Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (2024)

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Recipe Discuss

This Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing will become your new easy go-to dipping sauce and ranch dressing for salads, french fries, and chicken.

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (1)

I could probably live on this Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, no exaggeration. It is herby, and filled with garlic and black pepper and smooth with the addition of buttermilk. This sauce pairs perfectly with literally everything on the planet from salads, french fries and pizza.

Growing up in Saint Louis ranch was a staple in every household, and they basically put it in our baby bottles. Okay, that part was a stretch, but you get the point: ranch is incredible and it should be celebrated with a parade. I hope you love this yummy ranch recipe as much as my family does! Enjoy!

Kitchen Tools

  • A Bowl
  • A Spoon or Whisk
  • An Airtight Storage Container: Mason jars, Tupperware, Pyrex, work great for this recipe. Another option is saving a store-bought dressing bottle, cleaning it and then re-purposing it for this ranch dressing recipe.

Ingredients

  • Sour Cream: For a healthier ranch dressing you can swap all or part of the sour cream out for plain non fat Greek yogurt. The taste will be altered slightly, but the ranch will still be yummy!
  • Mayonnaise
  • Buttermilk
  • Lemon Juice:Fresh or bottled lemon juice will work fine for the dressing.
  • Fresh Herbs and Spices
Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (2)

Common Questions

How should homemade ranch be stored?

Leftover ranch dressing should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This homemade ranch dressing cannot be frozen and should be stirred before using to recombine ingredients properly.

Do the herbs have to be fresh?

No, you can use dried herbs instead of fresh ones. I like that fresh gives more of a bold flavor, but dried herbs work great as well for this homemade ranch dressing.

Is ranch dressing healthy?

Sorta, it is healthier than store-bought ranch dressings because it has no added sugars, minimal salt, and no preservatives. Although, as far as healthy goes you are still eating sour cream and mayo, so you can be the judge. If you are trying to make this dressing healthier, you can swap the sour cream out for plain non fat Greek yogurt.

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (3)

More Dressing Ideas

Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
Blueberry Vinaigrette
Easy Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (4)

Recipe Ideas

Literally anything. I love to use this homemade ranch dressing on salads and a dipping sauce for chicken, french fries, on burgers and even on pizza. The sky's the limit with ranch, so go nuts. Some great recipes I love to use this homemade ranch dressing with are:

  • Crispy Buffalo Smashed Potatoes
  • Baked Buffalo Chicken Dip
  • Grilled BBQ Chicken Salad
  • Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese
  • Pistachio Crusted Baked Chicken Tenders

Love this homemade buttermilk ranch dressing recipe? Tell me what you think below.

Happy Eating!

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (5)

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Caitlyn Erhardt

This Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe is simple and ready in only 5 minutes! This dipping sauce pairs great with salads, french fries and chicken!

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

Course Dressing, Sauce

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Servings

Calories 45 kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ Cup Sour Cream
  • ¼ Cup Mayo
  • ½ Cup Buttermilk
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Fresh Dill or Dried
  • ½ teaspoon Fresh Parsley or Dried
  • 1 teaspoon Fresh Chives or Dried
  • 1 teaspoon Minced Garlic or Garlic Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Onion Powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Instructions

  • Finely mince fresh herbs if using and juice fresh lemon if using. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until combined. Use immediately or store in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. Enjoy!

Notes

*You will want to stir the dressing before using leftovers to recombine everything.

Nutrition

Calories: 45kcalCarbohydrates: 2.4gProtein: 0.8gFat: 3.8gSaturated Fat: 1.6gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 90mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 0.9gCalcium: 20mgIron: 0.2mg

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More Extras

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Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (11)

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (12)

I'm Caitlyn, I love creating simple and delicious recipes for my entire family to enjoy! I hope you find some new go-to recipes and favorites for your own family and friends to enjoy! Find Out More!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Tell Me What You Think!

  1. sheenam | thetwincookingproject

    Look at that (heart eyes!!) - this looks so so good.

    Reply

    • caitlyn

      Thanks! We love it and put it on everything!

      Reply

  2. Karly

    Love making my own dressing!

    Reply

    • caitlyn

      Same!

      Reply

  3. Adrianne

    Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (13)
    I would love to try this dressing with french fries as you said. It looks delicious and a great change from ketch-up. YUM!!

    Reply

  4. Diana Reis

    I was just talking with good friend about what a ranch snob she is. I will have to share this recipe with her. Looks way too good.

