Whipping up a batch of homemade ranch dressing is only slightly harder than twisting off a cap and pouring, but once you’ve tasted the creamy, herby zing of freshly-made ranch, there’s no contest. On salads, with wings, as a dip for veggies; you name it! DIY ranch wins, every time. And our recipe is THE BEST. It’s herby, with plenty of zing, and you can taste the freshness. Making ranch dressing from scratch means that you control what goes into it, too. No weird preservatives and stabilizers here. Just fresh, delicious ranch that’s (almost) guaranteed to get your kids to at least try having some salad with dinner. Or let them live high on the hog and serve it with Fried Pickles, or Perfectly Crispy Fried Chicken!
Ingredients
- Buttermilk: Tangy buttermilk makes this dressing perfectly drizzly and gives it that classic zingy flavor.
- Mayonnaise: And mayo is here for richness — ranch is not a light & healthy dressing, but you knew that, right?
- Sour cream: Just a little sour cream, to really double down on that signature ranch dressing tang.
- Parsley: This can be fresh or dried parsley, whichever you have is OK.
- Dried herbs: Onion powder, garlic powder, dried dill.
- Salt: We’re calling for ½ teaspoon. Start there, and add a little more to taste if need be. How salty you want your ranch to be may depend a bit on what you’re serving it with. If you’re serving it with just plain veggies, you may want it to pack a bigger punch. If you’re serving it with salty Fries, ½ a teaspoon is probably plenty.
How To Store
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. But consider the expiration dates of the sour cream and buttermilk — look at the dates, and whichever expiration date is closest is when you should toss your ranch. Help it stay fresh by not dipping anything directly into the container that you’re storing it in—for example, a half-bitten carrot. Instead, when you want to use a little ranch, pour out just what you need. This way, you aren’t introducing any bacteria into the batch.
Serving Ideas
- Salads are probably the most obvious use for ranch dressing, and we think it shines brightest on the Classic Cobb Salad.
- With pizza! Look, we know it’s controversial to some, but homemade ranch dressing on pizza is an indulgence we just have to have in our lives. Don’t freak out, but you could even try serving it with Pizza Sliders and just watch how happy your party guests are.
- As a dip, along with Potato Wedges, Fries, tater tots or even a very American riff on our beloved veggie-laden Grand Aioli.
More Creamy Homemade Dressing Recipes
You’re A DIY Hero! What’s Next?
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