A family tested, kid-approved homemade ranch dressing made with real food ingredients that you mix up in a jar in just minutes. Who needs bottles and packets with something this simple and delicious?
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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 homemade ranch dressing, too.
When making all those other recipes I tried, 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 to come up with something that was simple, tasty, frugal (a batch costs about $1.35), and REAL.
And when it passed the taste test with our family’s ranch-aholic son I knew we had a winner! Whew.
How to Make Homemade Ranch Dressing
You can just use a pint jar to mix everything for this dressing, which is what I like to do–it has a wide enough opening and you can mix it up right in the jar. However, if you’d like to keep it in a smaller-mouth dressing container, feel free to use a whisk and mix it up in a quart measuring cup before pouring into your container.
Start by mixing sour cream, buttermilk, and lemon juice. 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).
Used in this best ranch dressing recipe:
- Glass tablespoon measuring cup (SO much easier than spoons for liquids!)
- Pint glass jar with zinc lid
- Dried parsley
- Onion powder
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Dried dill
- Sour cream
- Buttermilk
- Lemon juice
- Fresh garlic
Real Buttermilk and Sour Cream?
A note on buttermilk: few years ago I realized that, for the most part, what they sell in the stores as “buttermilk” is not true buttermilk (the milk extracted during the process of making butter), but a milk with thickeners and often preservatives added to it. Since this is what I’d like to avoid (hello?) and I don’t have access to real buttermilk, I always make a “faux buttermilk” with vinegar and regular milk (for this recipe, a 1/2 c. milk mixed with 1-1/2 tsp. vinegar).
Oh, and another note about the sour cream: check the label!
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, by the way). Compare this with the ingredients on most of the other store brands which list at least 10 ingredients including fillers, preservatives, and thickeners.
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 and with just a little thinning with milk can coat lettuce, we like the flavor better, and it seems a bit ‘lighter’ than oil-based mayo. Plus, since I make my own mayonnaise, we pretty much save it for sandwiches!
Once the wet ingredients are mixed, add the garlic and dry spices, and mix well.
Um, yeah, that’s pretty much it. Seems silly that I’d ever take the time to buy this stuff- that was like, what- 5 minutes?
Well, I’ve mended my ways…
Best Homemade Ranch Dressing & Dip
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
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon dried dill to taste or 1 teaspoon fresh
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 the desired consistency.*
- Refrigerate one or more hours before using, and taste to adjust seasonings after dressing.
- Shake well before each use.
Notes
Nutrition
Here are a few more of our favorite homemade dressings:
Homemade Honey Mustard Dressing
Basic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing 4 Ways
Mason Jar Gift-Ranch Salad Dressing & Printable Tag (our classic recipe made into a mix with directions)
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.
This recipe has been updated – it was originally published in 2011.
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Kate says
Just made this – and it was soooo delicious! And, I’m not even a huge ranch dressing fan, but I’m adding this one to my repertoire!
Emily says
I’ve made your ranch dressing recipe before but it’s been awhile. I forget how good it was. Just whipped up a batch-I could drink the whole jar!!!
Carol J says
Just made this to go with my husband’s chicken wings. I think it will be perfect.
Brenda Seng says
Greetings!
So glad to have stumbled across your site. I will definitely be trying this recipe!
Do you happen to have a recipe for homemade sour cream?
I live in a country where sour cream is not available.
Thanks in advance! And thanks for all the excellent tips and recipes 🙂
Jami says
I don’t have a recipe on this site, but I’ve read others – if you google it will probably come up.:)
Dee says
I was about to try this ranch dressing/dip recipe when I realized that the lemon juice used was not specific…from concentrate or fresh squeezed? ….or will it make a difference?
Jami says
You can use whatever you have on hand, Dee!
Tonya says
I’m a ranch snob and definitely want to try this, but with any other secrets you may have added/changed since you first posted this. Are there any? Thanks.
Jami says
I have used half greek yogurt and half sour cream, Tonya, which is good. You could probably replace all the sour cream, but I know I’d taste the yogurt too much for me, so I don’t. But otherwise I make it as written – we love it!! I always like it with a bit more salt, and I know the store-bought varieties are heavy on salt, so maybe that’s what I was used to – the salt is really to taste, though. I hope you like it as much as we do. 🙂
Cori says
How long does the dressing last in the fridge?
Jami says
Quite awhile, Cori, though it does get thinner the longer it sits. If I need to thicken it, I add a tablespoon or so of sour cream and a bit more salt and it’s good to go!
