Homemade Ranch Dressing

Homemade Ranch Dressing is all-natural, loaded with buttermilk and fresh herbs, quick and easy to make, and SO delicious that you'll never go back to store-bought again!

The BEST Homemade Ranch Dressing with text overlay.


 

If you enjoy homemade salad dressings, you don't want to miss this versatile Ranch Dressing Mix, this zesty Homemade Italian Salad Dressing, or this classic Balsamic Vinaigrette!

Who loves creamy, flavorful Ranch Dressing?! I've coined this ranch dressing recipe "the best" because...well, I honestly think it is, y'all.

As in, I could drink it straight out of the jar, no lettuce required.

As in, my kids have scarfed down giant, veggie-loaded salads with nary a complaint every day this week.

And as in, ranch salad dressing and I go waaaay back...and I've never had better.

When I was a kid, my mom always made "homemade" ranch dressing using those (not homemade) dry seasoning packets. In college, I was introduced to glorious Hidden Valley Ranch goodness in a bottle. In fact, my roommates and I always had a jumbo jug in the fridge. We didn't keep it on hand for salads, mind you...everyone back then knew it was for dipping our pizza. 😉

But once I had kids and began to pay more attention to the quality of food that I was feeding my family, I started religiously reading labels. And consequently, I was aghast to discover some not-so-natural ingredients in my beloved HV.

Homemade Ranch Dressing recipe ready to enjoy over a salad.

I tried other varieties of all-natural or organic ranch dressing, but they all tasted terrible to me. So if I couldn't have the "authentic" ranch taste that had been training my taste buds for so many years, I begrudgingly decided that I would just go without ranch altogether.

And then one day, it occurred to me that maybe it would be a worthwhile experiment to attempt my own from-scratch Homemade Ranch Dressing, in hopes of recapturing my ranch-loving days of yore. And you know what? The dressing I whipped up was surprisingly good. So I just kept on adjusting and tweaking until I arrived at a ranch dressing recipe that honestly puts every store-bought brand to shame!

Aerial view of Ranch recipe in bowl with whisk, garnished with parsley.

Homemade Ranch Dressing Ingredients

I truly believe that the perfect balance of complementary ingredients in this ranch recipe is what makes it SO gosh darn good.

Aerial view of labeled ingredients.
  • Mayonnaise. Now I'm going to sound like my good buddy Ina for a minute here and recommend that you use "good quality." While the flavor of the mayo certainly fades into the background after a suitable chilling time, you still want to enjoy those hints of its underlying flavor.
  • Sour cream. Depending on how decadent you're feeling, you can use regular, low-fat, or fat-free.
  • Buttermilk. Regular milk will work, of course. But I think buttermilk adds a nice undertone of tang, not to mention creaminess (that's why Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is so popular)! And no worries if you don't have any buttermilk on hand! Simply scroll down a bit for instructions on how to make your own.
  • Parsley and dill. Fresh herbs contribute such lovely flavor and color to this dressing if you have 'em. But if you don't, no worries...you can substitute â…“ the amount of dried herbs (which are more potent, so you use less) instead.
  • Apple cider vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Don't leave these ingredients out, because just a tiny amount of each contributes to the delicious flavor of this dressing.
  • Garlic powder and onion powder. While I looooove fresh garlic, I feel like it (and fresh onion) would overpower this recipe. So using powders instead is the perfect compromise.
  • Salt and freshly-ground black pepper. In particular, don't skimp on the salt...it's what makes all of the other flavors in the dressing pop.
Bottle of Ranch Dressing.

How to Make Ranch Dressing

Sometimes making the things you love at home from scratch can be a bit intimidating, but I promise that this ranch dressing recipe is worth the minimal effort. It's healthier (as in, no additives or preservatives), more budget-friendly, and quick and easy to whip up in a flash.

In fact, here's how straightforward it is:

  1. Whisk together the mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk.
Buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream in glass bowl.
Ingredients whisked together in bowl.
  1. Blend in the herbs, flavorings, and spices.
Ranch Dressing recipe ingredients in a bowl ready to be whisked.
Ranch Dressing whisked in bowl.

See? Couldn't be any simpler.

However, there is one final, very important step that does require a bit of planning ahead and/or patience:

Refrigerate your ranch dressing for four hours (or ideally, overnight) to let the flavors come together.

I promise, Homemade Ranch Dressing just won't taste good until you allow it to chill.

And if, in the process, it thickens too much, you can always stir in a little extra buttermilk before serving to thin it back out.

Aerial view of ranch recipe in bottle sprinkled with fresh herbs.

