I saw on the news that World Cup tourists were getting busted at airports trying to sneak bottles of Ranch Dressing out of the States. There’s no need to smuggle! It’s easy to make and homemade is a gazillion times better – here’s the recipe!
Ranch Dressing
This is not some tale I’m making up. I really did see on the news that World Cup fans were getting stopped by airport security with gallons of ranch dressing in their carry-on. It became such a problem that the Transport Security Administration issued an official warning, reminding travellers to pack it in checked luggage or risk confiscation!
I do get it though. It’s good stuff! For those unfamiliar, Ranch is a wildly popular American creamy dressing made with buttermilk, mayonnaise, garlic, onion and herbs. Tangy, creamy, herby and a little bit savoury from dried onion and garlic, it’s used as a salad dressing, dip for vegetables, with wings, chips, pizza… basically, Americans put ranch on everything, and once you’ve tried it, you’ll understand why.
As you’d expect, it dominates the bottled dressing aisle but honestly, homemade is SO much better because you can really taste the herbs!
Ingredients in Ranch Dressing
Here’s what you need to make this. To make a really good one, get fresh parsley and chives, But for everyday home purposes, dried herbs does the job nicely!
Buttermilk – This thins the dressing to the right consistency while adding the signature tang of Ranch. It also makes the dressing lighter and fresher than using just mayonnaise and sour cream. If you’d rather not buy a whole carton just for this recipe (though having buttermilk on hand is the perfect excuse to make Choc Chip or Blueberry Muffins!), it can be substituted with a 1:2 mixture of yogurt and milk which is just about the same thickness and very similar in flavour too.
Sour cream and mayonnaise – I like to use a combination of both rather than only mayonnaise which I find too rich and greasy. Full-fat is recommended for best flavour (well actually, homemade will be the absolute best!), especially the mayonnaise as low-fat mayo tends to be sweeter, I find, which will alter the flavour of the dressing. If you prefer a version without mayonnaise, see my Mayo-free Yogurt Ranch Dressing (it’s very good!).
Fresh parsley and chives – I fiddled with various combinations of dried versus fresh herbs, and these are the two fresh herbs I like to use. Dill was the other one I played with, but I prefer the earthiness that dried rather than fresh dill brings to the dressing.
Dried herbs – The onion and garlic powder adds a savouriness to the dressing that makes it distinctly Ranch Dressing, while dill is a classic her used in Ranch. The dried dill can be substituted with fresh, but I really urge you to stick with powdered garlic and onion for this dressing, using fresh is just not the same!
Apple cider vinegar – The tiniest smidge (just 1 teaspoon), to add a hint of tang into the dressing. You can substitute with lemon juice or any other clear vinegar, we use so little it doesn’t really matter.
How to make Ranch Dressing
The making part just requires mixing everything together. The texture should be thin enough to pour (photo at top), but thick enough so it clings to anything you dunk in it (see potato wedges dunk shot below).
Then it really benefits from being aside for at least 2 hours to let all the flavours meld, before using. It is fine to use straight away, but what you’ll find is that you can taste all the ingredients separately whereas if you let it rest for a while, the flavours all sort of mingle together to become one.
It’s worth it!
As someone who saves creamy mayo-based dressings for when they’re “worth it” – I promise, Ranch is worth it! It is a Dressing that makes people want a giant serving of salad, with just enough mayo to taste indulgent though it’s actually mostly lower-calorie buttermilk and sour cream. Some recipes use double the mayo, but to me that pushes it into potato salad territory and away from (virtuous! wellness queen! Oh-we-glow!) leafy salads.
So load up your trolleys with leafy greens – you’re going to want to eat it all with this tasty dressing!! – Nagi x
PS No recipe video today, because it’s one of those simple quick-flick recipes. 🙂
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Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
1. Fresh Herb Ranch Dressing (special!)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (Note 1 for easy substitution)
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise , either store-bought whole egg or homemade
- 1/2 cup sour cream , full fat
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice , or other clear vinegar
- 2 tbsp finely chopped chives , or 1 tsp dried chives
- 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley , or 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp dried dill , or 1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder , or fresh garlic finely grated using a microplane
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together until the dressing is smooth. Leave in the fridge for 2 hours to let the flavours meld before using.
- Use as a dressing or dip for everything from wings to chips, veggie sticks or even bread!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
More Salad Dressings that will make you want to eat your greens!
Life of Jaffle
I am 99% sure I very recently commented how well behaved Mr Jaffle has been lately.
I take it back.
