Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Name: Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Mayonnaise; 1/2 cup Sour Cream; 1 1/2 cup Buttermilk; 2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice; 1 tsp Dried Parsley Flakes; 1 tsp Fresh Dill (chopped); 1 tsp Garlic Powder; 1 tsp Onion Powder; 1/2 tsp Salt; 1/4 tsp Pepper

Published Date: November 4, 2022

Category: Sauces & Dressings

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With just a handful of pantry essentials, you can put this easy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing together. With just the right balance of flavors, it can be an excellent salad dressing, a marinade or an all purpose condiment that can add tons of deliciousness to any of your meals.

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS EASY HOMEMADE DRESSING RECIPE

If you’re a fan of ranch (who isn’t) or if you’re looking for an easy recipe for homemade salad dressing, then you’re going to love this homemade buttermilk ranch dressing.

The mix of mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk creates the perfect balance of creamy and tangy, which is what makes this the absolute best recipe – I could just eat this dressing with a spoon.

Once you’ve tried this dressing and you see how easy it is to make, you’ll never want to buy bottled ranch dressing again.

🛒 INGREDIENTS

Mayonnaise
Sour Cream
Buttermilk
Fresh Lemon Juice
Dried Parsley Flakes
Fresh Dill
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Salt
Pepper

*see recipe card for detailed amounts

HOW TO MAKE BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING

Add all ingredients into a small mixing bowl (start with wet ingredients first, then add the dry).
Using a fork, mix the ingredients well until fully blended and smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the dressing can thicken.

HELPFUL NOTES:

If you can, try to use fresh herbs (chopped) as opposed to dried herbs. This will not just lend a nice bit of crunchiness to the dressing, but will also make it more flavorful.
If you’d like to make your own mayonnaise for this recipe with egg yolks and oil that will work too, but I like keeping things as simple as possible, and store-bought mayonnaise allows you to quickly make your own salad dressings, like this one.

The quality of your ingredients is important, so try to get the best quality ingredients you can. I understand this can be an additional cost, but it really does lead to the tastiest dressings.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH THIS BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING

If you love ranch as much as I do, you’ll know you can have it with just about anything (or nothing at all and just grab a spoon – it’s that good).

You can definitely use it as a salad dressing, but I also love using this ranch with roasted potatoes, drizzling it over tacos, and even dipping my french fries in it.

Here are a few more ideas:

dress up a green salad
drizzle over crispy chicken wings
as a ranch dip for your potato chips or veggies like celery sticks and carrot sticks
on top of delicious pulled pork nachos or chicken nachos
drizzle your own ranch dressing all over this perfect air fryer blooming onion for a truly magical experience

HOW TO STORE YOUR HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING

If you happen to have any leftover buttermilk ranch dressing, it can be transferred to any airtight container or jar and refrigerated for up to a week.

VARIATIONS TO THE BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING

You can make adjustments to the spices and seasonings that you’re adding based on your personal preference.

If you’d like a bit more kick in the dressing, throw in some red pepper flakes or a dash or hot sauce.
Adding a dash of apple cider vinegar and/or Worcestershire sauce can make all the difference in terms of flavor.
If you’re a fan of garlic and onion, feel free to add more.
Adding some freshly chopped chives will bring out the flavor and add a nice dose of color
For added creaminess and sweetness, try stirring in some plain yogurt. This can be an especially delicious twist when used on grilled vegetables or drizzled over pizza or nachos.

SUBSTITUTIONS FOR THE INGREDIENTS

Buttermilk: You can make your own buttermilk at home with just regular milk and lemon juice. Simply take 1 cup of milk (minus 1 tablespoon) and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and mix. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes and you’ll see a curdled but tangy buttermilk. 1 cup of this mix = 1 cup buttermilk.

Lemon Juice: The lemon juice in this recipe adds a good tang and acidity to the homemade salad dressings, but you may not have any on hand. Never fear. Switch this out for white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (or any other vinegar you have on hand). You could also switch it for Lime Juice which will have the same outcome but will slightly affect the taste of your dressing.

Garlic Powder: It’s almost always better to just fresh garlic cloves rather than dried or powdered garlic powder.

FAQS:

How Do I Adjust the Consistency of the Dressing?

If your dressing feels too thick, you can thin it out by adding a bit more buttermilk. In contrast, if you feel your dressing has become runnier than you’d like, you can add more of the mayonnaise and sour cream to make it thicker.

Is This Healthier Than Bottled Ranch Dressings?

Anytime you can make something at home, where you can see each ingredient that goes into it, it’s typically much healthier than store-bought options. The ingredients in this homemade ranch dressing are healthier options, and you can also adjust the recipe to fit within your dietary restrictions.

Can I Make This Ahead Of Time?

Yes! You can make the ranch dressing up to two days ahead of time, and it will remain good in the refrigerator in an airtight container. You may need to thin it out a bit with some buttermilk when you use it, as the dressing tends to thicken over time.

Try Some of My Other Favorite Air Fryer Recipes