The Best Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe (5 Minutes, No Mayo)
A family tested, kid-approved ranch dressing recipe made with real food ingredients that you mix up in just minutes, without mayonnaise and your choice of sour cream or yogurt. It’s a creamy, flavorful alternative to store bought versions that you can use for all your favorite pairings: veggies, salads, or as a dip. With lots of 5-star ratings, you can confidently forget about bottles and packets for this simple and delicious recipe.
✩ What readers are saying…
“This is the best ranch dressing I have ever tried (I have tried and disliked a lot). Even my husband who is a diehard Hidden Valley Fan said this was so good, he would finally quit buying ranch from the store….Amazing.” -Emily

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After many years of trying all kinds of recipes for homemade ranch dressing – both dry mixes and the complete dressing – and being disappointed, I finally came up with my own recipe for the best ranch dressing that our whole family likes!
I know that next to a basic vinaigrette, ranch salad dressing is probably the other bottle of dressing in most family refrigerators. And since we know how easy it is to make your own vinaigrette salad dressing (i.e., “Italian dressing”), and pretty much any dressing, I know you are going to LOVE this easy and flavorful ranch dressing recipe, too.
The Testing
When making all those other recipes I tried out, there was always something that just wasn’t “right” about them.
There was too much dill.
Or not enough garlic.
Too salty.
Or too bland.
Then I’d find a coupon for a bottle of organic ranch dressing and I’d forget about the homemade for awhile. But even on sale and with a coupon, organic dressings are not cheap. And I knew that ranch dressing is just sour cream (or mayo), buttermilk and some spices. Hardly expensive stuff.
So I went back to my recipes and combined and adapted some to come up with something that was simple, tasty, frugal (a batch costs around $1.50), and REAL.
But it wasn’t until it passed the taste test with our ranch-aholic son that I knew we had a winner. And since then it has passed the test with more family and friends as well as the many 5-star ratings in the comments!
Recipe Video
Ranch Dressing Ingredients & Notes

Items and ingredients needed:
- Sour cream: Our family preferred the taste of a sour cream based dressing vs. mayonnaise (see more on this below). I often make this with half sour cream and half plain yogurt (regular or Greek) which adds more protein but doesn’t have a full-on yogurt flavor. Some reviewers have made it with all yogurt and like the added tang, so feel free to experiment with the sour cream-yogurt ratios.
- Buttermilk: This is the classic ranch dressing ingredient (the dry mix packets have buttermilk powder), so if you can find a buttermilk without additives (usually a cultured type) that’s great. I find it hard to find so usually use the “faux buttermilk” mixture of regular milk with vinegar (for this recipe, a 1/2 cup milk mixed with 1-1/2 teaspoon vinegar).
- Lemon juice: Either fresh or bottled is fine for this classic salad dressing ingredient that really brightens the flavor. Some people have suggested just using this with regular milk to recreate the buttermilk and not add the vinegar at all – it could work, though I haven’t tried it.
- Fresh garlic: While I prefer the flavor of fresh garlic in the dressing, you can use 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder if you’d like.
- Dried parsley: This is the main herb in ranch dressing.
- Onion powder: I always use granulated onion instead of powder as I feel it measures better and has more flavor.
- Sea salt: You can use any salt you have. Start with the measurements, but taste after it’s mixed and see if you’d like more.
- Black pepper: I usually use coarse ground pepper – if you use fine ground, start with less than the 1/2 teaspoon and taste to adjust.
- Dried dill or fresh: The second herb in ranch dressing, a little goes a long way with dill. Adjust the amount if you’d like more or less.
Buttermilk Note
A note on buttermilk: A few years ago I realized that, for the most part, what they sell in the stores as “buttermilk” is not true buttermilk (which is the milk extracted during the process of making butter), but a milk with thickeners and often preservatives added to it. It’s sometimes cultured, but traditional buttermilk wasn’t always cultured. Since I’d like to avoid additives and I don’t have access to real buttermilk, I always make the “faux buttermilk” I mentioned above.
Sour Cream Note

