The Best Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing tastes better than anything store-bought and only takes a few minutes to make. Ranch dressing is delicious on salads and as a dip for fresh vegetables.
We love dipping pizza in ranch and these spicy chicken bites are awesome with ranch on the side too.
There aren’t all that many recipes here on the blog that I label as “the best.” With nearly 1,500 recipes here, there are less than 20 that have truly earned that label.
I figure that everyone’s tastes are different and who knows if someone else’s opinion on the “best recipe ever” is going to match mine? These recipes though? They really are the best of the best.
And this ranch salad dressing? It is hands down the BEST Ranch Salad Dressing that I have ever tasted.
Without fail, the people who try it, have all agreed. Just scroll through the comments to see how everyone raves over it.
Plenty of garlic, dill, and other spices make this a memorable ranch dressing. Just thin enough to pour smoothly, without becoming too liquid or watered down: the creaminess of the dressing is well balanced by the tang of the fresh lemon.
My kids reach for this Ranch Salad Dressing or our Homemade Ranch Dip at least once, if not twice, a day to eat with fresh vegetables.
Most nights, I set out our produce boxes and a bowl of this ranch dressing each day as I am getting ready to make dinner. The kids happily snack on vegetables for half an hour or more while we chat and cook dinner.
This is easily the most popular salad dressing I make. We have friends that insist I bring this Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing along every time we get together for a meal.
Everyone who has tasted this dressing has been convinced at first bite that they need to make it for themselves. This recipe has become not only the most popular salad dressing on this website but one of the most popular recipes overall.
Ranch dressing is a savory, creamy American salad dressing usually made from buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs (commonly chives, parsley and dill), and spices (commonly pepper, paprika and ground mustard seed) mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil emulsion.
In the coming months, I plan to periodically discuss the concept of buying in bulk—not necessarily as a means of amassing huge quantities of food, but as a means of strategically stocking your pantry for longterm meal preparation, and, in the long run, saving considerable amounts of money. It’s taken years and years for me to learn this principle, as I was always the very embodiment of the “shop meal by meal” approach, which can work for a single person household but which has proved to be untenable in my current rural existence. In addition, I’ll be talking about growing your own herbs, whether in an outdoor or indoor garden, and show you how much it can expand your cooking repertoire, what a huge difference it can make in the flavor of your cooking, and again, how much money that can save you in the long run. Store-bought herbs are pricey, man! So we have a lot to talk about here, folks.
The Cast of Characters: Mayonnaise (for the love of Pete, NOT Miracle Whip), Sour Cream, Buttermilk or Regular Milk, Garlic, Italian (Flat Leaf) Parsley, Chives, and Salt. Other optional ingredients: Fresh Dill, Worcestershire Sauce, Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Fresh Oregano, Tabasco. Now come. Come to my window. Crawl inside. Wait by the light of the moon.
Necessity is the mother of invention. Before I moved to the country and started raising a family, I hadnt a clue what that adage meant. Oh, believe me, Im not suggesting that one has to move to the country in order to be inventive, resourceful, or creative. I guess what Im saying is… I did. In the city, with every convenience at my fingertips, it never occurred to me to wing it in the kitchen, to reinvent the wheel, to make do with what I had… because what I had, grocery-wise, was anything I ever wanted. But in the country, with a hungry cowboy and four kids to feed, I learned very quickly that theres no “running to the store real quick” if I run out of an important staple. If a key ingredient is missing in my meal preparation, I simply have to wing it. To reinvent the wheel. To make do with what I have. It’s an important lesson for any home cook to learn; I just had to move many miles from civilization to learn it.
Okay, first, start with 1 to 2 cloves of garlic. And honestly, I’m almost leaning toward using just one clove these days. Remember, it will remain raw and raw garlic is extuhreeeeemely strong. The past few times I’ve made it, the garlic has been a little too pronounced for me. And you can always start light and add more if you think it needs it. Also, keep in mind that the longer the dressing sits in the fridge, the more strong the garlic flavor will get.
You can use this as a base recipe and add other ingredients here and there to achieve the flavor you like. While its pretty hard to beat that dadgum green and white store-bought packet, I actually really love the flavor of the from-scratch stuff. Try it and see if you do, too!
How To Make Ranch Dressing
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream and milk until smooth.
- Add the dill, parsley, chives, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Add the lemon and whisk again. Pour into a jar and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
For more great dressing recipes to try, Honey Lime Jalapeno Vinaigrette, Creamy Poppyseed Dressing, and these Balsamic Vinaigrettes are a few more of my go-to homemade dressings.
If you love ranch but want to bump it up, Pepper Dill Ranch is packed full of crushed pepper and loaded with fresh dill, this dressing is a great addition to our usual dressings and dips for our raw vegetables.
I have this Avocado Lime Salad Dressing by Inside BruCrew Life and this Green Goddess Salad Dressing by Kalyn’s Kitchen on my future recipes to try list.
What’s the history of ranch dressing?
FAQ
What is ranch dressing made of?
Is ranch basically sour cream?
Is ranch just garlic mayo?
Why is ranch dressing called ranch?
What is ranch made of?
Ranch is a condiment typically made of a blend of mayonnaise, buttermilk or sour cream, and various herbs and spices such as dill, parsley, chives, garlic, and onion powder. It is commonly used as a dressing for salads, as a dip for vegetables and chips, and as a topping for burgers and sandwiches.
What makes ranch dressing tangy?
Sour Cream: Adding a tangy flavor and a hint of acidity, sour cream is an essential component of ranch dressing. Buttermilk: This ingredient gives ranch dressing its characteristic tanginess and helps to thin out the mixture to the desired consistency.
What is ranch dressing?
Ranch dressing is a classic salad dressing that has been around for decades and is loved by many. The basic ingredients of ranch dressing are mayonnaise, buttermilk, and various seasonings. Mayonnaise, a creamy base, is used as the foundation of ranch dressing.