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.
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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:
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
Ranch dip typically has parsley, garlic, and onion flavoring a creamy dip base, such as mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, and/or yogurt.
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.
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.
Serving Suggestions
Ranch Dip is great with these recipes!
Tell us what you think!
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Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dip
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
Nutrition
This post was originally published on July 2, 2008. One of my first ever recipes! It has been updated for content and clarity.
Jodi Wells-Laughner
mayonnaise not miracle whip??
Jessica Fisher
I don’t buy miracle whip, so I’m not sure how it will work. I have always used mayonnaise.
karen b
love homemade ranch dressing………I have a ? though does anyone have a simple catalina/french dressing recipe? my hubby likes this kind the best & cant find one that suits or has a bunch of weird stuff in it. Thanks
Jessica Fisher
I do not have a recipe, but I know I’ve seen them in vintage cookbooks. I’d look there!
Brenda
This sounds great! How long will it last in the refrigerator? What do you store it in?
Jessica Fisher
As long as your buttermilk isn’t close to its date, it should be good about a week.
Jen Blacker
Use powdered buttermilk! It’s wonderful and it won’t go bad. Just shove it in your fridge and use when needed in any recipe that asks for buttermilk. I’ve used it in everything from ranch dressing to baked goods. If you can’t find it in your area, Amazon delivers. It’s cheaper for me to buy a 3 pack via Amazon than single cans at the store.
Jessica Fisher
Does the powdered variety get thick enough for you? I tried it once, but it was a thinner texture than I wanted.
Jen Blacker
It seems to for me. The recipe on the back of the Penzey’s buttermilk ranch recipe comes out thin, but it’s designed to. When I make copycat Outback ranch dressing (with the Penzey’s mix) it comes out much thicker, but I think that’s due to more mayo added.
Kate Malter McLean
Agreed! Dried buttermilk has been a game changer for me. My homemade ranch and pancakes are much better now. I do feel like I have to adjust ratios sometimes, but just do it to taste/consistency I want. I usually use sour cream instead of mayo in my dressing and that helps as well.
Denise
I make a similar recipe, but add a crushed garlic clove. YUMMY!!! I also sometimes add a couple shakes of Frank’s Red Hot, but not often since my people don’t care for spicy ranch. 🙂
Jessica Fisher
I do the same. Love it!
Emily @Random Recycling
I need a cute little picture so I can Pin this 🙂
Jessica Fisher
I will see what I can do. 😉
Erin
Thanks! Gonna try this one! My kids will be so happy, because I don’t buy due to all those additives, but this one is nice and clean!
Jessica Fisher
Yes, that’s why I love it, too.
Jackie Brown
I have about 3/4 gallon buttermilk to use up and thought I would make this dressing, but do you have any other ideas how to use it up. Does buttermilk freeze well? Should I attempt it?
Jessica Fisher
@Jackie Brown, yes, you can freeze it. It is also great in most baked goods.
FishMama
I never keep it longer than a week.
Anonymous
Jessica,
How long does this keep in the fridge?
Thanks,
Keli
Stacie@HobbitDoor
I LOVE ranch dressing and homemade dressings in general! Can’t wait to try this one!
Karen
I’m always looking for dressing recipes. I can’t stand bottled dressing.
FishMama
ZZ, I was just thinking about both things this morning: explaining why I have so much Chex Mix and making sure my email was evident. 😉 I put up the email link and will answer the other soon. If you’d rather, feel free to email me.
Zimms Zoo
btw buttermilk freezes well and you can freeze it in ziplocs in whatever proportion you would need for the recipe.
I didn’t see a place to email you privately so I understand if you take this off and answer later. but i was wondering how you decide what to buy(groceries) versus what is healthy for your family. does that make sense? staying on budget vs. non-hydrogenated fats.
Jodi
woo hoo – I’m so excited to see a ranch recipe…I keep meaning to look for one, but never seem to remember when I have time. I HATE processed tasting grocery-store ranch…can’t wait to give this one a try.
You can also use lemon juice + milk to make “buttermilk” a lot of baking cookbooks have that shortcut in them…I always pull out my Betty Crocker when I need the conversion, bc I never have buttermilk on hand! Don’t know if it would work here or not, but it’s something handy to know!
FishMama
Yes EOL, you can do that. But, I find that really only works in baked goods. It doesn’t taste quite the same in this dressing. IMO.
Extraordinary Ordinary Life
I have been wanting a good ranch dressing recipe since my husband loves it. As for buttermilk, you can substitute 1 cup of regular milk with 1 Tablespoon of vinegar for 1 cup of buttermilk.
FishMama
Yes, Jen, the buttermilk is what “makes” it. But, the product should stay good for a long time, usually a couple weeks past the sell-by date.
Buttermilk is a mainstay at our house — for dressing and baking. Sub it for milk in whatever you’re baking and it will give a boost to the muffins, pancakes, biscuits, bread, whatever.
Emily @Random Recycling
Thanks for this tip…I was thinking the same thing and didn’t want to waste the rest of the big carton.
Jen
Is the buttermilk necessary? I only ask because I would not have anything else to do with the rest of the carton! Could regular milk be used?
Patti Reis
Make soda bread! http://lifeasmom.com/2011/03/irish-soda-bread-dubliner-cheese-urs-st-patricks-day-feasts.html I made this recipe for St. Patrick’s Day. It was delicious! And I remember thinking to myself how nice it was to have a simple recipe to make from the buttermilk I always have left over from making ranch dressing. 🙂
Jessica Fisher
great suggestion!
Patti Reis
Thanks. Your soda bread recipe was really good, btw. My family loved it!
Lady Why
I’ve been wanting a good ranch dressing recipe! Thanks!