If you add some whey from yogurt and let the dressing sit on the counter for about 7 hours, then refrigerate, the dressing will keep several weeks. It will also be rich in probiotics. Never lasts that long for us though. Also, if you chop the parsley, garlic, and etc. rather than blending all of it, it is more flavourful.

      Denise

  • RebeccaHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (20)

    This was a great recipe! My family goes through Ranch dressing like its going out of style!

    My question is- did anyone elses turn out with a green tint? I used all fresh ingredients and kept to the directions….Any help would be awesome!

    • I get a little green sometimes, too, it comes from blending the fresh herbs. You could pulse the herbs in or even chop them a bit first so the blender doesn’t have to do much work if you don’t want the greenish tint.

  • I can’t wait to try this. My whole family bathes everything in ranch. I’ve always hated the additives that are in the package mixes but haven’t found a good substitute. I hope this one will fix that problem. Thanks for sharing.

  • LeslieHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (23)

    Has anyone tried to freeze this? I want to make it, but I’m afraid we wouldn’t be able to eat it all before it spoils!

    • I wouldn’t recommend freezing it, but you could make a half batch instead.

  • Congratulations Foodie Bride and Groom! Very nice to meet you! Great recipe! So much better than store bought. I have a recipe for you. Make your Ranch Dressing thick for spreading. Spread it on a slice of bread. Top it with tomato slices and a few Spinach Leaves. Then layer on some Roast Beef. Have you hubby put his bbq sauce on top of that and another slice of bread. Thank you! Mary

  • GloriaHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (26)

    Just made this AMAZING ranch! I cook a lot from scratch, so I already had all the ingredients on hand. I poured this ranch in with some leftover shredded chicken, added grated cheese and made yummy sandwiches for the kids….they loved it! Thank you for sharing this fabulous RANCH recipe!

  • ChristyHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (28)

    I am a ranch addict so I made this and WOW! It is the best ranch that I have ever had. Thank you!!

  • Just made this to go with Paula Deen’s fried pickles. The ranch was so easy to make and I had everything on hand. It tastes soooo much better than most store bought I’ve tried.

  • WalethiaHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (30)

    I love Ranch dressing on most everything. Yes, I put Ranch on pizza!

  • Have you tried this with 1% or skim milk? Just lookiong for a way to bring the fat content down a little more.

  • Kelley HighwayHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (32)

    I have to read every label, though, to ensure none of the jarred ingredients contain HFCSyrup, “cane juice,” etc. Frustrating, but homemade is out-of-this-world better than store bought! YUMMO!

  • kaciHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (33)

    Are the nutrition facts for one serving or the whole thing?

  • marissaHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (35)

    My grocery store was out of fresh parsley-all I could find was dehydrated. Will this work, and, if so, in what quantities? Any help is appreciated!

    • Start with 1 tsp – its easier to add than take away. And hard to judge strength/freshness of dried herbs. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes, taste, and add more if you think it needs it.

  • marissaHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (37)

    Thank you for your help and for sharing this wonderful recipe. It turned out delicious regardless of the lack of fresh parsley!

  • JoyHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (38)

    I make this often for our salads and it is good on about anything! I even change it up once in a while and add Bleu cheese which I adore but no one else in my family likes.

  • Okay, how much do I love you right now? I know I don’t really know you, so this probably sounds weird, but I LOVE ranch. Just found out my sweet girl can’t have any foods with MSG, so we’ve all been going through serious ranch withdrawal. This was excellent!! Thank you so much for the recipe. I found your blog via your strawberry cake recipe (love that too) and now on a search for homemade ranch. Thanks so much. You rock!! I’d like to share your recipe and link to you on my blog if that’s okay with you? I’ve been accumulating “friendly” recipes for her. Thanks!

    Suz

  • ettaHomemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (40)

    can’t wait to try it to try this recipe, I love ranch dressing and it will cheaper to make.

Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do restaurants make ranch so good? ›

Even when a restaurant does start with premade ranch, they will often fold in extra fresh herbs, and maybe even more buttermilk, to lighten and bring in some brighter flavors that can be lost in shelf-stable bottling.

What do you need to make a ranch? ›

I use a mix of mayonnaise, sour cream, and a bit of buttermilk for some tang, plus garlic, and plenty of fresh herbs. I also like to add a dash of cayenne pepper for a kick, but you can add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, or whatever you want.

