Easy Ranch Dressing Recipe

This Easy Ranch Dressing Recipe is creamy, tangy, and bursting with flavor! It's perfect for game-day parties or a simple salad dressing. It will make you wonder why you've relied on store-bought ranch dressing for so long.

Here are some more divine sauces: Hot Honey Sauce, Honey BBQ Sauce, Cajun Ranch, Garlic Parmesan Sauce, and Honey Sriracha Sauce.

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Jump to:

• Latest Recipe Video:
• What is ranch dressing made of?
• Key Ingredients
• How To Make a Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe
• Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks
• FAQs
• More Sauce Recipes
• Before You Begin
• 📖 Recipe

As a kid and a grown man, ranch dressing is hands down my favorite salad dressing. I vividly remember being judged by my friends in high school for putting it on my pizza. That was until they tried it, too, and realized that this creamy, tangy sauce is the perfect companion for several things other than salads, carrots, and chicken tenders.

I'm going to show you the best homemade ranch recipe online! The only unusual ingredient that you are unlikely to have at home is dill weed but everything else you should have on hand. If not, a quick trip to the store will solve it.

What is ranch dressing made of?

Traditionally you make ranch dressing with buttermilk, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, white vinegar or lemon juice, dill weed, and Worcestershire sauce. The debate is whether to use sour cream or mayonnaise.

I prefer to use mayonnaise because it gives the ranch dressing a creamier and smoother texture and tastes better than sour cream.

Thank you to Steve Henson for creating this delicious condiment called ranch dressing.

Key Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you'll need to whip up this easy ranch dressing recipe.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk is a key ingredient in Southern cuisine that gives food the right amount of tang and flavor. For ranch dressing, using full-fat buttermilk will also give it the desired consistency.

Mayonnaise

The right thickness and texture for buttermilk ranch is achieved with mayonnaise. Some people use sour cream instead, which can work as a swap, but mayo tastes better and has a more desirable consistency since the buttermilk provides enough tanginess.

Seasonings

You can find a plethora of herb and spice combinations online, but the key spices you need are garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt. Of course, dill weed and parsley add color and the right herb flavor.

Dill Weed

I always add dried dill weed to my ranch because it lasts longer than fresh dill, and I hate wasting food.

Sugar

Sugar helps to balance the acidity of buttermilk, making it more palatable.

Worcestershire Sauce

Just a little splash of this secret ingredient wakes up the flavor!

How To Make a Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe

I wanted my ranch dressing recipe to be easy with ingredients you find at your local grocery store year-round.

In a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise, buttermilk, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, dill weed, sugar, ground black pepper, salt, vinegar, and Worcestershire until smooth in a small bowl. Serve immediately or place in the refrigerator for 2 hours before using.

Pro Recipe Tips & Tricks

This ranch dressing is fantastic, and here are a few notes I wrote while making it.

• The quality of your mayonnaise matters. I prefer Blue Plate Avocado or Olive Oil; healthier oils make for better mayonnaise.
• Ranch tastes better after letting the flavors blend together once it's been refrigerated for a couple of hours.
• If you have the choice, opt for Bulgarian buttermilk over low-fat buttermilk.
• For the best flavor, use granulated garlic powder and onion powder. Granulated spices blend with other ingredients.
• Add 1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning or hot sauce to make a cajun ranch sauce.
• If you do not have white vinegar, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lime juice will do the trick.
• Fresh herbs have tons of flavor; feel free to use fresh parsley and fresh dill.

FAQs

Here are the top questions readers have about making ranch dressing at home.

More Sauce Recipes

Here are a few recipes that you can use for dipping or spreading over your favorite foods.

• 5-minute Tartar Sauce
• Sweet Thai Chili Dipping Sauce
• Salted Caramel Sauce
• Tzatziki Sauce
• Poblano Cream Sauce
• Remoulade Sauce

Before You Begin

Here are my steps for getting organized before I start anything.

Step 1: Get all ingredients for the ranch dressing on the counter.

Step 2: Measure everything out.

Step 3: Follow the recipe and get ready for the best ranch dressing you’ve ever enjoyed.

I hope you give this easy ranch dressing a try. It’s really delicious and so much better than anything you can buy in the store. Leave a comment below, and let me know how it turns out for you! And don’t forget to rate the recipe once you make it. 5 stars are always appreciated.

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