The Secret to the Best Homemade Ranch Dressing
Updated: Jul. 06, 2022
Want to make the best ranch dressing? Make it at home! It's easy once you know this one simple secret!
I’m not sure how it happened, but somewhere along the way, ranch dressing became America’s most beloved condiment. What started as a salad dressing quickly turned into a dipping sauce. At first, it was just a way to get kids to eat vegetables, but it quickly turned into the go-to side for hot wings, pizza crusts, and French fries. No matter what it is, Americans want a side of ranch to go along with it. If there’s a dish out there that isn’t complemented by ranch, I haven’t found it yet!
Homemade ranch dressing is tangy, herbaceous, creamy, savory, and comforting. The homemade variety tastes infinitely better than anything you can get at the store (which is often too salty or thick for my liking). Unfortunately, store-bought ranch has one notable advantage. Since it’s shelf-stable, I can always have a back-up on hand. Luckily, we’ve got a secret in our pocket that solves that problem: this homemade ranch dressing recipe can be kept in your pantry! TOH Community Cook Joan Hallford created this simple mix to have at the ready when you need Ranch dressing or dip.
How to Make Homemade Ranch Dressing
Yield: 4 batches of dressing, or 2 batches of dip
To Make the Ranch Mix, You’ll Need:
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried minced chives
- 2 teaspoons lemon-pepper seasoning
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1-1/2 teaspoons dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Ingredients for Salad Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon ranch mix
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (or, save yourself the trip to the grocery store and make your own)
Ingredients for Dip:
- 2 tablespoons ranch mix
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
Step 1: Shake it Up
Making this go-to ranch mix couldn’t be easier. Simple add the parsley, garlic, chives, lemon-pepper, oregano, tarragon, and salt to a small, air-tight container. Shake it up until everything is well combined. You should end up with a little more than 1/4 cup of ranch mix.
Step 2: Mix it Up
Now that you have the seasoning mix on hand, you can whip up a real buttermilk ranch salad dressing whenever you need it. Or, if you prefer a thicker ranch dip, swap in sour cream for the buttermilk. To make the dressing and the dip, shake the mix container to make sure everything is still combined. Then, whisk the ranch mix together with the additional ingredients until everything is well blended. At this point, you’ll want to keep the dressing or dip refrigerated until you’re ready to use it.
It’s that quick and easy to make your favorite condiments at home. The result will be a flavorful, healthier version of the store-bought standards – so skip the dressing aisle for good and DIY!
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