Check the label of your sour cream!
If you don’t make your own, you’ll want to find a sour cream that contains only cream like the one listed above (which is Daisy brand). Compare this with the ingredients on most of the other store brands which list at least 10 ingredients including fillers, preservatives, and thickeners.
Why no mayonnaise?
Some ranch recipes call for mayonnaise instead of sour cream. We like sour cream for a couple of reasons:
- It creates a thicker dressing that works for a dip
- Or with just a little thinning with milk it can coat lettuce for a dressing
- Our family likes the flavor better.
- And it seems a bit ‘lighter’ than oil-heavy mayo.
- Bonus: it makes the dressing egg-free for those avoiding eggs.
Plus, since I make my own mayonnaise, we pretty much save it for sandwiches and caesar salad dressing since mayo is a must for that dressing.
A few tools that are great for homemade salad dressings
- Glass tablespoon measuring cup (SO much easier than spoons for liquids!)
- Pint glass jar with zinc lid
- Salad dressing style bottle with flip-top lid
How to Make Ranch Dressing

Step 1: Start by mixing sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice. Once the wet ingredients are mixed, add the garlic and dry spices.

Step 2: Mix ingredients well. You can simply shake everything together in a pint jar (shown) use a whisk it up in a 2-cup container before pouring into a bottle.
TIP: Don’t be tempted to skip the lemon juice- I really think it makes it so much fresher tasting. The lemon might seem a bit strong at first, but after the dressing has sits overnight the flavors mingle and it’s no longer as dominate.

And that’s it! Seems silly that I’d ever take the time to buy this when it takes like, 5 minutes, right?
Storage
How long does the ranch dressing keep?
We’ve never had it go bad, but I’ll stay on the safe side and say 3 weeks to a month in the fridge. Since it’s homemade with no stabilizers, it will thin a bit as it sits, but you can add a bit more sour cream or yogurt and maybe a bit more salt, whisk it in and it’s good to go.
Interested in storing a dry ranch dressing mix?
I put all the seasonings together in a recipe here (as a cute jar gift) with instructions on how to mix it up. I often make a batch to keep on hand when I want to whip up a fresh batch of dressing quickly or to use to shake on popcorn, crackers, or chicken.

Reader Raves
“This is the most enjoyable ranch recipe that I have tried. The consistency is great. I love that it doesn’t call for mayonnaise. Thank you for sharing it.” -Heather
“Finally found a ranch recipe that tastes great!!!! Really don’t like the mayonnaise flavor in ranch. So Thank you!!!!!” -Tiffany
“I’ve been making this for a year now. My kids absolutely love it. They dip veggies in it and put it on sandwiches. I leave out the dill, but otherwise I follow the recipe exactly. My 9 year old tells people all the time that I make the best ranch. Even better than the store stuff. Love that!” -Tara
“This recipe for homemade ranch dressing is amazing!!!!! It’s like the ranch of my dreams, fabulous taste, so easy to make, and can make it as low fat/low calorie to fit your diet needs!” -Amy B.
I hope you give this ranch dressing recipe a try, too, and let me know what you think by leaving a rating and review!
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Best Homemade Ranch Dressing (5 Minutes, No Mayo)
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream*
- 1/2 cup buttermilk add 1-1/2 teaspoons vinegar to milk to equal 1/2 cup if you can’t find real buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 large garlic clove, minced (or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt or regular salt, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon dried dill or 1 teaspoon fresh, to taste
Instructions
- Combine sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice in a pint jar or quart mixing bowl. Shake or whisk to mix well.
- Add the remaining ingredients and shake (or whisk) again until well combined. If using a bowl, transfer to a dressing container with lid.NOTE: If you like your dressing thicker, mix the sour cream and seasonings first, then add the buttermilk slowly until you reach your desired consistency.
- Refrigerate one or more hours before using to let the flavors mingle and then taste to adjust seasonings.
- Shake well before each use (see storage tip if dressing thins some in the fridge).
Notes
Nutrition
More Favorite Homemade Dressings
- Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing
- Basic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing 4 Ways
- Mason Jar Ranch Salad Dressing Dry Mix (my recipe made into a mix with directions!)

This recipe has been updated in 2018 and 2025 – it was originally published in 2011.
Disclosure: affiliate links in this article will earn commission based on sales, but it doesn’t change your price. Click here to read my full disclaimer and advertising disclosure.



