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!
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.
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!
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.
- 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 ⅓ 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.
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:
- Whisk together the mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk.
- Blend in the herbs, flavorings, and spices.
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.
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:
- Add 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice (or white vinegar) to a 1-cup measuring cup.
- Fill the rest of the way to the half-cup mark with whole milk and stir to combine.
- 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.
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!
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. 😉
More Homemade Salad Dressings
- Lightened-Up Honey Mustard Dressing
- Homemade Greek Dressing
- Homemade French & Catalina Salad Dressings
- Avocado Dressing
Homemade Ranch Dressing
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.
Post originally published on May 7, 2015. Updated on April 16, 2019, and again on May 2, 2020.
Becky
Agree! - I hated bottled or restaurant ranch dressing because I thought it was nothing but oil faked up with other stuff but eventually came to the realization that REAL ranch dressing is likely good. And it is! I love it over all other creamy dressings now. I have been using a different homemade ranch dressing which I LOVE but I had to come check out what makes yours "the best"..... I will keep my base because this looks like unnecessary fat (I use a 2:1 ratio of 1 cup kefir or buttermilk:1/2 c mayo, and no sour cream). I like mine fine enough so why add extra fat. Intrigued by the Worchester addition so I'll give that a try. For acidity I use fresh lemon (or lime for Mexican style) but would like to check out the ACV since that's what I use in coleslaw for acidity. I'm on low fodmap diet so can't use the onion or garlic powder, but I do snip in a TBS or two of green onion tops (green part only). Blending everything up with an immersion blender makes it simple to make in a large measuring cup. I think the only additional spices in the recipe I use are dried mustard and paprika. Going to experiment! Thanks!
Loretta
The absolute best ranch I have ever had, PERIOD!
Michael
Extremely close to my recently-perfected ranch dressing recipe! The only difference is I add one tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of dried chives OR 1/2 tablespoon of fresh minced chives. When I have fresh herbs on hand (parsley, dill, and chives), I prefer using half fresh and half dried for a more well-rounded flavor. Great write-up and recipe, thanks for sharing!
Susan
Best ever!!! I'll be checking in with Five Heart more often! Thank you somuch, Samantha!
Joyce Robalino
I make this dressing (and a couple of others) by putting the ingredients in a 2C Mason jar and using an immersion blender. Done in 60 seconds and you don't have to really chop any herbs.
Samantha Skaggs
What a great tip!
Richard King
Added cilantro instead of parsley, as I gave it in tge garden, and some fresh parmesan cheese. Plus a tad olive oil. Excellent! The best Mayo know is Woodstock, no sugar, but I have no access so Hellman’s was it.
morgan
what brand of mayo do yoy recommend using?
Samantha Skaggs
For regular mayonnaise, I like Hellman's. For organic, I usually use the Whole Foods brand. Regardless of which mayonnaise you use, the key is allowing the dressing to chill for enough hours that the flavors have time to blend and the dressing doesn't actually taste like mayo. 😉 Hope this helps!
Michael
I love Duke's mayonnaise 🙂
Diane L Tindell
Duke's is great because it doesn't have added sugar!
Elianna
I love your recipes so much I am 10 usually use it your recipes I live in recipes leave them so much I wish I could cook like you.
Samantha Skaggs
Keep cooking, Elianna! You're doing great and you'll get better and better with practice. 🙂
Brenda Lee
Thank you !! This will be great!
Mary C. Bailey
I, like your mother, thought the best Ranch dressing was from a package. With the pandemic, my grocery shopping experience has been limited to what I could find online at Kroger. For a couple of weeks, Kroger ran a special on the Ranch Mix, but my order was shorted for this item twice. My only choice was to turn to the Internet and was thrilled to find your website!. Now I remember once reading the ingredients in my beloved purchased ranch mix and thinking, " That's not so good!". Luckily, I had all the ingredients to make your recipe. It was wonderful and I'll be making this for the rest of my life. Thank you for a perfect recipe for me.
Beth
This is 💯!! I divided this into two mason jars and in one of them I put 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper to make a spicy ranch along with the OG!
SF Sourdoughnut
Hands down the absolute best ranch dressing recipe I've made (and I've made a lot in my search for the best).
I ended up adding 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice just to amp up the freshness flavor. It was not totally evident but played well in the background.
Thx for ending my best ranch dressing recipe search.
Tanja
I made this for the first time today. Followed the recipe exactly, using fresh herbs. The flavor is SO delicious and I just cannot imagine going back to bottled dressing. I let it sit for 6 hours and the consistency is perfect. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. This is a keeper for sure!
Sarah
So if you use buttermilk, do u still use vinegar and wotchshire? I'm craving homeade ranch but wanna make sure I'm understanding the recipe!!
Samantha Skaggs
Yes, follow the recipe as written. If you need to make your own buttermilk, you would follow those instructions separately and then use the buttermilk as directed in the recipe. Hope that helps!
Arunaa
Fantastic recipe! Thank you. No more store bought for us. I, however, did not use vinegar after the first batch.
colleen wagner
DELISH! Best ranch ever! I keep powdered buttermilk on hand and prefer it in recipes. Comes in handy and taste better than adding vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk. Just add it to whatever milk you like (I prefer whole).
Karla
Thank you for the suggestion of powdered buttermilk. I have that as a staple for pancakes. Never thought about using as a substitute for the buttermilk. Duh. Thank you.
Kalee
I'm so excited to make this! How long does it usually stay good for in the fridge?
Samantha Skaggs
Up to a week. 🙂
Virginia
I made this dressing yesterday and it is delicious! It is so much better than the store-bought ranch. I did not have any buttermilk, so I used a 1/2 cup of almond milk with 1.5 teaspoons of white vinegar to make my own. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Donna Simpson
I followed the recipe exactly and the result was just perfect. I was not expecting to be as happy with this recipe as I am (the sour cream through me). It's absolutely delicious.
Bhavesh
One of the best ever homemade ranch dressing i have ever tried. Thanks for sharing this recipe.