Homemade Ranch Dressing

This Best Ranch Dressing recipe is all-natural, so easy to make, and blows store-bought versions out of the water!

This Homemade Ranch Dressing recipe is the intoxicating summation of a cool and luxuriously creamy base loaded with fresh and zingy herbs with splashes of lemon and Dijon. It’s so simple, quick and easy to make and most importantly, SO delicious that you’ll never go back to store-bought again! Plus, this Ranch Dressing is so much more than a dressing for your greens, it’s fabulous in pasta salad, potato salad, as a dip for veggies, chicken wings, pizza, etc. and a spread for burgers and sandwiches. It’s also the most versatile dressing out there – turn this simple recipe into Buffalo Ranch, Chipotle Ranch, Avocado Ranch, etc. with just an ingredient or two. All versions included!

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HOW TO MAKE homemade ranch dressing VIDEo

up close of pouring homemade ranch dressing recipe showing how creamy it is

Why you’ll this ranch dressing recipe

This recipe is the from-scratch, real-deal ranch dressing that will get you excited about ranch again! It tastes nothing like the mass-produced bottled stuff on the grocery store shelves. It’s a hypnotic symphony of bright, tangy, garlicy perfection that tastes completely gourmet, luxuriously creamy but not too heavy.

It’s so quick and easy to make. Whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, parsley, chives, onion powder, garlic powder and splashes of a few secret ingredients and you have the best ranch dressing in minutes – literally.

It can be made with fresh or dried herbs. Now there is no excuse not to make this ranch recipe!

You control what goes into it. No preservatives, no stabilizers, no mystery ingredients. Additionally, you can customize the dressing to your personal taste.

This ranch dressing recipe isn’t just for salad. Ranch is one of the best ways to turn ordinary dining into extraordinary! In addition to salad, you can add it to chicken, wraps, marinades, vegetables, sandwiches, etc.

It’s a blank slate for so many variations. Take this basic ranch dressing add buffalo sauce, chipotle peppers, pesto, etc. to – the possibilities are endless!

why is it called ranch? Who invented Ranch?

Ranch dressing has been the best-selling salad dressing since 1992 in America, all thanks to its creator, Steve Hensen. In the early 1950s, Hensen moved from Nebraska to Alaska to work as a plumbing contractor. Part of his responsibilities included cooking for his coworkers. During his time in the kitchen, Hensen began to develop a buttermilk dressing.

Later, in 1956, Hensen and his wife, Gayle, purchased a 120-acre dude ranch near the San Ynez Mountains in Southern California and renamed it Hidden Valley Ranch. Hensen began serving his buttermilk dressing to his guests and it quickly became the house specialty. It was in such high demand, that not only did Hensen sell the dressing, but began selling a dry packaged mix, which soon became a mail order company, Hidden Valley Ranch Food Products. In 1973 Hensen sold the company to Clorox for $8 million.
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Today, there are many companies making ranch dressing, but Hidden Valley Ranch boasts the distinguished honor of being the original namesake.
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a bottle of homemade ranch dressing recipe with fresh herbs

Homemade Ranch Dressing Ingredients

Making ranch dressing at home is ridiculously easy and requires just a handful of ingredients. Since the dressing is so simple, I highly recommend sticking to the recipe as written. However, there are a few swaps you can make in a pinch or if you have specific dietary needs, which I’ve listed in the section below. To make this homemade ranch dressing recipe, you’ll need (measurements listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

Sour cream: Full fat or less fat sour cream provides the majority base of the homemade Ranch Dressing, with a little help from the mayo. By using mostly sour cream, it infuses the dressing with delightful tanginess and keeps the dressing lighter.
Mayonnaise: The mayonnaise adds the depth of creaminess and binds all of the ingredients together. Even if you don’t like mayo, I don’t suggest skipping, otherwise your dressing will taste overly tangy and not taste like traditional ranch. Please use real mayonnaise and not Miracle Whip.
Lemon juice: Lemon juice cuts through the creaminess of the dressing and highlights the rest of the flavors with its fresh, vibrant pop of citrus without tasting “lemony.” It also allows us to use regular accessible milk instead of buttermilk. Freshly-squeezed is always best but you may use bottled in a pinch.
Worcestershire sauce: Not every ranch recipe calls for Worcestershire, but just 1 teaspoon imparts that special, undiscernible “something-something” to the ranch dressing – it’s a game changer! Worcestershire boasts intense umami flavor from the anchovies (or vegan versions use soy sauce) mingled with tamarind and vinegar for sourness, molasses and sugar for sweetness, and dimension from the cloves, celery seed, and chili pepper extract.
Dijon mustard: Just a teaspoon Dijon cuts through the richness of the dressing with a subtle depth of flavor.
Homemade ranch seasoning mix: The most important part! A combination of parsley, dill, chives creates that classic ranch flavor.
Milk: No need for buttermilk in this recipe! Just ¼ cup regular milk, or more as needed to thin the dressing to your liking.
Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper are crucial to round out the ranch flavor.

