Homemade Ranch Dressing - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

What can you add to ranch dressing to make it taste better? ›

I use a mix of mayonnaise, sour cream, and a bit of buttermilk for some tang, plus garlic, and plenty of fresh herbs. I also like to add a dash of cayenne pepper for a kick, but you can add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, or whatever you want. Ranch dressing is fun to customize!

Stored in a well-sealed container in the fridge (assuming you began with fresh sour cream and buttermilk) your buttermilk ranch dressing should keep for up to two weeks. Help it stay fresh by not dipping anything directly into the container that you're storing it in—for example, a half-bitten carrot.

Even when a restaurant does start with premade ranch, they will often fold in extra fresh herbs, and maybe even more buttermilk, to lighten and bring in some brighter flavors that can be lost in shelf-stable bottling.

“But the particular flavor of traditional ranch can only be achieved with the dry versions of all those aromatics: garlic and onion powder, dried herbs, powdered pepper and buttermilk.” That's because fresh ingredients were rare in Alaska at the time. So Henson had to make due with what was available—and he sure did.

If you want to use store bought ranch dressing, like Hidden Valley Ranch, you can make spicy ranch by adding hot sauce or cayenne pepper to your ranch dressing. I think it's better with cayenne than with hot sauce, because the vinegar in the hot sauce combined with the buttermilk flavor can lean a little too acidic.

Most of the dry ranch seasoning mix ingredients are simple and likely already found in your pantry. Onion powder, onion flakes, dill, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dried chives give this delicious seasoning mix its flavor!

Homemade Ranch Dressing Expires More Quickly

To be safe, most homemade ranch recipes recommend keeping it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, but keep in mind that the shelf life could be even shorter if you make the dressing with Greek yogurt.

It's so quick, simple, inexpensive, and tastes way better than bottled store-bought dressings or dry packet mixes. This recipe works great as a buttermilk ranch salad dressing or as a ranch dip for veggies and Buffalo Chicken Wings. If you love the flavor of restaurant ranch, this homemade ranch dressing is a must-try.

To thicken the dressing you can add a teaspoon of cornstarch. Just be just you whisk it in really well and refrigerate for a few hours before it's ready to serve. The dressing will thicken up as it sits.

Most restaurants don't buy pre packaged ranch. They buy hidden valley seasoning and mix it themselves with ingredients they already have.

Is there a difference between ranch and ranch dressing? ›

Ranch dressing is usually based with mayonnaise, with sufficient water added that it will pour to cover the salad. Ranch dip is usually based with sour cream, or sometimes yogurt, and is not thinned so that it will stick to chips or vegetable slices.

While many restaurants use mass produced ranch mix, they often add it to a higher-quality base. This might include milk, buttermilk, sour cream, or mayonnaise. So when you notice that the ranch in a restaurant tastes better than the bottled dressing from the store, what you're really tasting is delicious, creamy fat.

The original ranch dressing that was served at the Hidden Valley Ranch in Santa Barbara throughout the 1950's and the 1960's was mostly made from dry herbs and aromatics. To recreate the traditional recipe you can use garlic powder and dried herbs. You make and store the seasoning as needed and then add dairy.

Who Invented Ranch? Around 1950, Steve Henson unknowingly made history when he whipped up a unique mixture of dry herbs and buttermilk. Originally a plumber, Steve came up with the concoction while working briefly in Anchorage as a construction worker and part-time cook for his crew.

This homemade ranch seasoning mix can be used for both. The difference comes in what you combine the seasoning mix with to make either a dip or dressing. Ranch dressing is typically made with milk and mayo, while ranch dip is typically made with sour cream.

Start with bottled ranch dressing and blend it with chopped jalapeño, avocado, and a squeeze of lime to make a creamy jalapeño ranch dressing. Thin it out with lemon and olive oil for a creamy ranch vinaigrette. And make pasta salads with ranch dressing instead of mayonnaise or vinaigrette.

Adding freshly ground black pepper can often be an easy way to up your dressing game, but also freshening up any ingredient listed on the bottle can be useful. An extra dollop of mustard in your Dijon vinaigrette, or pinch of oregano in your Italian dressing can make a world of difference.

A squeeze of citrus juice, lemon in a poppyseed or orange in French, can brighten things up. Heat is a good balance for sweet, so a dash of hot sauce, a pinch of red pepper flakes or a squirt of sriracha can also be a welcome addition to make these dressings a bit more balanced.

Milk or cream would work. If you don't like how they change the flavor, you can instead blend in a neutral oil (vegetable, soy, canola, avocado) to thin it out to the desired consistency.