Recipe for Ranch Dressing • Longbourn Farm (2024)

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Myhomemade ranch dressingproves you can make restaurant-quality ranch at home. Always perfectly tangy, creamy, and worth the few minutes it takes to make. Don’t just take my word for it; check out the reviews from people who’ve made it themselves!

Recipe for Ranch Dressing • Longbourn Farm (1)

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You’ll be making this Easy Ranch Dressing Recipe over and over again

Homemade ranch dressing always tastes fresh, creamy, and easy to customize with your favorite herbs. Everyone who makes this recipe loves it! Here’s what one Pinner said:

“First time making homemade ranch, and I needed a recipe on the fly – this absolutely delivered! This recipe is really a great base, and then you can add more seasonings as you want, and that’s awesome. Highly recommend it!”

Best Homemade Ranch Dressing Ingredients

Just a few simple ingredients!! It really is so super easy to put together.

  • Mayonaise
  • Sour Cream
  • Salt and pepper
  • Seasonings
  • Enough milk to make it the consistency you like.

How to make Homemade Ranch Dressing

The easiest way to make this ranch dressing (and any salad dressing) is in a jar. I add all the ingredients to a jar and just shake them all up. It’s fast and easy and if you have a mason jar pouring spout (affiliate),you can serve it or use it right out of the jar. Genius and so easy!

What?! I know, so easy. Why haven’t you been making creamy homemade ranch dip more often?! PS: Want that awesome Mason Jar Pouring Spout?? Click here!!

How to thicken Ranch

The base for homemade ranch is made from sour cream and mayonnaise, which is then thinned out by milk. Add the milk slowly so that the ranch stays as thick as you’d like. If you do thin it out too much, add a bit more sour cream and mayonnaise.

Recipe for Ranch Dressing • Longbourn Farm (2)

Ways to use this recipe for Ranch Dressing

The options are endless!! I love to put this on salad, of course, but it’s also fantastic for dipping fresh vegetables, chicken tenders, and even pizza.

I also love to serve it with my oven BBQ chicken, use it when making bacon ranch pizzas, and substitute it for the gorgonzola dressing on my steak salad with it if I have people who aren’t fans of stinky cheese.

How long is Homemade Ranch good?

This is a super common question! Since ranch dressing is made of dairy products, you’ll want to use it before the earliest “best by” date found on them.

Usually, this is the milk, but always double check and write the date on the container the homemade ranch dressing is kept in.

Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe FAQs

Why is ranch dressing called ranch?

Ranch dressing got its name from Hidden Valley Ranch, a steakhouse in California where it was believed to be invented.

How was the original ranch dressing made?

The first ranch dressing that was sold was packets of dry ingredients to mix into sour cream and buttermilk.

Is ranch dressing gluten free?

Yes, this ranch dressing is gluten-free but I can’t speak for all ranch dressing recipes.

Does homemade ranch taste better?

I might be biased but I do think that homemade ranch tastes better. A few commentators on Pinterest agree as well! “I will never buy bottle dressing again.”

Is homemade ranch healthier than store bought?

It probably depends on which ranch you buy. You can find the estimated nutrition facts below the recipe card.

Looking for more delicious salad dressing recipes??

  • Lemon Vinaigrette with Easy Green Salad
  • Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
  • Balsamic Salad Dressing
  • Red Wine Vinaigrette
  • Creamy Farmhouse Ranch Dressing
  • Creamy Peach Poppy Seed Dressing
  • Winter Spinach Salad

PS: Want that awesome Mason Jar Pouring Spout?? Click here!

More favorites from Longbourn Farm

  • Best Frozen Green Beans
  • Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler Sprite
  • Seasoning for Peas and Carrots
  • Cooking Fresh Ham Steak
  • Making Blackberry Syrup
  • Ways to cook Zucchini on Stove Top

Recipe for Ranch Dressing • Longbourn Farm (3)

Print Pin

5 from 15 votes

Easy Ranch Dressing Recipe

Homemade Ranch Dressing is so easy to throw together and tastes amazing! It is perfect for dipping, cooking, salad and more.