How to Make Buttermilk

Buttermilk is one of those ingredients that most people don't keep in their fridge. But I do feel like it's an integral part of this recipe, as it gives ranch dressing its slightly tangy taste. The good news is that you can easily make your own buttermilk!

Making buttermilk is as easy as using 1 tablespoon of acid for every cup of milk.

So for this recipe:

  1. Add 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice (or white vinegar) to a 1-cup measuring cup.
  2. Fill the rest of the way to the half-cup mark with whole milk and stir to combine.
  3. Let the mixture sit for five to ten minutes, stir, and it will have thickened and curdled, turning into buttermilk!

Is Mayonnaise Really Necessary?

And now to address another common question about making your own ranch...

I should say that, first of all, I don’t like to taste the mayonnaise in my ranch dressing, which is the problem I have with most of the bottled ranch dressings out there. Yet I find mayonnaise to be a necessary component in ranch.

Fortunately I've discovered that by using equal parts mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk -- and allowing the flavors to blend while the dressing chills (!!!) -- the prominent notes of mayonnaise disappear, the flavor of the dressing is balanced, and its consistency is perfect for salads.

Just keep in mind that if you want to keep your Homemade Ranch Dressing “real food” quality, you need to pay attention to the ingredients in the mayonnaise that you buy. If you’re feeling really gung-ho, you can even make your own from scratch! But don't feel obligated...there are store-bought jars of mayo with decent ingredients, so just be sure to read the labels.

Homemade Ranch Dressing recipe with chopped parsley in background.

All About the Herbs

When I have fresh herbs at my disposal, I love to use them in my ranch. But dried herbs work just fine as well. In fact, I've learned to always keep Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix -- which features dried herbs -- in my pantry for whipping up homemade dressing any time.

I often find myself with fresh parsley on hand, but no fresh dill. So in those instances, I happily stir fresh parsley and dried dill into my ranch dressing recipe. Works swimmingly!

I think this buttermilk ranch dressing is perfect using parsley and dill as its only herbs. However, feel free to toss in your favorites and experiment with the flavors. Chives add a nice little bite if you're into onions (which I am vehemently not). Or you can even add a bit of basil or cilantro for a totally different twist!

How Long Does Ranch Dressing Keep?

Because this ranch recipe contains mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk, it definitely needs to stay chilled.

And it will be fine in the fridge for up to a week or so...if you can keep from eating it all before then, that is! I typically pay attention to the expiration date of the buttermilk and sour cream to know if my ranch will keep for less than a week.

How Do I Make Ranch Dip?

If you enjoy Ranch Dip, adapting this recipe is as simple as leaving out the buttermilk and subbing extra mayo and sour cream in its place. I can assure you that your carrot sticks will never be so happy!

Close-up of Homemade Ranch Dressing in bottle.

I really hope y’all give this Homemade Ranch Dressing a try! It’s soooo simple to make and it's absolutely delicious. The most time-intensive step is chopping the herbs, if you happen to be using fresh. Other than that, it’s just a matter of measuring, whisking, and then remaining patient as the dressing chills.

So if you’re a fan of ranch, I encourage you to make this recipe STAT!

It’ll have your family and friends begging for more.

It’ll make you crave salad for breakfast.

Heck, it may even infiltrate your dreams!

Because -- let's be honest -- the best recipes always do. 😉

Close-up of How to Make Ranch Dressing using a whisk.

More Homemade Salad Dressings

Bottle of Homemade Ranch Dressing.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

The BEST Homemade Ranch Dressing is all-natural, loaded with buttermilk and herbs, quick and easy to make, and so good that you'll never go back to store-bought again!
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chilling time: at least: 4 hours
Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 12 (2-tablespoon) servings (about 1 ½ cups dressing total)
Calories: 89kcal
Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

  • ½ cup good-quality mayonnaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons fresh minced parsley, OR 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • 1 ½ teaspoons fresh minced dill, OR ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk until smooth. Stir in parsley, dill, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Blend well and adjust seasonings, to taste.
  • Cover and refrigerate for ideally 8 hours (4 hours at a minimum) or overnight. If the consistency is too thick after chilling, thin out the ranch dressing with a splash of additional buttermilk.

Video

Notes

  • If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by pouring 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice (or white vinegar) into a 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup up to the ½-cup line with milk (whole milk is preferred but low-fat/skim milk will work). Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes and stir before proceeding with recipe.
  • To make Ranch Dip (instead of dressing), use a total of ¾ cup mayonnaise, ¾ cup sour cream, and eliminate the buttermilk.

