The Best Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing Recipe
This recipe for The Best Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing is a creamy, flavorful dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk, blended with a blend of dried herbs and spices. Perfect for salads, dipping, or as a versatile condiment, this easy-to-make dressing offers a fresh, tangy taste with a hint of lemon juice.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: About 1 1/2 cups 1x
- Category: Salad Dressing
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk
Herbs & Spices
- 3/4 – 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon finely cracked pepper
Additional Flavoring
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste (approximately 1-3 teaspoons)
Instructions
- Combine Base Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk (or regular milk) until the mixture is smooth and homogenous, forming the creamy base for your ranch dressing.
- Add Herbs and Spices: Stir in the dried dill weed, dried parsley, dried chives, onion powder, garlic powder, fine sea salt, and freshly cracked pepper. Whisk thoroughly to evenly distribute the flavors throughout the dressing.
- Incorporate Lemon Juice: Add freshly squeezed lemon juice to the mixture according to your taste preference, usually between 1 to 3 teaspoons, and whisk again to combine and add a fresh, tangy brightness.
- Chill the Dressing: Transfer the dressing into a jar or covered container and refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Serve and Store: Use the ranch dressing as a salad dressing, dip, or condiment. Keep it refrigerated and consume within one week for the best freshness and flavor.
Notes
- For a thinner consistency, use buttermilk instead of regular milk.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice to balance acidity according to your preference.
- This dressing keeps well in the refrigerator for up to one week.
- Fresh herbs can be substituted for dried herbs if available, but reduce the quantity since dried herbs are more concentrated.
- To make it vegan, substitute mayonnaise and sour cream with plant-based alternatives and use a dairy-free milk.
Keywords: homemade ranch dressing, ranch salad dressing, easy ranch recipe, creamy dressing, homemade salad dressing, herbs and spices dressing