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Keyword homemade ranch dip, homemade ranch dressing, how to make ranch dressing

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6 people

Calories 172kcal

Author Longbourn Farm • Alli Kelley

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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder NOT onion salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder NOT garlic salt
  • 1 teaspoon parsley dried
  • 1/2 teaspoon basil dried
  • 1/2 teaspoon dill dried
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt see note
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup milk amount will vary depending on desired consistency

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

  • Whisk all ingredients together, except the milk.

  • Pour in enough milk to make the dressing the consistency you like.

  • Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference.

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Notes

PS: Want that awesome Mason Jar Pouring Spout?? Click here!!

Be sure to taste the dressing and adjust the salt to your preference.

Fresh herbs can be used instead of dried, just double the measurements.

Nutrition

Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 429mg | Potassium: 40mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 150IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 0.1mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @longbournfarm or tag #longbournfarm!

Recipe for Ranch Dressing • Longbourn Farm (2024)

FAQs

Recipe for Ranch Dressing • Longbourn Farm? ›

While they may have their proprietary versions of homemade ranch, most will include buttermilk, onion or shallot, and garlic, plus herbs like parsley, dill, and chives.

How do restaurants make their ranch taste so good? ›

While they may have their proprietary versions of homemade ranch, most will include buttermilk, onion or shallot, and garlic, plus herbs like parsley, dill, and chives.

How to make ranch dressing 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 like dill, chives, parsley, and oregano. 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.

What is the ranch dressing that restaurants use? ›

To be honest, a lot of restaurants just mix a TON of mayonnaise with some buttermilk and the Hidden Valley ranch dressing mix and call it a day. It's delicious, don't get me wrong! But I think if you actually saw how much mayonnaise was in restaurant ranch, you'd be like … oh.

How was ranch dressing made? ›

Ranch dressing is a savory, creamy American salad dressing usually made from buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs (commonly chives, parsley and dill), and spices (commonly pepper, paprika and ground mustard seed) mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil emulsion.

Why does restaurant ranch taste better than store ranch? ›

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.

Why is restaurant ranch so creamy? ›

When considering why meals taste so much better in restaurants than when prepared at home, the answer is usually lots of butter. However, when it comes to ranch dressing, there's another creamy ingredient that steals the show — buttermilk.

How can I upgrade my ranch dressing? ›

One of my favorite ranch boosts is adding something spicy. Squirt in some Sriracha or Mexican-style hot sauce, or add a spoonful of Moroccan harissa paste, wing or Buffalo sauce, or some diced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

What gives ranch dressing its distinctive flavor? ›

“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.

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 brand of ranch dressing does KFC use? ›

Kfc Heinz Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (1) (1 serving) contains 1g total carbs, 1g net carbs, 17g fat, 0g protein, and 160 calories.

Is there a difference between ranch and ranch dressing? ›

The ingredients in ranch dressing and ranch dip are generally the same, but the proportions may vary. Ranch dip typically contains a higher ratio of the creamy base and seasonings, making it thicker and more suitable for dipping.

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

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.

Who makes the original ranch dressing? ›

Steven Henson, the Nebraska native who created ranch dressing, invented the now-ubiquitous condiment after moving to Anchorage in 1949 and taking a job as a plumbing contractor in the Alaskan bush, according to a biography of Henson published in the Santa Barbara Independent.

How long does homemade ranch dressing last? ›

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.

How is ranch made from scratch? ›

Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl until well-combined. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Why does ranch taste good on everything? ›

Anyone who's ever tasted ranch dressing can recognize its unique flavor profile anywhere. This creamy condiment's delicious mix of herbs and buttermilk gives it a distinctly tangy but fresh taste that brings life to salad, french fries, pizza, chicken wings, and anything else you can think of to dunk in it!

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