Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is a magical thing. It’s served in the fanciest of restaurants and also along side dino nuggets at lunch hour. My kids will literally eat anything if they have ranch to dip it in. And I’ll be honest; I will too. I grew up in a house where there was a pitcher that was constantly filled. It sat on pretty much every table of every meal we ate. It was always the Hidden Valley seasoning packs that I still love today. But there’s no bottled Ranch dressing that competes with this recipe – it’s the BEST! It’s also so, so easy. Like, really easy. I keep most of this stuff on hand so it’s quick to whip up.
Ingredients Needed
This is just a preview of ingredients and method, keep scrolling for full printable recipe.
- Mayonnaise and buttermilk – I use a classic base of tangy buttermilk and mayo. While I use reduced-calorie mayo in a lot of my cooking, I don’t recommend it here. It definitely changes the flavor and it’s simply not as good. You can adjust the amount of buttermilk you use to get the consistency just how you like it (thinner, thicker, etc.). Feedback from readers suggests that its’s worth it to use a good name-brand mayonnaise here like Best Foods/ Hellman’s.
- White vinegar
- Dried parsley
- Dried dill
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Dried chives
- Black pepper
- Seasoned salt – like Lowrey’s. If you don’t have this, just sub another salt.
- Dry mustard
How to Make Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- You can make this in a blender, or a bowl. I usually toss it in the blender, but either way works!
- Literally just put all ingredients together and either blend or whisk!
- For best flavor, allow the dressing to chill for a couple of hours before using. It will also thicken after being stored in the fridge.
Storing and Other Tips
- Store finished dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 1-2 weeks for best results.
- The only thing that would make a salad with homemade ranch even better is homemade croutons, so you may want to whip up a batch of those while you’re at it. Dipping homemade croutons into homemade ranch is probably one of my most favorite things ever.
- This Basil Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is also a super-amazing variation of this dressing.
- If you’re out of buttermilk, a mixture of milk and lemon juice or vinegar can be used in a pinch at a ratio of 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to one cup of milk. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to thicken before using.
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
A quick and easy homemade Ranch dressing recipe that everyone loves!
Servings 2 tablespoon servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/8 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt like Lowreys
- 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or a bowl and blend or whisk until smooth
- For best results, let chill for 2 hours or more for flavors to intensify. Dressing will also thicken after being stored in the fridge.
Notes
- Different mayonnaise brands produce different consistencies in this recipe. I almost always use Best Foods, so for me, about the ratio listed seems to be perfect, but that same amount is sometimes incredibly thick or incredibly thin for others. So just keep that in mind. Mix everything together and then add more buttermilk until it’s perfect for you.
- All spices and herbs listed below are dried. If substituting fresh, use the ratio 1 part dry = 3 parts fresh. If using fresh herbs, blend everything except herbs first and then lightly pulse in the herbs.
- Store finished dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoy within 1 week for best results.
Nutrition
Serving: 2tablespoons, Calories: 136kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Sodium: 178mg, Potassium: 38mg, Fiber: 0.2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 450IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 19mg, Iron: 0.2mg
Calories: 136kcal
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Questions & Reviews
When I made this is turned out super thick. Did I do it all wrong, or is that how it is supposed to be?
I have just discovered your site and I think that me and my family are going to be your biggest fans. The ranch dressing is my oldest daughter's favorite and she loves a salad, so I'll be whipping up a batch of this as soon as I get all the goodies at the store ;o)
Jen, I almost posted a bulk recipe, but my hesitation is that one batch of the ranch has so little of a few of those spices that I don't think everything would distribute well enough to make a good batch every time. Does that make sense? You wouldn't be getting quite the same measurements in each batch. I actually have that issue with the bulk bottles of ranch mix you can buy from Hidden Valley. Sometimes they turn out great, and other times I end up with way too much of one flavor and not enough of another… but hey it's worth a shot! I'll try it and report back 🙂
Now we need someone to do the math so we can make it in bulk and just take X amount out at a time.
I recently discored dipping pizza in the ranch, but I love veggies dipped in it, of course, and on a ham and cheese sandwich with tomatoes and lettuce on it. Yes, I eat strange things, but it is really good! Thanks for the recipe, I will have to try! michelle
Ranch dressing is one of my favorites.. As a kid, I used to dip pretzels in Ranch dressing for an afternoon snack. Wishing I had some right now… This looks wonderful!
This is just what I have been looking for! I cannot wait to give this recipe a try!
We are currently on our third batch of cilantro-lime dressing. I could seriously dip a hot dog in that stuff and eat it straight up!
OMG, thank you so much. Cant want to try the champagne cupcakes, I am going to be set for teacher xmas gifts!!!
I am fairly new to your site, but have tried the apple streusel bars, pumpkin muffins, spice honey chicken, monster munch. Winner with every one of them. Thank you for producing recipes that I dont have to go to mars to get the ingredients!! You GALS ROCK!!
Home made ranch dressing is the best… Thanks for the recipe!
How awesome!! I cant have commercial ranch dressing anymore(even in the powder package) as the MSG makes my head explode! Not really.. but it does give me a horrible migraine! Thanks so much for this recipe 🙂