The only way I eat ranch now.
I was a Hidden Valley girl for years. It was quick, easy, and I never thought twice about it.
But then I made ranch from scratch for the first time and realized how much better fresh herbs and real buttermilk taste compared to whatever’s in that packet.
Now this is the ranch I make to mix into our buffalo chicken dip, drizzling over pizza, and dunking just about every vegetable I can get my hands on. The bottled stuff hasn’t made it into my cart in years, and once you taste this, you’re going to understand why 😏
Once you’ve mastered this recipe, you have to try Avocado Ranch next. Or, go with a Balsamic Vinaigrette, Honey Mustard Dressing, Olive Garden Italian Dressing, Thai Peanut Dressing, Caesar Salad Dressing, or Spicy Cashew Dressing.
Or you can even take a look at my Go-To Salad Dressings here.
I tried this for the first time last week and I’m making it again today. Much,much better than the jar stuff from the market.
– Patrick D.
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
Lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice gives a nice tang to the homemade version.
Mayo. Duke’s and Hellman’s are ideal brands. You can also use a vegan avocado-based mayo if needed.
Sour cream. Regular sour cream tastes the best, but a really good vegan and dairy-free sub (like Tofutti sour cream!) can also be used. If needed, you can also try a plain Greek yogurt.
Herbs. Chives, fresh parsley, and fresh dill are the classic herbs used. Fresh will give it the most prominent flavor, but dried herbs can also be substituted.
Powders. Both garlic and onion powder are needed. Don’t try to sub one for the other—you really need both to get that perfect ranch flavor.
Buttermilk. This will give you the most authentic-tasting ranch. However, you can also use heavy cream or whole milk. Or if you’re dairy-free or vegan, a thicker plant-based milk such as unsweetened oat milk works great.
How to Make a Homemade Ranch Dressing
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
Add ingredients and mix.
Whisk together the mayo, sour cream, herbs, seasonings, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. (Hold off on the buttermilk right now!)
This ensures the seasonings are mixed well before thinning out the dressing.
Thin out with buttermilk.
Pour and stir in a little buttermilk at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If you like the dressing a little thinner (like restaurant-style ranch), you’ll need all of the milk.
Pro Tip: Refrigerate for a few hours for the best results. This allows the flavors to meld, and for the powdered spices to be absorbed by the liquid.
Storing Tips
Keep homemade ranch dressing in an airtight container (a mason jar works great) in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks. The dressing will thicken as it sits. If you want to thin it out, stir in a splash of buttermilk or milk until you get the consistency you like.
Do not freeze ranch dressing. The mayo and sour cream will separate and the texture won’t recover.
How to use it up!
This ranch dressing recipe is great as a dip, spread, or salad dressing.
Appetizers, like Air Fryer Pickles, Air Fryer Zucchini Chips, and Air Fryer Pizza Rolls are delicious dunked in ranch.
Top salads like Chicken Cobb Salad and BLT Pasta Salad with it.
Use it to cool off Buffalo Chicken Wings and Buffalo Chicken Flatbread Pizza.
It’s also the perfect drizzle for my Chipotle Chicken Fajita Bowls or served alongside Baked Tortilla Chips.
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Best Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe
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Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise or avocado mayo
- ½ cup sour cream can use dairy-free
- 2 Tbsp. chives fresh, finely chopped*
- 2 tsp. dill fresh, finely chopped*
- 2 tsp. parsley fresh, finely chopped*
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. onion powder
- ¼-½ tsp. salt to taste
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- ¼-½ cup buttermilk or oat milk
Instructions
- Add the ingredients, except the buttermilk, to a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine.½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 2 Tbsp. chives, 2 tsp. dill, 2 tsp. parsley, ½ tsp. garlic powder, ½ tsp. onion powder, ¼-½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. black pepper, 2 tsp. lemon juice
- Slowly mix in buttermilk until the dressing reaches your desired consistency.¼-½ cup buttermilk
- Use immediately or store Ranch dressing in the refrigerator for up to 1 week between servings. Bring to room temperature and stir well before using.
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Notes
- Herbs: Fresh chives, parsley, and dill give the best flavor. If using dried, use about 1/3 the amount of fresh called for in the recipe.
- Buttermilk: This gives the most authentic ranch taste. You can sub whole milk, heavy cream, or unsweetened oat milk for dairy-free. Add it slowly and stop when you hit your preferred thickness.
- Consistency: For a thicker dip, use less buttermilk. For a thinner, pourable dressing, use all of it. The dressing will also thicken as it chills.
- Let it rest: For the best flavor, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. This lets the powdered spices absorb into the liquid and the flavors meld together.
- Storage: Keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1-2 weeks. Do not freeze.
- Dietary info: This ranch is naturally low-carb and keto-friendly. To make it vegan, sub in vegan mayo, dairy-free sour cream, and unsweetened oat milk.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Heavenly! Just the right tanginess and flavor I remember from my childhood.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Linda! I love the tanginess, too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
I’m out of sour cream, can I sub plain Greek yogurt? Do I need to tweak anything if I do?
Hi Becky! You can absolutely sub Greek yogurt for sour cream, many people prefer the tanginess of it! It should be good as a 1 to 1 substitution in most recipes.
I tried this for the first time last week and I’m making it again today. Much,much better than the jar stuff from the market.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Patrick! I LOVE making my own dressings. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!