My new favorite dressing is this buttermilk dressing with dill, garlic, and peppercorns. It mixes up quickly and is perfect for topping salads or dipping veggies or pizza.
After a week of baking and excess, I find that I’m craving vegetables. Like crazy craving vegetables. Each night at dinner I’ve gone back for extra veggies.
Now that we no longer get a produce box, I don’t have a veggie drawer full of things that I’m ignoring. Instead, I have to make an effort to keep our crisper full.
Apparently, we are a house divided when it comes to vegetables. I took a poll and we are split on favorites. Some like green beans while others prefer broccoli. Some of us love sweet potatoes; others can’t stand them.
One thing we do agree on, though, is the crudite platter, aka veggie tray. There’s something for everyone on the veggie tray, though I am narrowing down favorites so that we don’t run out of cucumbers (favorite) while the cauliflower sits (not favorite).
And pretty much every one agrees that the dip or veggie dressing needs to be homemade. While I grew up mixing up the packet of seasoning mix into a bowl of mayonnaise and buttermilk, I found out in college that those little packets are expensive!
Lucky for me, I worked for the UCen Dining Services which specialized in excellent veggie trays — and homemade dressing. For my first 18 years of life, I had no idea that homemade buttermilk dressing was so easy. In this latter half of my plus (give or take a few years), I almost always have a batch in the fridge.
For a long time I made my regular homemade ranch dressing, but I’ve been busting out with different herbs and flavor combinations. My new favorite is this buttermilk dressing with dill, garlic, and peppercorns. With just five ingredients, it mixes up quickly and is perfect for topping salads, or dipping veggies.
My kids and I love to dip pizza crust into it. 😉
A couple notes:
- You DO need real buttermilk, not the dried powder, not the add vinegar to milk stuff. Real cultured buttermilk from the dairy case.
- I cracked the peppercorns on the loosest setting on my pepper grinder but you could put them in a plastic bag bang them with a kitchen mallet.
- Feel free to use fresh garlic and fresh dill, but know that I make this with garlic powder and dried dill weed. It’s just easier and quicker that way.
- Make your own mayonnaise if you’d like to have a super fresh and “real food” dressing.
- You can experiment with other herbs. If you do, let me know what you try!
Buttermilk Dressing with Dill
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp dried dill OR 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tsp garlic powder OR 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together the mayonnaise and buttermilk until smooth. Stir in the dill, garlic powder, and pepper until well combined. Chill until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Janel
I just made a batch with a similar recipe this weekend. It added a tablespoon of white vinegar that I think adds a nice zip. 🙂
Gina
I cannot wait to try this. I love “dill dip” and homemade ranch so I think this is going to be right up my alley. 🙂
Been battling lots of flu and sickness the last few weeks so I am low on being inspired in the kitchen. Love your pantry cooking series though. It’s giving me a light at the end of the tunnel to see what you are making. I think I’ll mix up some dip and cut some veges and at least have this as an option.
Thanks!
Jessica Fisher
Let me know what you think! I’ve been making this more often now that I started culturing my own buttermilk.
Sally
When I make ranch dressing or dip I use parsley, dill and chives. I think it’s delicious.
Jessica Fisher
My sister makes one like that. Plus, she adds cilantro. Super yummy!
AnneS
Looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it. 🙂
Jessica Fisher
Let me know what you think!