• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Splash of Taste - Vegetarian Recipes
  • Home
  • Food
    • All Recipes
    • Air Fryer Recipe
      • Air Fryer Recipe
      • Cookies
    • Appetizers
    • Easy Casseroles
    • Desserts
      • Desserts
      • Cheesecake
      • Cookies
      • Crumble
      • Pies
    • Dips, dressings, & sauces
    • Main Courses
    • Pasta
    • Pizza
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Under 30 Mins
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegetarian curries
    • Vegan
  • Drinks
    • Cocktails
    • Gin Cocktails
    • Tequila Cocktails
    • Vodka Cocktails
    • Mocktails
  • Resources
  • About Us
Splash of Taste – Vegetarian Recipes

Splash of Taste - Vegetarian Recipes

Easy veggie recipes

  • Home
  • Food
    • All Recipes
    • Air Fryer Recipe
      • Air Fryer Recipe
      • Cookies
    • Appetizers
    • Easy Casseroles
    • Desserts
      • Desserts
      • Cheesecake
      • Cookies
      • Crumble
      • Pies
    • Dips, dressings, & sauces
    • Main Courses
    • Pasta
    • Pizza
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Under 30 Mins
    • Vegetarian
    • Vegetarian curries
    • Vegan
  • Drinks
    • Cocktails
    • Gin Cocktails
    • Tequila Cocktails
    • Vodka Cocktails
    • Mocktails
  • Resources
  • About Us
Home / Vegetarian

Homemade ranch dressing recipe

Published March 22, 2022 | Updated December 21, 2022 | By Mandy & Jane

  • Facebook
Jump to Recipe

Creamy, fresh, and just crying out to be poured over a fresh salad or be used as a dip, our homemade ranch dressing is so much better than any store-bought version! Summer or winter, we love ranch dressing, and our recipe uses simple fresh ingredients that really do make all the difference!

A bowl of homemade ranch dressing with chives and dill garnish, a jar of dressing in the background and used as salad dressing on lettuce.

Why you’ll love this delicious recipe

  • Taking just 10 minutes to make, this is an easy ranch recipe.
  • Perfect buttermilk ranch dressing for drizzling over fresh salads.
  • Encourages your kids to eat more vegetables as it’s perfect for dipping veg in!
  • It’s 100% vegetarian.

Stop. Don’t ever buy ranch dressing again. Seriously. Once you try this 10-minute recipe, you’ll be spoilt. Forever.

Ingredients needed salt, black pepper, parsley. buttermilk, dill, garlic, mayonnaise, sour cream, fresh lemon, chives, and cilantro.

Where does ranch dressing get its name from?

Apparently, it’s all down to a man called Steve Henson who worked as a plumber in Alaska, he and his wife moved to Nebraska for work, and he started developing a dressing recipe made from buttermilk.

They then moved to California and open a large ranch which was called The Hidden Valley Ranch, where his buttermilk dressing was served at dinner times to guests.

It was so popular that they started selling it to guests, it was so much in demand that they branched out and sold it to supermarkets throughout the whole of America.

They sold it in the early ’70s for millions of dollars – pretty good for a humble dressing recipe!

So, this is how the dressing we know as ranch dressing was born!

Do I have to use fresh herbs?

Fresh herbs are always going to taste better, the flavor you get from them just can’t be beaten.

But we’re realists and know that sometimes you just don’t have them at home.

So, use dried herbs instead.

Garlic powder, dried parsley, dried cilantro, and dried dill can all be used to make this a very convenient dressing.

If you’re using dried herbs, then add in onion powder also for extra taste.

Sure, it won’t taste as good as fresh, but it will still be good!

The same goes for lemon juice, if you don’t have fresh lemon juice, then use bottled.

Two bowls of homemade ranch salad dressing, with tortilla chips and fresh vegetables.

Isn’t it easier to buy a bottle?

Sure it is, but seriously, this homemade ranch dressing will take 10 minutes to make.

When you taste the difference between homemade dressing and store-bought, you’ll never buy it again.

Chalk and cheese.

What do you serve it with?

There’s nothing quite like ranch salad dressing; drizzled over a freshly made salad, it becomes its crowning glory, and there is nothing like homemade salad dressings.

Ranch dressing is perfect to be used as a dipping sauce, dip fresh veggies, tortilla chips, pita bread, or keto crackers.

And this spicy ranch is also awesome!

And if you’re following a keto diet, try this keto ranch dressing recipe!

A person dipping into the ranch dressing with a celery stick, a jar of salad dressing in the background and lettuce with it drizzled on.

How do I store it?

We don’t recommend freezing our homemade ranch dressing as it contains buttermilk.

While it will freeze, once thawed it will be tasteless with an unattractive consistency.

It will, however, keep for up to a week when stored covered in the fridge.