About the herbs

You can use fresh herbs or dried herbs in this ranch salad dressing. If you have to make a trip to the store, be sure to pick up fresh, but if you don’t have them on hand, this recipe will be incredibly tasty with dried herbs as well.

The general rule is one tablespoon of fresh herbs equals one teaspoon of dried herbs. Use 2 teaspoons of dried parsley, 2 teaspoon dried dill and 1 teaspoon dried chives. You may also mix and match fresh and dried herbs. And of course, always use more or less of what you like to make it just right for you.

showing how to make ranch dressing by adding mayonnaise, sour cream, parsley, dill, chives, lemon juice, garlic and onion to a bowl

Ingredient Substitutions

Mayo: You may also use avocado-based mayo, olive oil may or vegan mayo.
Sour cream: Fat-free sour cream can be used but remember, fat equals creaminess and flavor so adjust your expectations accordingly.
Fresh herbs: May be substituted with dried. I’ve made it both ways, and both are delicious!
Worcestershire sauce: Use a vegan version, if desired.
Mustard: If you don’t have Dijon mustard, swap it for any mustard such as regular yellow mustard, spicy brown mustard, French, whole grain, etc.

how to make Ranch Dressing

As long as you use the correct ingredients, this ranch dressing recipe is FOOLPROOF! The very best ranch dressing is truly as easy as:

Combine all of the recipe ingredients in a big bowl.
Whisk until creamy and evenly combined, taste, and add more milk as needed to achieve your desired consistency.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors mingle.

Tips for the Best Ranch Dressing

Chill the dressing: Chilling the dressing melds and marries all of the flavors so it tastes exponentially better. To ensure you have sufficient chilling time, always make the dressing before you begin prepping salad ingredients. If you only have 30 minutes, pop the dressing in the freezer and then transfer it to the refrigerator after 30 minutes.

Tailor it to suit your personal preferences: The most accurate taste test comes by dipping whatever you’re going to be serving it with instead of a spoon. For example, a lettuce leaf, carrot, etc. For tangier, add additional lemon juice; for more garlicky, add more garlic powder; for a more herb-forward ranch, add extra herbs.

Use both sour cream and mayo: I don’t recommend using one or the other. The combination of the two results in a creamy, tangy ranch dressing. Too much mayo would result in a gloopy dressing, and too much sour cream would result in a thinner, less creamy, overly tangy dressing.

Use full-fat ingredients: Obviously you can use Greek yogurt or low-fat versions of the mayo and sour cream if needed, but full-fat sour cream and mayonnaise will result in the creamiest, most flavorful ranch AKA the best ranch dressing!

Season as needed: If your ranch dressing tastes a little flat, it likely needs more salt and/or pepper. Add a little at a time to avoid accidentally adding too much.

showing how to make ranch dressing recipe by whisking the ingredients together in a bowl

possible recipe variations

This ranch dressing recipe is so exciting because it is a chameleon, the perfect blank slate to add any flavorings! You can add heat with chipotle peppers, buffalo sauce, etc., add condiments like barbecue sauce, pesto or mustard, cheese like blue cheese or Parmesan and any additional seasonings like Cajun. Here are more ideas:

Play with ingredient quantities. Use more or less of any of the ingredients to make this homemade ranch dressing perfect for YOU! I love a bold, full-flavored dressing but you can tame the dressing by using less herbs, garlic, etc.
Vegan Ranch Dressing: Use vegan sour cream, vegan mayonnaise, vegan Worcestershire sauce and your vegan milk of choice.
Spicy Herb Ranch: Add cayenne pepper to taste.
Buffalo Ranch: Add ¼ cup buffalo hot sauce, more or less to taste.
Sriracha Ranch: Add 2 tablespoons sriracha, more or less to taste.
Chipotle Ranch: Swap the parsley for cilantro, lime juice for lemon juice and omit the Worcestershire and Dijon; keep the rest of the ingredients the same. Add 2-4 minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from the can, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, and ¼ teaspoon dried oregano. You can even add ⅓ cup Cotija cheese. Serve with veggies, tacos, taquitos, tortilla chips, etc.
Southwest Ranch: Swap the parsley for cilantro, lime juice for lemon juice and omit the Worcestershire and Dijon; keep the rest of the ingredients the same. Add 2 teaspoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon dried oregano, hot sauce to taste and 1-3 tablespoons lime juice. You can even add ⅓ cup Cotija cheese.
Jalapeno Lime Ranch: Swap the lemon juice and some of the milk for lime juice and add one seeded, diced jalapeno.
Avocado Ranch: See this dressing recipe for my favorite recipe using avocados, cilantro, tomatillos and lime juice.
BBQ Ranch: Reduce the sour cream to ¾ cup and the mayonnaise to ⅓ cup. Add 1/3-½ cup of your favorite barbecue sauce.
Pesto Ranch: Add ¼ cup basil pesto, more or less to taste.
Mustard Ranch: Add a couple tablespoons of your favorite mustard.
Basil Ranch: Add 2 tablespoons freshly minced basil and 1 teaspoon freshly minced oregano.
Blue Cheese Ranch: Add 3 tablespoons blue cheese crumbles. I use this in my Buffalo Chicken Salad and Buffalo Chicken Tacos along with cilantro – yum!
Parmesan Ranch: Add ⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Popeye’s Blackened Ranch: Add 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, more or less to taste.
Peppercorn Ranch: Replace the ground pepper with loads of freshly cracked pepper to taste.

how do I make ranch Dip?

If you enjoy Ranch Dip, adapting this recipe is as simple as omitting the milk or adding less to reach your desired consistency. I can assure you that your carrot sticks will never be so happy!

spooning up homemade ranch dressing showing how creamy it is

How to Make a Healthier Ranch Dressing

Full-fat ingredients are the way to go for traditional ranch dressing, but if you want to make a healthier version here are the swaps I recommend:

Use olive oil mayo or avocado mayo: Instead of using regular mayo, try using mayonnaise made with olive oil or avocado (it will say right on the label). These mayonnaises traditionally have the same amount of calories but replace the polyunsaturated fat (in regular mayo) with monounsaturated fat which is considered a good kind of fat that we all need to function optimally. Of course, you can also use traditional nonfat and reduced fat mayo.
Use vegan mayonnaise: These types of mayonnaise don’t include eggs. You can choose from regular, avocado, soy, reduced fat, etc.
Use vegan sour cream: Pick your fav!
Use nonfat sour cream: Nonfat sour cream won’t be as creamy but will still work in this recipe because it’s being whisked with the mayonnaise.
Sub yogurt for sour cream: You may also use non-fat Greek yogurt instead.

Ways to Use Ranch Dressing

Homemade ranch dressing is fabulous for so much more than green salads – everything is a vehicle to inhale this dressing! Use it in wraps, on sandwiches, as a dipping sauce, and — yes! — you can even drizzle it over a slice of pizza. Here are some suggestions for ways you can utilize your scratch ranch dressing:

As ranch salad dressing: The obvious use of this dressing is on a big leafy green salad with crisp veggies and croutons. Or, pair it with this chicken bacon ranch salad.
As ranch pasta salad dressing: Use this bacon ranch pasta salad as a guide. Combine pasta, tomatoes, bell peppers and bacon with creamy ranch.
As ranch potato salad: Make my loaded potato salad with this homemade ranch dressing – one of my favs!
On sandwiches, burgers or wraps: Use it instead of mayonnaise on a chicken sandwich, burger, or wraps along with bacon, tomatoes, avocados and lettuce.
As a dip: Dunk raw veggies or roasted veggies such as Roasted Potatoes, Smashed Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli, etc. in the creamy ranch. You can also drizzle on top of whole roasted Potatoes or Twice Baked Potatoes. It’s also fabulous with chicken wings, popcorn chicken, chicken nuggets and Parmesan chicken.
As a marinade. Let chicken marinade in the dressing for up to 12 hours. I would also reserve some of the dressing to slather on the chicken after it cooks.
As a taco topping: Yes, really! Drizzle the ranch atop these buffalo chicken tacos, baked ground beef tacos or use it in my fiesta ranch chicken tacos.
As a pizza topping: I’ve seen people drizzle ranch atop plain cheese pizza, but I especially love adding ranch to my chicken taco flatbread pizza!

