Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe

article image
Photo by iStock
Fresh garlic is a must in your homemade salad dressings.

For the best flavor and nutrition, use real, cultured buttermilk; full-fat mayonnaise; and thick, tangy sour cream from sustainable producers. To turn everyone’s favorite salad dressing into a dip, add more mayonnaise and sour cream, and less buttermilk.

Find other great alternatives for store bought dressings in Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes.

Ranch Dressing Recipe

• 1 clove garlic, minced, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, or 2 parsley-oil ice cubes
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder or prepared Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• Dash hot sauce
• Dash white wine vinegar or rice vinegar, or juice of 1 lemon wedge
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 to 1 cup buttermilk
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste (use lots of coarsely ground pepper for peppercorn ranch)

1. Add everything except buttermilk, salt and pepper to a jar with a lid, and shake, shake, shake. Stir in the buttermilk until the desired consistency is reached.

2. Season with salt and pepper, and shake some more. Chill for at least an hour before serving. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Variation: Add 2 to 3 teaspoons of Sriracha or other hot chili sauce for a spicy ranch. Talde, a popular restaurant in Brooklyn, New York, adds dehydrated Sriracha powder to ranch dressing for its house favorite, Sri-Rancha. Find instructions to make Sriracha powder at Tasting Table.

  • Published on Feb 18, 2014
Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-800-456-6018
Free health and natural beauty tips from Mother Earth News!