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This homemade ranch dressing recipe is fast, easy to make, healthy, and tastes so much better than the store-bought variety. This recipe is made without buttermilk, so you don’t have to worry about what to do with the rest!
You’ll also enjoy my this Creamy Pesto Dressing.
This post was originally published on December 14, 2015. I have updated the post with new photos, more clearly written directions, and more tips/suggestions.
I was never a big ranch dressing person. As far as creamy dressings go, Caesar is my #1. Ranch could never compete. This ranch recipe does. It’s the best ranch dressing I’ve ever had.
How to make homemade ranch dressing
Making ranch dressing is easy. Most homemade ranch recipes contain sour cream and mayo as a base. I also added:
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh chives
- Dried dill
- Worcestershire sauce
- Lemon juice
- Garlic
- Fresh cracked pepper
Add everything to a jar, give it a shake, and you’ve got a fast and tasty ranch dressing that’s so much better than the bottled variety.
Let it sit in the fridge for a while and you’ll have a great ranch dip.
Want to swap the sour cream for Greek yogurt? No problem, that will work too and save you some calories in this no buttermilk ranch dressing.
Do you need buttermilk to make ranch dressing?
No. Some homemade ranch dressings do contain buttermilk, but I decided against using the buttermilk since I had no plans on what to do with the rest, and throwing it out would be a waste.
I wanted to see if I could come up with a ranch dressing without buttermilk that didn’t seem like it was missing something, and I definitely like the results!
I decided to use both fresh lemon juice and sour cream to get that tangy taste that ranch dressing needs. I used lemon juice because it adds freshness to the dressing and isn’t quite as harsh as vinegar.
Worcestershire sauce also adds a bit of saltiness and that extra je ne sais quoi that I was looking for (probably due to the anchovies in it). Chefs put anchovies into all sorts of dishes to kick up the taste, and clearly, traces of anchovies work well in ranch dressing.
It took me a while to land on the herb combination I wanted. I prefer fresh parsley to the dried kind any day. Dried chives work fine for this dressing, but I also prefer using fresh.
Garlic is a must since this is my recipe after all. 😛 I used one large clove. I used dried dill as it’s easier to handle than fresh, and I also didn’t want the dill taste to be overpowering, and I find dried dill is quite mellow. A bit of salt and a generous amount of pepper add the finishing touches to this creamy ranch dressing.
You may also like my chipotle lime ranch dressing if you love homemade dressings and want something with a little kick!
Have you ever made ranch salad dressing from scratch? You should definitely give it a try!
Let me know in the comments below if you have any questions/comments about this easy ranch dressing recipe.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayo
- 1/2 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped finely
- 1-2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives chopped (or 1/2 tablespoon dried chives)
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep ingredients.
- Add all ingredients to a jar and shake vigorously. Alternatively, whisk them together in a small bowl.
- Dressing can be used immediately or you can refrigerate it for a few hours for it to have a thicker consistency. Enjoy on salads, as a dip, or as a spread on wraps/sandwiches. Keep refrigerated and use within a few days to be safe.
Notes
- This makes enough dressing for a few large salads (it makes about 1.5 cups).
- Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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What mayonnaise brand do you use. I find this make a big impact on flavor? Thank you.
I always use Hellmann’s 🙂
I just made this recipe and used it for chip dip and it was amazing, Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and for teaching me how to make it.
You’re very welcome!! Love the chip dip idea. Thanks for your review!
BEST ranch dressing EVER! I’ve had so many compliments about this dressing from kids and adults. Since I found this I no long buy it from a jar. Its incredible! Thank you for sharing!!
Aww that’s so nice to hear, Yesenia! Thank you so much! Glad it’s a new favorite.
I didn’t particularly like the the Worcestershire added and think it’s perfect without. Great recipe! I was always hesitant to make ranch without the buttermilk but It really isn’t necessary:)
Glad you enjoyed it, Lindsay! Yup, definitely easy to tweak to your personal preferences. 🙂
Very good. I added some 1/2 n 1/2 just so it could be used on salad.
Excellent!
This ranch dressing is excellent. Such a fresh taste and goes really well with chicken wings.
So glad you enjoyed the dressing!
Fabulous
🙂
Can you swap the ingredient sizes of the mayo/Greek yogurt to make a healthy version?
I think you could try that for sure. The texture may not be as smooth, and it will taste a bit more tangy, so I’d taste it before adding the lemon juice (you may need to do a little ingredient tweaking here and there).
We love this recipe! I have made it twice now and we use it as a dip for fries or veggies.
Thank you!
Fantastic!! I’m thrilled to hear that! 🙂
My wife is a picky eater, especially with ranch. She is not a fan of the store bought ranch. We had all the ingredients except chives and lemon juice, but somehow we had lime juice. We tried with pizza. I loved it, but my wife tried it and said, “you have to fix this again next time!” It is not too overpowering, and it is now a staple in our house. We will never buy store ranch again. Thank you!
I’m so happy that she likes it!! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to review my recipe, Matt.