Homemade Ranch Dressing (2024)

FAQs

How is ranch made from scratch? ›

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.

Even when a restaurant does start with premade ranch, they will often fold in extra fresh herbs, and maybe even more buttermilk, to lighten and bring in some brighter flavors that can be lost in shelf-stable bottling.

“But the particular flavor of traditional ranch can only be achieved with the dry versions of all those aromatics: garlic and onion powder, dried herbs, powdered pepper and buttermilk.” That's because fresh ingredients were rare in Alaska at the time.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Most of the dry ranch seasoning mix ingredients are simple and likely already found in your pantry. Onion powder, onion flakes, dill, parsley, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dried chives give this delicious seasoning mix its flavor!

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.

How long does homemade ranch last? ›

How Long Does Homemade Ranch Last? 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.

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.

Ranch dressing, along with most other salad dressings, is delicious. Ranch goes with everything and is a staple in the American diet. Some are afraid the dressing contains raw or undercooked eggs and stay away from it (2). However, if you check the label for egg content, you'll find that it does not contain eggs.

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.

Original Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.

One serving packs 140 calories and 14 grams of fat. Most of the fat in this dressing comes from soybean or canola oil and egg yolks.