Nutrition

Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 129mg | Potassium: 32mg | Vitamin A: 165IU | Vitamin C: 1.4mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.1mg
Made this recipe? I'd love to see on IG!Mention @FiveHeartHome or tag #FiveHeartHome!

Post originally published on May 7, 2015. Updated on April 16, 2019, and again on May 2, 2020.

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Recipe Rating




126 Comments

  1. I’m excited to make this ranch dressing. I finally bought some buttermilk. I don’t have sour cream. Can I sub plain Greek yogurt instead?

    1. That should work, Kathy! The flavor might be slightly different but the herbs should still be the predominant flavor after everything has chilled for several hours. 🙂

        1. Hi Kris! I've never done that, but I don't see why you couldn't try. I would probably reduce the buttermilk, however, to compensate for the extra liquid you add with the cucumber juice. You just don't want it to end up too watery. Good luck!

  2. 5 stars
    I made this and this truly is the BEST RANCH DRESSING EVER!!!. I’m with you on I could drink it, it’s so good! My new new go to ranch dressing recipe! Thank you!

  3. I made this exactly to the recioe using the dried version of the herbs. It was disappointing. My husband likes it, but I think it's thin and lacking in flavor. My herbs were fine. Still looking.

    1. Hi Donna! I'm sorry to hear that you didn't enjoy this. Did you refrigerate the dressing for at least 4 hours (ideally longer) before serving? The dressing is thin and bland until the ingredients have a chance to thicken and the flavors have a chance to meld during chilling.

  4. 5 stars
    We made this tonight because we spent the whole day farmer’s market hopping and realized we’re out of ranch for salad tonight! We accidentally tripled the dried dill in the recipe, and it’s an incredible dill ranch. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
    -Paul and Christina, Colorado

    1. So happy it was a hit, Christina! I recently made this with too much dill (by accident) as well and we really liked it. 🙂

    1. So happy you like this dressing, April! I literally just made a batch of it this morning to put on steak salads tonight! 😉

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe is the best Homemade Ranch Dressing ever! Why would anyone ever buy store bought chemical and additive dressing when the all natural dressing comes out this amazing. Thanks Sam can't wait to read more recipes.

    1. 5 stars
      I made this recipe for my mom and I. I doubled the garlic powder and left out ACV because we didn't have it. I had to pull the bowl away from her because I thought she would eat all of it and leave me without all of it for myself! This is my new GO-TO ranch and I just want to find something that will preserve it longer in the fridge so I can make larger batches. It can't freeze, right?

  6. 5 stars
    This is so WOW. Never going back to regular ranch again!! Practically makes me shameful that I ate regular ranch for so long! I added about a teaspoon of honey to play with the sweet/salty a little, touch more salt, and a touch more apple cider vinegar to my taste, but I like what level you started the salt at for people to adjust to their preference. Thank you so much for this recipe.... it's incredible.

  7. 5 stars
    This was fantastic! I used avocado oil mayo to make it as healthy as possible. Easy to make and DELICIOUS!

  8. 5 stars
    Outstanding recipe!! Many thanks for posting it. This is our GO-TO salad dressing--Hands down!! If one follows the measurements and method to the letter you'll get the best tasting ranch salad dressing.
    Hugs and Cheers,
    Miss Millie, Ultra-Rural USA

    1. Yay, Miss Millie! Thanks for the glowing review...I'm happy you enjoy this recipe so much! 🙂

  9. 5 stars
    I made this Ranch Dressing yesterday for dinner and it is truly the BEST this old lady has ever had! I can't wait for more salads.

  10. This looks delicious. Next time I head to the store I am definitely snagging everything to make this! I might have some of the ingredients at home thankfully. Thank you for sharing!

  11. Is there a way I can substitute something for the Worcestershire? I'm alergic to fish and cannot have it. Other than that this recipe looks great and I would love to try it.

    1. I can't have Worcestershire either, so use just a touch of Tabasco's Chipotle Sauce. Doesn't give much heat but a little richness.

    2. 5 stars
      I have some sitting in the refrigerator and I can't wait to try it after all the great reviews. I use Annie's Worcestershire. It's vegan and has no fish in it. You can find it in most grocery stores!

    1. Hi Amy. There's a gray "Jump to Recipe" button right at the top of the post for anyone who wishes to go straight to the recipe. But thanks for taking the time to leave your comment.

  12. Hello, I made this recipe and I love it. Thank you! Do you happen to know how long the buttermilk in the ranch can last? How long in the refrigerator?

    1. I would base it on the expiration date of the buttermilk that you use, Tammany. But honestly, this ranch never lasts more than a couple of days at our house! 🙂