Myhomemade ranch dressingproves you can make restaurant-quality ranch at home. Always perfectly tangy, creamy, and worth the few minutes it takes to make. Don’t just take my word for it; check out the reviews from people who’ve made it themselves!
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You’ll be making this Easy Ranch Dressing Recipe over and over again
Homemade ranch dressing always tastes fresh, creamy, and easy to customize with your favorite herbs. Everyone who makes this recipe loves it! Here’s what one Pinner said:
“First time making homemade ranch, and I needed a recipe on the fly – this absolutely delivered! This recipe is really a great base, and then you can add more seasonings as you want, and that’s awesome. Highly recommend it!”
Best Homemade Ranch Dressing Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients!! It really is so super easy to put together.
Mayonaise
Sour Cream
Salt and pepper
Seasonings
Enough milk to make it the consistency you like.
How to make Homemade Ranch Dressing
The easiest way to make this ranch dressing (and any salad dressing) is in a jar. I add all the ingredients to a jar and just shake them all up. It’s fast and easy and if you have a mason jar pouring spout (affiliate),you can serve it or use it right out of the jar. Genius and so easy!
The base for homemade ranch is made from sour cream and mayonnaise, which is then thinned out by milk. Add the milk slowly so that the ranch stays as thick as you’d like. If you do thin it out too much, add a bit more sour cream and mayonnaise.
Ways to use this recipe for Ranch Dressing
The options are endless!! I love to put this on salad, of course, but it’s also fantastic for dipping fresh vegetables, chicken tenders, and even pizza.
I also love to serve it with my oven BBQ chicken, use it when making bacon ranch pizzas, and substitute it for the gorgonzola dressing on my steak salad with it if I have people who aren’t fans of stinky cheese.
How long is Homemade Ranch good?
This is a super common question! Since ranch dressing is made of dairy products, you’ll want to use it before the earliest “best by” date found on them.
Usually, this is the milk, but always double check and write the date on the container the homemade ranch dressing is kept in.
Ranch dressing got its name from Hidden Valley Ranch, a steakhouse in California where it was believed to be invented.
How was the original ranch dressing made?
The first ranch dressing that was sold was packets of dry ingredients to mix into sour cream and buttermilk.
Is ranch dressing gluten free?
Yes, this ranch dressing is gluten-free but I can’t speak for all ranch dressing recipes.
Does homemade ranch taste better?
I might be biased but I do think that homemade ranch tastes better. A few commentators on Pinterest agree as well! “I will never buy bottle dressing again.”
Is homemade ranch healthier than store bought?
It probably depends on which ranch you buy. You can find the estimated nutrition facts below the recipe card.
Looking for more delicious salad dressing recipes??
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.
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.
This might seem obvious, but you can add a lot of flavor to ranch dressing by adding more of what's already in it. I love adding lots of fresh herbs, extra garlic, or even lemon zest.
The original ranch dressing that was served at the Hidden Valley Ranch in Santa Barbara throughout the 1950's and the 1960's was mostly made from dry herbs and aromatics. To recreate the traditional recipe you can use garlic powder and dried herbs. You make and store the seasoning as needed and then add dairy.
To thicken the dressing you can add a teaspoon of cornstarch. Just be just you whisk it in really well and refrigerate for a few hours before it's ready to serve. The dressing will thicken up as it sits.
Because while some restaurants do use a bottled shelf stable dressing, what you are referring to is a powdered ranch mix (typically the Hidden Valley brand) that the restaurant cooks add milk/ buttermilk and sour cream to make their dressing. I agree it is far better tasting.
Ken's Steak House Country French Dressing with Orange Blossom Honey is tart, tangy, sweet—and, best of all, totally different than ranch. If you like herbs but steer clear of creamy salad dressings, Italian dressing is the perfect salad dressing for folks who hate ranch.
Directions. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth.Whisk in thyme, garlic, and cayenne pepper.Season to taste with salt and pepper.
It's a combination of creaminess (from buttermilk, sour cream, sometimes mayonnaise) and herbaceousness (often parsley, thyme, dill), plus a long pull of allium (onion and garlic) and a shot of black pepper.
The ranch packet has a fresher taste, because you add your own mayo and milk. Even though all the herbs and spices in the mix are dried, they rehydrate quickly and leave you with a product that feels homemade. This version of Hidden Valley Ranch is more flavorful than the bottled version and much, much thicker.
Since 1972 Hidden Valley Ranch has been owned by Clorox. Ranch dressing was created in 1949 by a plumber-turned-cowboy. While working as a contract plumber in Alaska, Steve Henson started cooking for his coworkers and perfecting his buttermilk dressing recipe.
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.
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.
Use yogurt or sour cream: These dairy products have a similar texture to mayonnaise and can be used to thicken salad dressing. You can use plain yogurt or sour cream, or try flavored varieties for added flavor. Use avocado: Avocado is a creamy, rich fruit that can be used to thicken salad dressing.
What makes ranch ranch? It's a combination of creaminess (from buttermilk, sour cream, sometimes mayonnaise) and herbaceousness (often parsley, thyme, dill), plus a long pull of allium (onion and garlic) and a shot of black pepper.
The reason is that a significant proportion of our restaurants are owned by franchisees who set their own prices - some charge for extra sauces if they are not part of a meal option.
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.
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