What is ranch dressing made of? ›

Ranch dressing is a savory, creamy American salad dressing usually made from buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs (commonly chives, parsley and dill), and spices (commonly pepper, paprika and ground mustard seed) mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil emulsion.

What can you use instead of buttermilk to make ranch? ›

As mentioned, if you don't have buttermilk, you can use kefir instead. Or, in a pinch, you can make your own homemade buttermilk substitute with regular milk and white vinegar. This is very easy to do: Combine 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or lemon juice) with enough milk to make 1 cup.

Why does Hidden Valley Ranch taste different than restaurant ranch? ›

While many restaurants use mass produced ranch mix, they often add it to a higher-quality base. This might include milk, buttermilk, sour cream, or mayonnaise. So when you notice that the ranch in a restaurant tastes better than the bottled dressing from the store, what you're really tasting is delicious, creamy fat.

What kind of ranch dressing do most restaurants use? ›

Most restaurants don't buy pre packaged ranch. They buy hidden valley seasoning and mix it themselves with ingredients they already have.

Is making your own ranch cheaper? ›

Make your own homemade ranch dressing mix, using just a few basic ingredients, for much cheaper than the store-bought packets! Plus, there's no artificial fillers, chemicals, preservatives or extra sugars!

Is homemade ranch better? ›

Homemade wins here. The two dressings are roughly equivalent in terms of fat content, but store-bought ranch is the prototypical processed food, with an ingredients list that includes modified corn starch, monosodium glutamate, sodium lactate, polysorbate 60, et cetera.

Why is my homemade ranch sour? ›

If you find you've made it too tangy (maybe too much butter milk or sour cream) then add more sweetness with the Worcestershire sauce. If you find you've made it too sweet, add more salt, or spice like the paprika or mustard. You can make your perfect ranch dressing.

Is there a difference between ranch and ranch dressing? ›

They're the same, except for how they're used. Ranch dip, you dip food into. Dressing, you pour over the food, generally, but not only, salads.

How long does homemade ranch last? ›

Stored in a well-sealed container in the fridge (assuming you began with fresh sour cream and buttermilk) your buttermilk ranch dressing should keep for up to two weeks. Help it stay fresh by not dipping anything directly into the container that you're storing it in—for example, a half-bitten carrot.

Can I use sour cream instead of buttermilk? ›

Yes, you can substitute sour cream! Thin it with milk or water to get the right consistency. For each cup of buttermilk needed, use 3/4 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup liquid. Editor's Tip: Sour cream has a higher fat content, so this will result in richer-tasting foods.

What happens if you use milk instead of buttermilk? ›

While the quantity of acid could be fine-tuned, the consistency of milk-based substitutions will be unavoidably thin. Compared to cultured buttermilk, plain milk is watery, making the dough so heavy and wet that it oozes into a puddle, turning the biscuits flat and dense.

Can I use heavy whipping cream instead of buttermilk? ›

They're not completely interchangeable. Yes, you can swap them in a recipe, but it's not as simple as switching buttermilk for heavy cream/heavy cream for buttermilk. For example, if you're replacing buttermilk with heavy cream you'll probably need to switch out your baking soda for baking powder.

Why does Wingstop ranch taste different? ›

Key Ingredients In Wingstop's Ranch Recipe

The Importance of Fresh Herbs and Spices: The use of fresh dill, garlic, and other herbs imparts a depth of flavor that dried counterparts cannot match. These components are pivotal in achieving the signature Wingstop taste.

Why is ranch so addicting? ›

natural and artificial flavors. this is part of the reason why ranch is so addicting. and you can't stop eating it, because it has all these ingredients in here, like MSG, that excite neurons in your brain, and they're quite literally addictive.

Why do fast food charge for ranch? ›

Restaurants sometimes charge money for extra sauces and dressings in order to cover their costs. They don't get the stuff for free, its cost isn't built into every menu item and they charge you so they don't lose money.

Why is ranch the best dressing? ›

Anyone who's ever tasted ranch dressing can recognize its unique flavor profile anywhere. This creamy condiment's delicious mix of herbs and buttermilk gives it a distinctly tangy but fresh taste that brings life to salad, french fries, pizza, chicken wings, and anything else you can think of to dunk in it!

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