HOW LONG DOES RANCH DRESSING KEEP?

Because this ranch dressing recipe contains mayo, sour cream, fresh herbs without any preservatives, it needs to stay chilled in the refrigerator. It will last about 1 week in the fridge stored in an airtight container…if you can keep from eating all before then! It is also a good idea to pay attention to the expiration date of the milk and sour cream to know if the ranch will keep for less than one week; as always, use your best judgement!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to add buttermilk?

No. We are keeping this recipe super accessible without the use of buttermilk. Instead, lemon juice is added for the tanginess. If you prefer to use buttermilk in place of the milk, then omit the lemon juice then add lemon to taste if you would still like a tangier dressing.

Is ranch dressing keto?

Yes, this recipe, as written, is keto.

Is ranch dressing gluten-free?

This recipe, as written, is gluten free if you confirm that your Worcestershire sauce is certified gluten free. Many brands of Worcestershire sauce are made with gluten-free ingredients, so just double check the label.

Can ranch dressing be frozen?

No, this ranch dressing recipe does not freeze well. The ingredients will make for a funky, grainy texture when frozen and thawed.

Who invented ranch?

Ranch dressing was invented by Steve Hensen in the early 1950s while he worked as a plumbing contractor in Alaska. Part of his responsibilities included cooking for his coworkers. During his time in the kitchen, Hensen began to develop a buttermilk dressing. In 1956 Hensen and his wife, Gayle, purchased a 120-acre dude ranch near in the San Ynez Mountains in Southern California and renamed it Hidden Valley Ranch. Hensen began serving his buttermilk dressing to his guests. It became so popular, that he trademarked the name Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.

showing how to serve ranch dressing by drizzling over a salad

Looking for more homemade salad dressing recipes?

Caesar Dressing
Italian Dressing
Avocado Ranch Dressing
Thai Peanut Dressing
Cilantro Lime Dressing

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Homemade Ranch Dressing

This Homemade Ranch Dressing recipe is the intoxicating summation of a cool and luxuriously creamy base loaded with fresh and zingy herbs with splashes of lemon and Dijon. It’s so simple, quick and easy to make and most importantly, SO delicious that you'll never go back to store-bought again! Plus, this Ranch Dressing is so much more than a dressing for your greens, it’s fabulous in pasta salad, potato salad, as a dip for veggies, chicken wings, pizza, etc. and a spread for burgers and sandwiches. It’s also the most versatile dressing out there – turn this simple recipe into Buffalo Ranch, Chipotle Ranch, Avocado Ranch, etc. with just an ingredient or two. All versions included!

Servings: servings (about 1 ½ cups)

Total Time: 10

Prep Time: 10

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Ingredients

1 cup sour cream (may sub Greek yogurt)
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons fresh parsley (or 2 tsp dried)
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill (or 2 tsp dried)
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives or green onions (or 1 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp EACH garlic powder, onion powder
1/4 tsp EACH paprika, salt, pepper
3 tablespoons milk more or less as needed

Instructions

Whisk all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add milk as needed to reach desired consistency.
Season with additional salt and pepper to taste (I add an additional ¼ teaspoon each depending on what I’m serving it with).
The dressing is best if chilled for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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4 Comments

Diane Loman Beaver says

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I would LOVE to make the Ranch dressing but the recipe in the post is for Blue Cheese dressing.

- Jen says
  
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  I am so glad you pointed this out Diane! I had just edited a new recipe for Blue Cheese Dressing and it looks like it changed this recipe card as well. It should be all fixed now. Enjoy!
  
Patricia Gaynor says

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Awesome recipe! I used dairy free sour cream and unflavoured oat milk because of my daughter’s allergies. Perfect ranch dressing!

- Jen says
  
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  So glad this recipe was a success! Thanks for the great review, Patricia!