Carol says
OR you could just add in some gelatin, and get your dose of that at the same time! ( I mean real gelatin, NOT JELLO stuff…like Great Lakes or Vital Proteins ( has better organic grass fed proof).
Slind says
Can I use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic?
I have everything but fresh garlic & dying to make it!!
Jami says
Of course, use what you have, Slind – I’m always for that. I just like it with fresh garlic better – but there’s always next time!
Tara says
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!
Jami says
Love hearing this, Tara – thank you!! 🙂
Andee says
I make my own butter as well, I’ve researched “buttermilk” and found many definitions. I assumed buttermilk meant the milk left over from making butter, but I’ve determined that it is really a cultured product which can be made from that milk left after making butter, but now-a-days, it can be made from skim milk.
So you just used the milk left from butter making straight from the bowl, right? You didn’t culture it first? I will be so happy if you say yes, because I have been struggling to find a use for it without figuring out the whole culturing bit. It usually ends up on the dog’s food. :/
Jami says
I didn’t, Andee, I just used the lemon or vinegar with milk technique. 🙁 Don’t despair, though – if I were you I’d try it with the milk left from making butter and see if you like it!! Or add a bit of vinegar to that for tang if it doesn’t have enough. Play with it, but you’re right, I wouldn’t want to throw it away, either. 🙂
Katie says
I make my own ranch too, and it’s similar to yours. I keep the dry ingredients mixed up so I can whip up a fresh batch quickly. It’s also nice to have ranch seasoning on hand to shake on popcorn, crackers, or chicken!
Amy B says
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!
Jami says
Glad you like it, Amy!
jessi says
just made this and…..WOW! Every pregnant woman’s dream. I only started to think about making my own when i bought a bottle of Hidden Valley and it gave me the WORST heartburn EVER! So I decided to give this recipe a try and all I can say is THANK YOU! It’s delicious and what i’ll be eating forever. My friend who is also pregnant immediately went to the store to get the ingredients and is hooked just like me!
Jami Boys says
So glad to hear, Jessi! Thanks for taking the time to share.
Michele says
I made this for the third time today, but I didn’t have any sour cream, so I used Greek Yogurt. The consistency seemed good and it tastes like real ranch- a little tangy 🙂 Thanks again for great salad dressings!
Erin says
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I especially love that there’s no mayo needed, and you don’t even miss it! My entire family loved this recipe, even my 2 picky eaters who are very particular about their Ranch dressing… in my 4-year-old’s words, “this ranch is AWESOME” with a big thumbs up. Thank you!!
Jami says
Aww, I love it, Erin! That was when I knew I had a winner, too – when my son gave it the okay. 🙂
Lindy says
can you post this under recipes on your pinterest page. I have tried to pin it and for some reason it won’t work. Looks yummy.
Jami says
Done, Lindy! I didn’t have a problem pinning it – I pinned to the AOC Favorites – Food board. Hope you like it!
AndiW says
Hi Jami!
I LOVE your approach to instructing. Yours is the only blog (AOC) that I actually take the time to read. Adore the grouping for fresh dressings!! YAY! Very much looking forward to trying and putting less garbage in my/our bodies. Also, a comment about ‘faux’ buttermilk. Because I’ve had recipes for cookies and muffins that call for soured milk and have always used apple cider vinegar with milk, recipes that have called for buttermilk received 1/2 and 1/2 with the cider vinegar. Our housemate just made Irish Soda bread yesterday with that soured cream. Yum! Thank you for sharing your lifestyle this way. Talented, practical, creative and frugal. There’re more adjectives but I’ll quit. 😉 Thanks, Jami. 😀
Jami says
Oooo, using 1/2&1/2 instead of milk? Brilliant! I bet it makes a richer product. I’m definitely going to try that next time – thanks for all your sweet, encouraging words, Andi. 🙂
Teresa says
I love this! Tried it today for a lunch salad and it is very delicious!
Mindy says
This is good…haven’t made our salads yet, just letting it marry for a bit. I followed directions and ingredients completely, and at this point, it tastes very garlicky, but I suppose *1 garlic clove* is so subjective…mine was too large I guess! It’s still good, too garlicky or not though. Thanks for the recipe. I’ll definitely try it with Greek yogurt for my husband though!
Jami says
Yes, we love it garlicky, but you can adjust. Also, it will mellow with time.
Jacqui says
This is the BEST ranch dressing! Use fresh dill!