I also have to acknowledge the Instagram community who immediately jumped to his defence when I shared those photos – everything from “It wasn’t him” and “Clearly the flip flops exploded” to “The flip flops had it coming” and “He was framed!” 😆
Jaffle looks so innocent standing by his mixed-media art installation.
Dressings are the best – thanks!
You can tell from Jaffle’s face he has no idea how this happened.
I haven’t made the recipe yet, however, it sounds delicious. I was also truly surprised at the Ranch Dressing craze. I was in the Seattle airport and I saw it on the shelves in many of stores in the airport. I thought what an unusual item to sell at an airport. One clerk said they could hardly keep it on their shelves. Nagi, I am sure all the World Cup fans will appreciate this recipe.
I’m going to the store to get the Buttermilk, and I’m making this tonight. YUMMY YUMMY!!
Thank you Nagi 😉
Your suggestion to sub buttermilk with yogurt and milk is pure genius! I never have buttermilk around and usually do a “sour milk” substitute, which doesn’t quite make it. I’m from San Francisco and was amused at the response to ranch dressing with World Cup visitors. Salad dressing diplomacy?
Jaffle…at least it wasn’t your beautiful sofa!!!
U.S. Midwesterner here – you can sub the vinegar for lemon juice – that’s my preferred ingredient. And fresh herbs are the way to go.
100% agree on the fresh herbs! 🙂 Just handy to have a dried herb option so I can make this “whenever” 🙂 Thanks for the reminder about lemon juice, updating! – N x
Your ranch dressing is the best. We love assorted vegetables oven roasted and tossed with ranch dressing and topped with grated cheese as an easy dinner. Jaffle “saw red” when he spotted the flip flop and had to protect you from it. Be happy that you don’t also have cats that bring stuff to him to obliterate. My three cats love to “help” my dog tear up things and vanish when I walk into the room.
I’m sure the recipe will be fantastic, but Nagi, ranch dressing was an American State Secret. 🙂
Seriously, us Yanks surely had a blast hosting all of our visitors.
If this is anything close to the ranch dressing recipe that goes with your pasta chicken ranch salad, it will be a winner. Can’t wait to try it.
And of course Jaffe ate the flip-flops. He knew you needed better support for your feet. Or maybe he was trying to get them cut down to fit him? Such a precious dog.
Thanks for the recipe for ranch dressing I really look forward to seeing more of your content and Jaffle too. Have a wonderful day
“The flip-flop simply exploded” is my favorite.” Poor, innocent Jaffle. 😂
I make my vegan ranch dressing the same way. I use almond milk and apple cider vinegar to make a form of buttermilk; the rest is the same. I add a dash of paprika and use crushed garlic.
Sometimes it’s better not to worry about the calories.
As an American, I was slightly dismayed when I learned of the ranch dressing obsession during the World Cup! I didn’t want the rest of the world thinking all Americans are obsessed with ranch dressing -that’s not what we want to be known for! 😂 Personally, it’s not something I care for, but there is no doubt that I am in the minority here. The bottled versions sold in stores are full of preservatives and other awful ingredients but, I agree that a homemade version is superior! I plan to try Nagi’s version Soon which I’m sure will be great.
Oh bless! I feel the same re: british food that’s overhyped (heinz baked beans 🤢, and other “savoury products in sweet tomato sauce). I’ll admit Tesco Finest buttermilk jarred ranch dressing is pretty good ingredients wise (can’t remember if it’s 100% preservative/gum free but it feels like it) and tastes like an anchovy free caesar dressing. But I wouldn’t trust a cheaper brand!
Hi nagi, do you have a recipe for the ranch dressing in dry form so I can store it and add to the wet thank you
I agree, Ranch dressing makes me CRAVE salads!!! I can’t wait to try this homemade recipe!! Thank you
Love your doggie!!!
Ranch dressing is widely available in the UK including Newman’s Own (a good bought dressing with all profits going to charity).
Mmmmm…. Raspberry flip flops are my favourite flavour. 😋 Are there seconds?
Nah. That looks like one pi55ed dog. He’s owning it. What he’s thinking right now is, ‘take your photos, have your fun, but if you think you’re mad now, WAIT TILL YOU SEE THE OTHER ONE’.
Obviously have printed off the ranch dressing recipe and will get round to making it for the green leafy stuff. Probably when we have visitors, just so they get the (skewered) impression that we eat the bloody stuff.
😂
Jaffle is the boss, just as Dozer was. You know that, Nagi!!!!!!!!
Awww, but he is SO cute.