    Reply

  5. Heidy L. McCallum

    Ranch dressing is one of my favorite dressings and I make my recipe often and the family loves it but I just wanted to try something a little bit different from the Southern-Style Dressing I make. I'm not going to tell the family, I'm going to surprise them and see if they notice. Wish me luck. I'm super excited.

    Reply

  6. Pam Greer

    Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (14)
    I grew up in St. Louis too and I agree Ranch Dressing was king! This homemade version sounds so delicious!

    Reply

  7. Sara Welch

    Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (15)
    Always love making my own dressing! So much better than the store bought brands and comes together in a snap!

    Reply

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is buttermilk ranch dressing made of? ›

Whisk mayonnaise and buttermilk in a medium mixing bowl until smooth. Add parsley, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, dill, and pepper; whisk until blended together. Place in the refrigerator until flavors have melded, about 20 minutes.

What's the difference between ranch and buttermilk ranch dressing? ›

Traditional ranch is made from sour cream, mayonnaise, dried herbs (usually dill, parsley, and chives), garlic powder, and onion powder. Buttermilk versions have, as you guessed, the addition of buttermilk and tend to be a bit thinner.

Why is restaurant ranch dressing so good? ›

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.

How long does homemade buttermilk ranch last in the fridge? ›

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.

What is the ranch dressing that restaurants use? ›

Because while some restaurants do use a bottled shelf stable dressing, what you are referring to is a powdered ranch mix (typically the Hidden Valley brand) that the restaurant cooks add milk/ buttermilk and sour cream to make their dressing.

Can you use regular milk in ranch instead of buttermilk? ›

As mentioned, if you don't have buttermilk, you can use kefir instead. Or, in a pinch, you can make your own homemade buttermilk substitute with regular milk and white vinegar. This is very easy to do: Combine 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or lemon juice) with enough milk to make 1 cup.

Is Chick Fil A ranch buttermilk? ›

A creamy buttermilk ranch sauce with savory garlic, onion and herb flavors.

How do you thicken buttermilk ranch dressing? ›

To thicken the dressing you can add a teaspoon of cornstarch.

What kind of ranch dressing does Dairy Queen use? ›

Dairy Queen - New Hidden Valley Ranch made IN HOUSE!

Why does Hidden Valley Ranch taste different? ›

The ranch packet has a fresher taste, because you add your own mayo and milk. Even though all the herbs and spices in the mix are dried, they rehydrate quickly and leave you with a product that feels homemade. This version of Hidden Valley Ranch is more flavorful than the bottled version and much, much thicker.

What is the most expensive ranch dressing? ›

This bottle's no joke. It's covered in 75 carats' worth of jewels, making it valued at $35,000. You could almost buy three brand-new Nissan Versas for that. But Hidden Valley knows you can't put a price tag on love, be it the holy matrimony kind or the condiment-you-drizzle-on-everything variety.

Which is healthier ranch or French dressing? ›

Ranch and French dressing were ranked the unhealthiest options of the bunch because of their high sodium (260 milligrams and 240 milligrams, respectively) and fat content (14 grams in ranch including 2.5 grams saturated fat, and 15 grams in French with 1 gram saturated fat).

How to tell when homemade ranch is bad? ›

Ranch normally has a pleasant smell, so if it develops any kind of foul odor, it's likely past its prime. If you can't determine its quality from its texture or smell, you can also taste the dressing to see if it still tastes high quality.

Can you eat expired buttermilk ranch? ›

Toss Your Ranch If It Changes Consistency

“Eating expired ranch dressing could lead to foodborne illnesses, especially if the ranch has been improperly stored,” she says. It's important to discard this dressing if it's past its expiration date or if you notice changes in its smell, color, or consistency, Randhawa says.

Is buttermilk regular milk? ›

Buttermilk is, quite simply, fermented milk. When you shake and open a fresh quart and pour some into a measuring cup, the first thing you'll notice is that it's thicker than milk. Not only is it thicker, but also a little bit lumpy.

What are the ingredients in great value buttermilk ranch dressing? ›

Soybean Oil, Water, Sugar, Egg Yolk, Salt, Buttermilk, Contains Less Than 1% Of Natural Flavors (contains Milk), Spices, Dried Garlic, Dried Onion, Distilled Vinegar, Phosphoric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Food Starch-modified, Monosodium Glutamate, Disodium Phosphate, With Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, And Calcium ...

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