Best Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe
Growing up there was only ONE salad dressing I would ever eat.
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.
I just loved its flavor profiles. I used it on big salads, and as a dipping sauce for everything from pizza to French fries to carrot sticks.
Initially, I presumed making a homemade ranch dressing meant you would need to spend TONS of time and work, so I grabbed the bottled stuff. But boy was I wrong.
After a few rounds of recipe testing, I soon discovered that making ranch was so super simple. I’m talking throw some ingredients in a bowl, whisk, and go!
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.
Learn how to make other Healthy Salad Dressings here.
17 Simple Salad Dressings e-Book
An e-cookbook full of quick vinaigrettes and creamy dressings that are ready in under 5 minutes!
Ingredients
- 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.
- Lemon juice. Fresh lemon juice gives a nice tang to the homemade version.
How to Make a Homemade Ranch Dressing
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.
1. Mix It Up
Whisk together everything in a medium-sized bowl except the buttermilk.
This ensures the seasonings are mixed well before thinning out the dressing.
2. Add the 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.
Refrigerate the easy homemade ranch dressing 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.
3. Serve or Store
You can serve it immediately, or refrigerate it for a few hours for the best results. A mason jar works great for this delicious dressing.
This easy ranch will last in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 weeks.
FAQs
Ranch dressing consists of a creamy base seasoned with herbs, onion powder, garlic powder, and pepper. This recipe uses mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, lemon juice, fresh chives, dill, and parsley, as well as onion and garlic powder.
An Alaskan cowboy names Steve Henson is credited with coming up with this famous recipe. He ultimately moved to California, bought a ranch he named Hidden Valley Ranch, and the rest is history.
Homemade ranch dressing should keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. Just be sure to keep it in an airtight container.
You should not freeze ranch dressing. The creamy texture will be drastically different and the mayonnaise will separate upon thawing.
Usually, ranch dressing is gluten-free. However, always check the label or ingredients.
Typically, ranch isn’t considered a healthy dressing, but it’s fine in moderation. Ranch dressing is low-carb and keto, but not vegan. Opt for vegan mayo and sour cream instead.
How to Use Ranch Dressing
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.
Or, use it to cool off Buffalo Chicken Wings. You can’t go wrong with Air Fryer Chicken Nuggets.
17 Simple Salad Dressings e-Book
An e-cookbook full of quick vinaigrettes and creamy dressings that are ready in under 5 minutes!
More Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes
Once you see how easy it is to whip up your own salad dressings, you may never buy a bottle from the grocery store again!
- Avocado Ranch
- Lemon Vinaigrette
- Greek Salad Dressing
- Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Olive Garden Italian Dressing
- Lemon Tahini
- Thousand Island
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Peanut Butter Dressing
- Caesar Salad Dressing
- Spicy Cashew Dressing.
Learn how to make other Healthy Salad Dressings here.
Tap stars to rate!
Best Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe
email this recipe!
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.
Tap stars to rate!
Video
Notes
- Makes roughly 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups of dressing.
- A serving size is 2 tablespoons.
- You can also use 2 teaspoons dried chives, ½ teaspoon dried dill, and ½ teaspoon dried parsley instead of the fresh herbs.
- Fresh is best. Using fresh herbs will deliver the most flavor.
- Use buttermilk if possible. This offers the most authentic taste.
- Slowly pour it in. Avoid dumping all of the buttermilk in at once. Add a little at a time until your desired consistency is reached.
- Let it chill. Allow the dressing to rest in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours before serving.
- Make it work. Sub in dairy-free or vegan ingredients as needed.
- Use it up. Ranch salad dressing is perfect as a dip for fresh vegetables, like baby carrots and celery, or buffalo wings.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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!