Creamy, tangy, and packed with fresh herb flavor, this homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is far better than anything you’ll find in a bottle. Made with buttermilk, mayonnaise, herbs, and seasonings, this classic dressing is perfect for salads, vegetable trays, chicken wings, sandwiches, and dipping just about everything. Quick to make and incredibly versatile, it’s a recipe you’ll want to keep on hand year-round.
We love ranch dressing, and especially with a Buffalo Hot Wings Recipe! Or on our Best Chef Salad!
Steve Henson was the developer of the recipe for ranch dressing in the early 50’s while he was working as a plumbing contractor in the Alaskan bush. He and his wife later, in 1954, opened Hidden Valley Ranch, which was a dude ranch in Santa Barbara County in California.
I am sure you know the rest of this story!! They later incorporated Hidden Valley Ranch Food Products, Inc. and opened up a factory to bring their dressing nationwide. It is a common staple in Canada and the US, but not really known worldwide.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Excellent on hot wings
- Great for salads or dips
- Easy to make and fast, 5 min.
- So much better than store-bought
- Tangy, creamy and divine
HELPFUL ITEMS FOR THIS RECIPE
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Zester & Grater Set of 2 – Kitchen Zester Tool for Lemon, Cheese, Garlic, Ginger, Nutmeg and more
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Ingredients
What makes this buttermilk ranch dressing special? This homemade ranch uses real buttermilk, fresh herbs, and takes just 5 minutes to make. Here’s what you need to know:
Ingredients
Buttermilk, mayonnaise and sour cream – All of these are needed to make the dressing creamy and tangy. This is the perfect balance of ingredients.
Lemon juice – This adds brightness; fresh is always best.
Fresh parsley, fresh garlic, fresh chives – Can I use dried herbs and garlic instead of fresh? You can, but the flavor won’t be as bright. If you need to use dried herbs, use about half the amount called for in the recipe since dried herbs are more concentrated. The texture will also be a bit different since dried herbs don’t incorporate the same way. Make sure your herbs and garlic are finely minced. This helps with the flavor.
Paprika – You just need a pinch of paprika for this recipe.
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper – Add these to taste. Why does my ranch taste bland? It probably needs more salt. Different brands of mayonnaise and sour cream have varying salt levels, so you might need to add more than you think.
How to Make Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Combine all the ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients until smooth and well combined.
Adjust and serve. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. You can serve it right away or cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors meld together.
Store properly. Transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Variations
Spicy Ranch: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of hot sauce for some heat.
Dill Ranch: Swap the chives for fresh dill. It gives the dressing a slightly different herbaceous flavor that’s really good with fish.
Greek Yogurt Ranch: Replace the sour cream with Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier version.
Bacon Ranch: Stir in crumbled cooked bacon and a tiny bit of the bacon fat for extra richness.
Serving Ideas
This ranch is amazing on a classic wedge salad with iceberg lettuce, bacon, and tomatoes.
Use it as a dip for fresh veggies like carrots, celery, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes. My kids actually eat their vegetables when ranch is involved.
Drizzle it over buffalo chicken wings or tenders. The cool, creamy ranch is perfect with spicy buffalo sauce.
Spread it on sandwiches or wraps instead of mayo. It adds so much more flavor.
Recipe Pro Tips
Recipe Notes
- Fresh herbs matter. Dried herbs won’t give you the same bright, fresh flavor. If you absolutely have to use dried, cut the amounts in half.
- Adjust the thickness. Want it thicker for dipping? Use a little less buttermilk. Need it thinner for salads? Add an extra splash.
- Make it ahead. The flavor actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for an hour or two, as the garlic mellows out.
- Double or triple it. This recipe is easy to scale up if you’re feeding a crowd or just want extra on hand.
Tips for the Best Homemade Ranch
Use fresh buttermilk, not the powdered kind. The tangy flavor is what makes ranch taste like ranch, and fresh buttermilk delivers that perfectly.
Let it chill before serving if you can. I know it’s tempting to use it right away, but giving it an hour in the fridge lets the garlic calm down a bit, and all the flavors blend together. It’s worth the wait.
Mince your garlic really fine. Nobody wants to bite into a chunk of raw garlic. I use a microplane grater for mine, and it distributes evenly without any big pieces.
Taste as you go. Everyone’s salt preference is different, and some mayonnaise brands are saltier than others. Start with a small pinch and add more if needed. After the dressing is made, it is ready to serve, but it is best if it is left to sit for at least an hour, covered and refrigerated; it will only get better with time.
If you were doing this recipe for fish or in the spring, adding in some fresh dill would be a nice touch. Adding in blue cheese would take it to another level.
Storage Tips
Keep your homemade ranch in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The fresh garlic and herbs mean it doesn’t last as long as the bottled stuff, but honestly, mine never makes it past two days anyway.
If your dressing thickens up too much in the fridge, just whisk in a teaspoon or two of buttermilk to loosen it back up.
Don’t freeze ranch dressing. The mayonnaise and sour cream will separate when you thaw it, and the texture gets all weird and grainy.
Always give it a quick stir before serving since the herbs can settle at the bottom.
WANT MORE HOMEMADE DRESSINGS TO MAKE?
We truly love making dressings from scratch as they take such little time and really make a difference.
Pin it HERE!!
Pin it HERE!!
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp fresh parsley minced
- 1 tsp fresh garlic minced
- 1 tsp fresh chives minced
- Pinch of paprika
- Kosher or sea salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients until smooth and well combined.
- Adjust and serve. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. You can serve it right away or cover and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors meld together.
- Store properly. Transfer to an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Comments & Reviews
Janet says
Why does this only last three days when buttermilk, mayonnaise and sour cream last forever in the fridge?
Tara Noland says
It would depend on the expiration dates of your buttermilk and sour cream you could for sure push it to a week but I was being cautious.
Keikilani says
Homemade ranch is the best! I love trying different variations of the recipe. Can’t wait to try yours.
Rachel says
I don’t know what we did before ranch dressing. Pretty much taste good on everything.
Melanie Walsh says
You could totally recategorize this as a soup recipe because I want it by the bowlful. We all love ranch, and I know this homemade version is going to be so much tastier than the store bought dressing.
Kathy says
I’ve never made my own dressing before. I would love to try this one out. My husband loves ranch dressing.
Aubrey says
I’ve never made my own dressing. Always seemed scary. Doesn’t look too bad.
Tara Noland says
Very easy and then you will be hooked!
Jill says
YUMMMMMMM! For those of us who don’t have fresh herbs at hand, how much dried parsley and thyme should be used?
Tara Noland says
Good question, it is typically three times the amount of fresh as dried. So for this recipe, 1/2 tsp. for the parsley and a pinch for the thyme.
Jill says
Thank you!
Tara Noland says
You are welcome, anytime!