This homemade buttermilk ranch salad dressing recipe is quick and easy to make!
Why do I make homemade buttermilk ranch salad dressing? In large part, I make homemade ranch because my kids say they can taste the difference between homemade and bottled dressing. However, I also make my own salad dressing because I have complete control over the ingredients.
What is Ranch Salad Dressing Made from?
It depends if you buy bottled dressing or make it from scratch! Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing is made from buttermilk, sour cream, and dried spices.
However, bottled ranch dressing usually contains soy oil and canola oil? For some reason, they add sugar to bottled ranch to counteract the vinegar they add!? If you look at the labels, you will find that many bottled ranch dressings also contain Monosodium Glutamate (MSG). Bottled dressings use gums and thickeners like modified corn starch to thicken the dressing. Manufactured salad dressing also contains preservatives and “flavor enhancers”.
How to Make Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing
Sour Cream: I like to use regular sour cream because it is thicker than low-fat sour cream, but you can use your favorite sour cream.
Buttermilk: I like using buttermilk, but if you don’t have any you can substitute 1/2 cup milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar. Some people like to keep Buttermilk Powder on hand for the occasional recipe that calls for it.
Spices: I use dried spices in my salad dressing because it doesn’t take as much as fresh to get the same level of flavor. If you wish to use fresh herbs, you need to double the amount of the herbs. I add parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, basil, and dried mustard to my dressing. I also like to add sea salt and course ground black pepper. The great thing about this recipe is you can alter the spices to suit your taste. For example, if you aren’t crazy about onion or garlic, leave it out to begin with. Taste it and then if you think the dressing needs a little add a small amount at a time until you reach the desired flavor.
Mustard: I use dried mustard in this recipe. If you don’t have dried mustard, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of regular mustard.
NO MAYO! I don’t use mayonnaise in my ranch dressing because store-bought mayo usually has a whole bunch of crap that I don’t want in my salad dressing such as soy, canola, modified food starch, and more.
How long does homemade ranch dressing last?
Homemade ranch salad dressing lasts for at least a week in the refrigerator. However, you want to check the expiration date of both the milk and the sour cream and check out the expiration dates on both. If either expires in less than a week, use that date instead.
Mason Jar or Cruet?
While I often use a cruet for my oil and vinegar dressings, I like to make my thicker dressings in either a 2-cup mason jar with a wide mouth that I can top with a wide mouth pour lid or I use a 2-cup liquid measuring cup with a lid.
Video on How to Make Ranch Dressing
I have included the video I made on how to make ranch dressing, so you can see how quick and easy it is to make homemade ranch dressing.
Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing Recipe
This quick and easy ranch dressing recipe makes a thick and creamy dressing.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dill
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
Directions:
1. Add the buttermilk and sour cream to a mason jar, 2-cup liquid measuring cup, or small bowl.
2. Add the parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, basil, sea salt, dried mustard, and coarse ground pepper.
3. Stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Seal the container and store the ranch dressing in the refrigerator.
Note: If you want your dressing to be thinner, add a little buttermilk or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency.
Printable Recipe for Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing
Buttermilk Ranch Salad Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dill
- 1/2 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper
Instructions
- Add the buttermilk and sour cream to a mason jar, cruet, or small bowl.
- Add the parsley, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, basil, sea salt, dried mustard, and coarse ground pepper.
- Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Seal the container and store the ranch dressing in the refrigerator.
Notes
5 Ranch Salad Dressing Variations
Once you’ve made a batch of ranch dressing, you can use it as the base for any of the below variations.
Chipotle Ranch Dressing
- 1 1/4 cups ranch dressing
- 1 – 2 teaspoons chipotle seasoning mix
Fajita Ranch Dressing
- 1 1/4 cups ranch dressing
- 1 – 2 teaspoons fajita seasoning mix
Cajun Ranch Dressing
- 3/4 cup ranch salad dressing
- 1 tablespoon Cajun spice mix
Avocado Ranch Dressing
- 1 1/4 cups ranch dressing
- 1/2 cup smashed avocado
Salsa Ranch Dressing
- 3/4 cup ranch salad dressing
- 1/4 cup salsa
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