Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe Is Easy and a Game Changer (2024)

FAQs

Why does some ranch taste better at restaurants? ›

While many restaurants use mass produced ranch mix, they often add it to a higher-quality base. This might include milk, buttermilk, sour cream, or mayonnaise. So when you notice that the ranch in a restaurant tastes better than the bottled dressing from the store, what you're really tasting is delicious, creamy fat.

Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl until well-combined. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

If you don't have time or inclination to make your dressing from scratch, but you want that elevated restaurant-style ranch, think about zhuzhing up the bottled version with things like finely chopped shallot or scallion, a clove of minced fresh garlic, a splash of buttermilk or dollop of sour cream if you have them ...

Directions. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth. Whisk in thyme, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ranch dressing is a savory, creamy American salad dressing usually made from buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs (commonly chives, parsley and dill), and spices (commonly pepper, paprika and ground mustard seed) mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil emulsion.

If you want to thicken up your homemade ranch dressing, add more mayo, yogurt, or sour cream, and use less milk. For a more drizzle-able dressing, add more milk (or water) to thin it out. Chill in the Fridge. Transfer your creamy ranch dressing into a sealed jar or bottle for storage.

Ranch dressing is ubiquitous in Iowa. You'll find it on salads, veggies and alongside French fries and cheese curds — and sometimes even on pizza and tacos.

Traditional ranch is made from sour cream, mayonnaise, dried herbs (usually dill, parsley, and chives), garlic powder, and onion powder. Buttermilk versions have, as you guessed, the addition of buttermilk and tend to be a bit thinner.

Stored in a well-sealed container in the fridge (assuming you began with fresh sour cream and buttermilk) your buttermilk ranch dressing should keep for up to two weeks. Help it stay fresh by not dipping anything directly into the container that you're storing it in—for example, a half-bitten carrot.

Who Invented Ranch? Around 1950, Steve Henson unknowingly made history when he whipped up a unique mixture of dry herbs and buttermilk. Originally a plumber, Steve came up with the concoction while working briefly in Anchorage as a construction worker and part-time cook for his crew.

What is the difference between ranch and creamy ranch? ›

The Classic and Southern are the same, but the creamy ranch has buttermilk powder and some other ingredients like lactose, malic acid, and carrageenan (the latter to hold it together since buttermilk powder thins out in a weird way)... the flavor is much milder than the classic/southern because of the buttermilk powder ...

The secret that many restaurants have up their sleeves is seasoning mix. Well-known brands make dry counterparts to their bottled ranch that encapsulate all the flavors, including powdered buttermilk, with none of the additives and oils.

It's no secret that Hidden Valley Ranch is a staple ingredient in many homemade ranch dressings, but did you know that restaurants also rely on this classic brand? According to several chefs I spoke with, Hidden Valley Ranch provides the perfect balance of tanginess and creaminess that customers love.

Because while some restaurants do use a bottled shelf stable dressing, what you are referring to is a powdered ranch mix (typically the Hidden Valley brand) that the restaurant cooks add milk/ buttermilk and sour cream to make their dressing.

This might seem obvious, but you can add a lot of flavor to ranch dressing by adding more of what's already in it. I love adding lots of fresh herbs, extra garlic, or even lemon zest.

And the buttermilk, or the regular milk, acts as a thinning agent, bringing your ranch dressing to the proper consistency. Buttermilk will be thicker and tangier; milk will almost be a non-flavor…but will thin it quite a bit more. So if you like a highly pourable dressing, regular milk would be best.

Dairy Queen - New Hidden Valley Ranch made IN HOUSE!

Fresh Herbs: I love fresh dill, parsley, and chives for a classic ranch flavor, but dried herbs will work in a pinch. I have included tips for using dried herbs below the recipe. Spices: Onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper create that familiar ranch flavor.

What makes ranch ranch? It's a combination of creaminess (from buttermilk, sour cream, sometimes mayonnaise) and herbaceousness (often parsley, thyme, dill), plus a long pull of allium (onion and garlic) and a shot of black pepper.

The ranch packet has a fresher taste, because you add your own mayo and milk. Even though all the herbs and spices in the mix are dried, they rehydrate quickly and leave you with a product that feels homemade. This version of Hidden Valley Ranch is more flavorful than the bottled version and much, much thicker.

What is the emulsifier in ranch dressing? ›

Xanthan gum emulsifier is often present in ranch dressing, thousand island dressing, and honey mustard dressing.

Homemade ranch dressing should be stored in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, and refrigerated. With proper storage, your homemade ranch will last in the fridge for up to two weeks. If the dressing begins to look discolored or develops an odor it is time to throw it out and whip up a new batch!

Cornstarch is a polysaccharide thickening agent that when mixed with a liquid and heated creates a glossy and semi-clear finished product. Cornstarch and other starches are commonly used to thicken sweet and dessert sauces as well as Chinese meat and seafood sauces.

What Makes Wingstop Ranch Stand Out? Wingstop's Ranch is distinguished by its harmonious blend of buttermilk, mayonnaise, dill, and a medley of spices. The resultant concoction is a velvety, flavorful sauce that pairs exquisitely with a variety of dishes, transcending beyond just wings.

A: I found flavor is pretty much the same but the new original container I just got has more salt: homestyle 45 mg vs original 60 mg. I can taste the difference. Great product for either version.

The dairy element—which tastes lighter on the mayo than other versions—is what makes this ranch dressing eminently squeezable onto everything. I've put it on a chicken salad wrap and dipped potato chips in it within the same meal.

You'll need to make sure to get Restaurant-Style Hidden Valley Ranch packets to get the closest to the WingStop flavor. It's a dry seasoning in an envelope near the other dressings in the grocery store.