Thank you. I’m low on mayo presently & needed ranch. Made your recipe easily. Delicious
I’m so glad you liked this, Claire! Thanks for the review. 🙂
This tastes very good! I actually like it better as a dip for wi gs a d vegetables. It tastes even better the next day after the seasoning gs have meld together. I would like to try this on a gyro! I think it would pair well!
That would be good!
This is simply the best Ranch dressing recipe, Jami. I can’t count how many times I’ve made it; I always make a double batch to save time. It’s our all-purpose sauce, dip, and dressing. So good slathered on burgers! I increase the dried dill to 1 teaspoon per batch, but that’s just personal preference. Thank you for sharing this gem.
Oh, thank you so much for sharing your review, Nancy!! I’m so glad it’s a staple for you.
This is the most enjoyable ranch recipe that I have tried. The consistency is great. I love that it doesn’t call for mayonnaise. Thank you for sharing it.
Thank you so much, Heather – I’m so glad you like this!!
My comment is: I want to try your recipe but it is SO difficult to read it through all the lists and steps with ALL the whizz-bang-whoppty-do moving ads!😟 It’s the most frustrating thing for a person on our phone to try to get thru a recipe. But I’m going g to keep trying. I’m sure the recipe is good, and it’s not only your site with this issue of course.
I wish I could have a site with no ads, Lynn, as I find them annoying as well. However, this is my job and without the ads I couldn’t put up free recipes and maintain the site, so it’s a give-and-take sort of thing. I do try to keep them as minimal as possible and always include a way to remove the ones on the top and bottom that stay withe the little “x” in the corner you can use (some sites don’t have these).
Also, if you’re wanting just the recipe and steps in the recipe card on your phone, use the jump to the recipe button and then click the “print” button – the recipe opens in a new window with no ads so you can cook from it! (This works on any site).
If you can get it where you live “Kate’s Buttermilk” is real buttermilk made from cream. It’s our go – to for everything from ranch dressing to marinating chicken and pork to grain-free baked goods. It’s made in Maine, so maybe it’s just a northeast thing.
Oh, lucky you! No, I’ve never seen that around here.
thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!!! I didn’t grow up eating mayo. I’ve eaten a few things with mayo, but I won’t make anything that requires mayo. So my online search was ranch dressing without mayo and it led me to your page. I bought some dill and buttermilk for the first time and it was so worth it, this was delicious! I no longer can eat the premade Hidden Valley Ranch anymore, that was my favorite back in the days, but it tastes differently now. So happy to have this recipe now, thank you again for sharing!
Awesome, HyeLena – so glad this worked well for you!
How long does the Ranch dressing keep?
We’ve never had it go bad, but I’ll stay on the safe side and say a month. 🙂
Most buttermilk sold in the store is “cultured buttermilk”. It is essentially a type of yogurt & does not have thickeners, etc. Add 1/4 cup cultured buttermilk to a quart jar, fill the rest with milk. Cover the jar & leave it on top the DVR overnight. You will have a quart of buttermilk. Milk with vinegar added does not approximate cultured buttermilk. It thickens it but does not approach the taste.
Longer ferment times will make it thicker & MUCH more tart.
Agree! There are additives in the brand of buttermilk I used to buy, but you’re right, the cultured buttermilk is better than the vinegar substitute.
Finally found a ranch recipe that tastes great!!!! Really don’t like the mayonnaise flavor in ranch. So Thank you!!!!!
You’re welcome, Tiffany! Happy to know another no-mayo-ranch person 🙂
Can table salt be used in place of the sea salt.
Yes – it’s always interchangeable. 🙂
How long can the ranch/ketchup sit in the fridge before it “expires”?
Definitely weeks, Elya. It thins a bit, but I’d just add a bit more sour cream and whisk it in. It may last longer, but it’s usually gone by that time at our house!
Jami – I’m so excited to find your site. I recently followed a link to this dressing recipe and I’m hooked! I made it with Greek yogurt as I’m trying to eat more raw veggies. The Greek yogurt adds flavor and protein to a whole food that I already love.
Click the arrow at the bottom of the page “take me to the recipe” for the printable recipe.
This is the best ranch dressing I have ever tried (I have tried and disliked a lot). Even my husband who is a diehard Hidden Valley Fan said this was so good, he would finally quit buying ranch from the store.
We made pasta salad last night and this was the dressing. Amazing.
I LOVE it, Emily!! Comments like yours are the reason I do this. 🙂 Thank you for chiming in!!
Just made this Ranch dressing. It is the best homemade I have ever made! Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear that, Pam!
Loving the glass measuring cup in tablespoons. Where did you get it?
It’s one of my favorite kitchen items, Barbara! Here’s a link to one on Amazon (my affiliate): http://amzn.to/2904zGi
Absolutely love feta! Going on vaca will make some stuff up to take along!