Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing and Seasoning
October 6, 2020
Skip the store-bought Ranch seasoning and make your own blend—without the artificial flavors and MSG. It’s so easy!
Ranch dressing is such an American staple, isn’t it? We use on our pizza, as a dip for raw veggies, to enhance steamed vegetables, and even in lieu of ketchup for French fries. It’s just as much a core condiment as mayonnaise and mustard, yet it often requires purchasing a bottle containing artificial flavors or additional sugars to make up for its lack of real taste.
As a true Ranch dressing connoisseur (and yes, that is a thing), I decided to embark on the homemade Ranch dressing seasoning pursuit. This meant experimenting—and taste testing—several different spices and variations until the Ranch was just right.
Choosing your liquids
Ranch dressing recipes include several different variations of liquids, including whole milk, buttermilk, Greek yogurt, sour cream, plain yogurt, mayonnaise, and kefir. For this recipe, I use a one-to-one ratio of buttermilk to Greek yogurt for a thicker, tangier Ranch dressing.
Substitutions
1 cup whole milk + 1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup kefir + 1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup buttermilk + 1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup whole milk + 1 cup Greek yogurt
Make it your own
This recipe uses a combination of seven herbs and spices, but I encourage you to play around with each one’s intensity. For example, I prefer mine with a bit more garlic and chives, but you might find that you want a little more dill flavor and less onion flavor.
How else can you personalize this seasoning? By adding enhancements and other spices!
- Try a pinch of cayenne pepper for a seasoning with a kick
- Swap your black pepper for lemon pepper for a bit more tang
Preparing and storing
This blend can be ready in about five minutes. Store it in a glass, airtight container in your spice cabinet for best preservation. Your season blend will be good for up to six months.
Dried chives are an essential element of this recipe; if you have trouble finding them, look in the spice section among the bags of dried herbs.
Buttermilk powder might not be an ingredient that you have stored at home. It’s another addition that I find to be crucial to my pantry stock! Not only is it the base of Ranch seasoning, but you can use it for:
- Homemade pancake mix
- Flavoring dips
- Meat rubs
- And… making buttermilk!
You can find dried buttermilk online or at select grocers.
How you choose to crush and blend your spices is up to you.
I use a mortar and pestle, but you can use a spice grinder if you have one. Many Ranch seasoning recipes call for onion powder, but I find that I prefer the more robust onion flavor you get from dried minced onions. Onion powder will work just fine if you choose to use this instead!
The chives, parsley, and onion flakes are fairly chunky, so essentially they are the only herbs that need pulverizing. But I find that grinding all of the dry ingredients together helps blend everything together and create a fine seasoning that’s easily distributed in liquids or as seasoning.
Spice it up
Ranch seasoning can be transformed into more than just classic Ranch dressing or dip. Try these variations:
Chipotle Ranch Dip
Using the recipe below, which yields about one cup of Ranch dressing, add one tablespoon of adobo sauce. For some extra heat, add one chipotle pepper finely chopped.
Cilantro Lime Ranch Dressing
For every one cup of Ranch dressing, add the juice of one lime, one tablespoon of chopped cilantro, and 1/4 cup of your favorite salsa verde (I really love the Herdez Guacamole Salsa). Drizzle over taco salads and serve with sliced avocado for the perfecting pairing.
Season Chicken Breast, Thighs, or Wings
Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of Ranch seasoning on a plate and use to coat chicken before grilling or baking. Try this with some chicken wings and serve with Buffalo dipping sauce for a reverse classic appetizer.
Ranch Mashed Potatoes
Peel and diced 3 Yukon gold potatoes and bring to a boil in salted water. Once the potatoes are soft enough to easily break in two using a fork or tongs, remove from heat and reserve one cup of the water and drain the remainder. In the pot with leftover water and potatoes, add 3 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of Ranch seasoning. Mash or whip using a handheld mixer until smooth or the consistency of your liking. This will make about 6 servings.
Roasted Red Ranchy Potatoes
Dice red potatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Toss them in 1-2 tablespoons of seasoning, depending on how many potatoes you’re using. Roast for 25 minutes at 400 degrees and serve with Greek yogurt or ketchup for dipping.
Now, let’s get to seasoning!
Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing and Seasoning
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Seasonings
Description
Make and store your own Ranch seasoning blend for quick, ready-made Ranch dressing or to add zest to your veggies and proteins.
Ingredients
Ranch Seasoning:
1 tbsp dried buttermilk powder
1/2 tbsp dried parsley
3/4 tsp dill weed
1/2 tbsp dried chives
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp minced onion (dried)
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Dressing:
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
Instructions
- Combine all dry ingredients in a mortar
- Using your pestle, stir in a circular motion to grind and blend the herbs and spices
- Continue to grind until all ingredients become a fine seasoning
- Store in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place until ready to use
To make Ranch dressing:
- In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and Greek yogurt
- Carefully whisk together until the liquid becomes smooth. Add more Greek yogurt to create a thicker dressing or dip
- Add 1 tbsp of Ranch seasoning
- Gently stir together until blended
- Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for 3-5 days
Notes
Substitute whole milk for buttermilk and mayonnaise for Greek yogurt for a milder, less tangy flavor
Reduce the seasoning by 1 tsp (using 2 tsp) for a milder Ranch flavor
Keywords: Ranch, Ranch dressing, Ranch seasoning, homemade Ranch dressing, Ranch dip
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