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    Home » Party Food

    Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dip

    Published: Jul 25, 2022 · Modified: Dec 17, 2022 by Jessica Fisher

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    If you love dips and sauces, then you will love this Easy Homemade Ranch Dip. Creamy and sporting that classic ranch flavor, it’s a fantastic accompaniment to pizza, veggies, or chicken tenders.

    Mix up a batch during your Lunchtime Meal Prep to go on Chicken Bacon Ranch Salads or in Snack Boxes. It’s super easy and tasty, a great addition to an Easter Veggie Tray. And it’s perfect to include in an at-home salad bar.

    veggie tray with bowl of ranch dip with carrot dipping in. this …

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    Jump to:
    • Why Make This
    • Ingredients
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • FAQs
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Tell us what you think!
    • Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dip

    Homemade Ranch Dip is a mainstay at our house. We love this stuff, and it’s so easy to make and so much healthier than the store-bought variety — or even the powdered mix. This ranch dressing is a great salad topping or for dipping veggies, pizza, or chicken strips.

    The most popular dressing in the US, Ranch Dip is here to stay — and definitely one you can learn to make from scratch.

    Why Make This

    It’s all real food. You can avoid processed, bottled dressings and Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning packets with this Buttermilk Ranch Dip Recipe. It’s delicious and made with all real food ingredients.

    It’s easy! With only six ingredients, you can mix up this ranch dip recipe in a flash. It’s one of those budget-friendly appetizers everyone loves.

    It’s delicious. Homemade ranch dressing tastes so much better than what you buy at the store. It tastes fresh and brings great flavor. Try it on our Copycat Chick-fil-A Cobb Salad Recipe for a fresh alternative to take-out.

    Ingredients

    Here’s what you’ll need to make Homemade Ranch Dip:

    ingredients to make ranch dip.

    mayonnaise – I love using mayo for its creaminess and flavor, but you can use sour cream or Greek yogurt if you prefer.

    buttermilk – Adding buttermilk adds amazing flavor, a great tang. You can make Remember

    parsley – I used dried but you can always use fresh parsley if you have it. You can also add fresh or dried dill.

    onion powder and garlic powder – they blend nicely here and don’t overpower the dressing, giving just the right flavor. You can also use a teaspoon of fresh garlic if you prefer.

    cayenne pepper (optional) – If you like a little heat then go ahead and sprinkle in a little cayenne pepper.

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    This homemade ranch dressing recipe couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.

    You can season this to taste with a pinch of cayenne pepper. And you can serve this immediately or refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.

    FAQs

    What is ranch dip made of?

    Ranch dip typically has parsley, garlic, and onion flavoring a creamy dip base, such as mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, and/or yogurt.

    Can I use fresh herbs in ranch dip?

    I use dried parsley and spices because they’re pantry staples I always have on hand. If you have fresh parsley, garlic, and chopped chives, then use that instead.

    How long does homemade ranch dip last?

    I often make a batch of Ranch Dip on pizza night. It’s good for 4 days refrigerated. It mixes up so quickly; it’s a great recipe to have a child prepare.

    colorful veggie tray with bowl of ranch dip in the center.

    Serving Suggestions

    Ranch Dip is great with these recipes!

    • veggie tray made on wooden board on a diagonal on a white counter.
      Easy Vegetable Tray
    • chicken strips on wire rack with sauce cups.
      The Best Fried Chicken Strips to Make at Home
    • hand dipping a baked zucchini fritter into a small white dish of ranch.
      Baked Zucchini Fritters (34 cents each)
    • overhead shot of english muffin pizzas, some pepperoni some cheese, on a wooden board.
      English Muffin Pizza Recipe
    white spoon and fork on a teal plate logo.

    Tell us what you think!

    We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.

    bowl of ranch dip surrounded by veggie dippers.

    Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dip

    Enjoy dipping veggies, pizza, or chicken tender into this easy homemade ranch dip. It's delicious and made with all real food ingredients.
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 107kcal
    Author: Jessica Fisher

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup mayonnaise
    • ½ cup buttermilk
    • 1 tablespoon dry parsley flakes
    • 1 teaspoon onion powder
    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
    • pinch ground cayenne pepper

    Instructions

    • Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl until smooth.
    • Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for several hours to allow flavors to blend.

    Video

    Notes

    Nutritional values are approximate and are based on 8 servings from the 1 cup of dressing. Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use within 4 days.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 106mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 34IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Tell us what you think! Your reviews help us develop better recipes and give newcomers the confidence to try your favorites. Scroll down to leave a starred comment.

    This post was originally published on July 2, 2008. One of my first ever recipes! It has been updated for content and clarity.

    « Green Chicken Enchiladas with Cream Cheese
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dvinediane

      December 22, 2019 at 9:15 am

      How would you thicken this up to make more of a dip? Also if needs to be DF? Thanks.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 25, 2019 at 8:27 pm

        To make a thicker dip, use less buttermilk. To make it dairy-free, use a nut or coconut milk.

        Reply
    2. kay

      November 08, 2018 at 11:41 am

      In the powdered packet only days of long ago my mother used to add a packet and buttermilk to the “only the dregs left on the sides” mayo jar. Screw the top back on, shake and you had not only a thrifty use of the very last of the mayo, but also a handy container for the dressing.

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        November 10, 2018 at 11:30 am

        Yes! I do that with jams and mustards. Never did that with mayo. Thanks for the suggestion, Kay!

        Reply
    3. Amy

      November 22, 2017 at 10:52 pm

      I make this dairy free by using just a splash of water to breakup the mayo. I eyeball all my seasonings and I can whip up some ranch dressing in 3 minutes or less. So yummy and totally worth making homemade without the packet 🙂

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        December 12, 2017 at 8:56 am

        Great. Thanks for the tip!

        Reply
    4. Theresa

      July 06, 2016 at 8:26 pm

      Blessed to have such an awesome grandma. She mixed half sour dream, half plain yogurt with a spoonful of mayo, some dill, onion powder, maybe some garlic, pepper, pinch a sugar. I forgot exactly. Every day she had a tray of veggies on the table. We feasted all day on that, cheese n crackers, her version of cowboy cookies , etc. I could go on and on about her but I won’t right now 🙂

      Reply
      • Jessica Fisher

        July 07, 2016 at 3:41 pm

        Sounds like some great memories!

        Reply
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    Hi, I'm Jessica! I'm a 4x cookbook author and 6x mom. I know what it is to be in a hurry and on a budget. I believe anyone can prepare delicious meals -- no matter what's on their plate. I've been featured on Good Morning America, PBS News Hour, and NBC.

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    veggie platter with ranch dip in the center of the platter.