Ranch Dressing
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The BEST homemade Ranch Dressing recipe! It’s perfectly flavorful, unbelievably simple, only needs a few ingredients, and only requires a few minutes to make!
Homemade Ranch Dressing
This is the dressing my family praises and requests again and again. And not just to pair with salad but chicken nuggets, pizza, fresh veggies, baked potatoes, and more.
We are addicted to this stuff! It is a thousand times better than any of the shelf stable bottled stuff and tastes so much fresher.
Truly, this ranch is such a breeze to prepare. You can make it in minutes when you need a quick side to go with dinner. A simple green salad covered generously with ranch is just a classic everyone loves.
This is also a trick that helped me figure out how to get my kids to eat those nutritious veggies I pack in their lunch box.
It’s the perfect upgrade to a crisp salad or chilled vegetables.
Ranch Dressing Recipe Ingredients
Only 6 ingredients needed (or 7 if you want to count salt and pepper separately). I always keep fresh parsley on hand and this dressing is one of the reasons why.
- Mayonnaise: We use a generous amount of this here. Over the years I’ve discovered that basically the more mayo in ranch the better. It’s so creamy and rich.
- Buttermilk: This adds a light tang to the dressing that it really needs to bring more flavor. Milk just won’t cut it.
- Parsley: Though it’s a fairly mild flavor herb, using a fair amount here really helps build up the flavor.
- Dried chives: I recommend using freeze dried chives for best flavor.
- Garlic powder: Fresh garlic can be used as well but to keep it a quick and easy ranch dressing, I like this shortcut here.
- Salt and pepper: I use a fair amount of both. It’s usually the only salt that will be added to a salad.
Scroll down for full recipe with amounts and print option.
How to Make Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Measure out all ingredients.
- Add to a medium mixing bowl.
- Whisk together to blend.
How long does it keep?
Homemade ranch dressing can last in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, this dressing uses ingredients that are naturally gluten free but just check labels to be sure there’s no cross contamination in factories that may make other ingredients that contain gluten.
Variations
- Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to taste to make it spicy.
- Include dill for one more layer of flavor. You can use a few teaspoons of chopped fresh or a little dried.
- If you do want an even thicker ranch (such as using as a dip) you can try sour cream in place of buttermilk.
Helpful Tips for the Best Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Use good quality mayonnaise. This makes up the majority of the dressing so for best results use a good quality brand such as Hellman’s/Best Foods. It really makes a difference.
- Mince parsley fine. You’ll be measuring out more this way and I prefer the smoother texture this offers.
- Only use real buttermilk, not the buttermilk substitute. The milk/vinegar or lemon substitute isn’t thick enough.
- Stick with fresh parsley, not dried here. The fresh has better flavor and more flavor.
- Chill ingredients. If you are using a new jar of mayo that hasn’t been refrigerated then refrigerate the dressing for a while so it’s cold and refreshing.
More Dressing and Sauce Recipes
- Caesar Dressing
- Chimichurri
- Creamy Pesto Dressing (Spaghetti Factory Copycat)
- Italian Dressing
- Pesto
Follow Easy Cooking Zone
Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1 cup good quality mayonnaise (such as Hellman's/Best Foods)
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
- 1 Tbsp (scant) freeze dried chives
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder, or 1 garlic clove minced
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl whisk together mayonnaise, buttermilk, parsley, chives, and garlic powder.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix (I like it on the salty side since it's usually the only salt added to a salad so I use about 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper).
- If time allows let rest in the fridge 1 hour (I don't always do this, just when I've planned ahead. It just allows some extra time to bring out and meld flavors).