Recipe notes and expert tips

  • Use fresh sour cream and buttermilk
    Using fresh sour cream and buttermilk will prolong the life of your ranch dressing.
  • Worcestershire sauce?
    Add extra flavor with a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce but remember to use the vegetarian version.
  • Out of sour cream?
    You could try plain no-fat Greek yogurt, it’ll taste a little different, but it’ll still work.
  • Tempted to use regular milk?
    We’d recommend that you don’t use regular milk as it has a tendency to make the ranch dressing very runny.
  • No fresh garlic?
    You can use a combination of garlic powder and onion powder.
  • Storage
    Store our homemade ranch dressing for up to a week in the fridge, but we don’t recommend freezing.

More dip recipes you’ll love

If you like our easy homemade ranch dressing then why not check these recipes out?

  • Tzatziki
  • Blue cheese dressing
  • Whipped feta dip
  • Cucumber raita
  • Pesto
Tzatziki sauce in a serving bowl.

Tzatziki sauce

Chipotle aioli in a bowl.

Chipotle aioli sauce

Close up of a bowl of tirokafteri.

Tirokafteri recipe: Spicy Greek feta dip

A freshly made bowl of tasty garlic dip.

Garlic dip

Delicious bowl of homemade Indian cucumber raita.

Indian raita recipe

Homemade salsa Roja in a bowl.

Easy salsa Roja recipe

Homemade basil pesto in a mortar on a board.

Basil pesto recipe

Check out this awesome jalapeno ranch dressing from our friends at Big Alaska, Little House!

How to make ranch dressing with step-by-step instructions

Making our ranch dressing recipe is easy if you follow our simple instructions.

Place all of the ingredients in a mixing bowl.
Add buttermilk, sour cream, mayo, cilantro, dill, parsley, chives, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl.
Stir thoroughly to combine.
Stir to combine.

In a bowl add buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped cilantro, fresh dill weed, fresh parsley, fresh chives, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.

Mix to combine and taste, if it needs any more lemon juice, fresh herbs, salt, or freshly ground black pepper, just add more to suit your taste.

If you like it thinner, then add more buttermilk.

Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to a week.

Homemade buttermilk ranch dressing in two bowls and drizzled over lettuce.

We hope you enjoy making and eating our homemade ranch dressing recipe and would love to hear how you got on with making it.

Please leave a comment below or feel free to ask any questions you may have.

A bowl of fresh ranch dressing with chives and dill dressing, a jar full of dressing and lettuce leaves with ranch on them in the background.
Print Share on Facebook Pin Recipe

Homemade ranch dressing recipe

Amazing homemade ranch dressing recipe for you to try now! Bursting with flavor & it's insanely good as a salad dressing and perfect as a dipping sauce for tortillas, fresh vegetables, or pita bread. This will take you just 10 minutes to make! Follow our recipe to make it perfectly every time!
Prep Time10 mins
Total Time10 mins
Servings30 tbsp
Calories31
Course: Dips, Dressing
Cuisine: American
Author: Mandy Applegate | Splash of Taste
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Buttermilk
  • 1 cup Sour cream
  • 4 tbsp Mayonnaise
  • 1 tbsp Cilantro chopped
  • 1 tbsp Dill chopped
  • 2 tbsp Parsley chopped
  • 2 tbsp Chives chopped
  • 1 Clove Garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp Lemon juice fresh
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • In a bowl add buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped cilantro, fresh dill weed, fresh parsley, fresh chives, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper
    ½ cup Buttermilk, 1 cup Sour cream, 4 tbsp Mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Cilantro, 1 tbsp Dill, 2 tbsp Parsley, 2 tbsp Chives, 1 Clove Garlic, 3 tbsp Lemon juice, Salt and black pepper
    Process shots, photo one, add buttermilk, sour cream, mayonnaise, cilantro, dill, parsley, chives, garlic, fresh lemon juice, salt, and pepper; photo two, a bowl with the salad dressing stirred.
  • Mix to combine and taste, if it needs any more lemon juice, fresh herbs, salt, or freshly ground black pepper, just add more to suit your taste. If you like it thinner, then add more buttermilk. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to a week

Notes

  • Use fresh sour cream and buttermilk
    Using fresh sour cream and buttermilk will prolong the life of your ranch dressing.
  • Worcestershire sauce?
    Add extra flavor with a couple of dashes of Worcestershire sauce but remember to use the vegetarian version
  • Out of sour cream?
    You could try plain no-fat Greek yogurt, it’ll taste a little different, but it’ll still work
  • Tempted to use regular milk?
    We’d recommend that you don’t use regular milk as it has a tendency to make the ranch dressing very runny
  • No fresh garlic?
    You can use a combination of garlic powder and onion powder
  • Storage
    Store our homemade ranch dressing for up to a week in the fridge, but we don’t recommend freezing

Nutrition

Calories: 31kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 89IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg

Disclaimer

Please note that nutrient values are estimates only. Variations can occur due to product availability and manner of food preparation. Nutrition may vary based on methods of origin, preparation, freshness of ingredients, and other factors.

Follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram, for more tasty inspiration!

Instragram Icon

Did you make this recipe?

We love hearing how you went with ours recipes! Tag us on Instagram at @splash_of_taste_uk

You may also like…

Sweet potato cubes on a plate with a sauce.

Air Fryer Sweet Potato Cubes

Looking for a snack that’s both healthy and delicious? Look no further than our air fryer sweet potato cubes! Say goodbye to boring, bland snacks…

Delicious air fryer vegan ham ready to eat.

Air Fryer Vegan Ham

Who says vegans can’t enjoy holiday ham? Our air fryer vegan ham recipe will have you feeling festive and satisfied in no time. If you’re…

  • Facebook
mandy and jane

About Mandy

A vegetarian for over 35 years, Mandy has taught herself to be creative in the kitchen. Traveling extensively, Mandy loves learning and adapting vegetarian recipes from across the world. Read more...

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Patrice says

    March 22, 2022 at 6:33 pm

    5 stars
    I love anything using fresh ingredients and this is one that I will for sure make. I can already see this on my table when we have our wing nights. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  2. lynn polito says

    March 22, 2022 at 7:31 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve been looking for a homemade ranch dressing recipe and this one hit the spot!

    Reply
  3. Rachel says

    March 22, 2022 at 9:52 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious recipe and perfect for the upcoming summer season! Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply
  4. Linda says

    March 23, 2022 at 4:34 am

    5 stars
    This looks so creamy delicious and perfect as a dip!

    Reply
  5. Sherry Ronning says

    March 23, 2022 at 4:35 am

    5 stars
    I was so intimidated to make my own homemade ranch dressing until I made your recipe. What a great and easy dressing recipe.

    Reply
  6. Jenn says

    March 23, 2022 at 12:16 pm

    5 stars
    I love ALL the herbs in this and the garlic really made it pop! Fabulous!

    Reply
  7. Susannah says

    March 23, 2022 at 2:02 pm

    5 stars
    I love making my own ranch for… everything! Salads (of course), potatoes, chicken — the options are endless. I just really love this recipe and I think it’s going to be my go-to recipe to keep in my fridge all week.

    Reply
  8. Eileen Kelly says

    March 23, 2022 at 10:40 pm

    5 stars
    I made a batch and I’ve got to tell you, next time, doubling the recipe. This ranch dressing blows away any store made or any other recipe I’ve made before. My family just loved the freshness of the dressing and it created a fabulous salad for us.

    Reply
  9. Rupali says

    March 23, 2022 at 11:38 pm

    5 stars
    This ranch tastes so good! I made as a side for potato wedges and it was heaven!!!

    Reply
  10. Angela Runyan says

    March 24, 2022 at 12:22 am

    5 stars
    I love a good homemade ranch! Delicious!

    Reply
  11. Donna says

    March 24, 2022 at 7:53 pm

    5 stars
    Love this! I miss having ranch in restaurants from my time in the US, and the bottled stuff they have available here just isn’t the same. This version curbed my cravings perfectly!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

We’re Mandy and Jane!

We love sharing our vegetarian food and drink recipes with you. If you’re cutting down on meat, going vegetarian or vegan, there’s something delicious to eat and drink for you here
Read More…

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Footer

Splash of Taste

Connect with us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

SEARCH THIS SITE

Categories

  • Air Fryer Recipe
  • Appetizers
  • Baking
  • Bread
  • Breakfast
  • Cakes
  • Cheesecake
  • Christmas
  • Cocktails
  • Cookies
  • Cookies
  • Crumble
  • Desserts
  • Dips
  • Dips, dressings, & sauces
  • Dressing
  • Drinks
  • Easy Casseroles
  • Featured Recipes
  • Food
  • Gin Cocktails
  • Gluten Free
  • Holiday Recipes
  • Ingredient substitutions
  • Lunch
  • Main Courses
  • Mocktails
  • Mousse
  • MSN
  • MSN Article
  • MSN Slideshow
  • Nibbles
  • Outdoor cooking
  • Pasta
  • Pies
  • Pizza
  • Quick Recipes
  • Recipe collections
  • Resources
  • Sauce
  • Seasoning
  • Side Dishes
  • Soup
  • Tequila Cocktails
  • Thanksgiving
  • Thanksgiving Desserts
  • Thanksgiving main courses
  • Thanksgiving Side Dishes
  • Uncategorized
  • Under 30 Minutes
  • Vegan
  • Vegetarian
  • Vegetarian curries
  • Vodka Cocktails
  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Food
  • Drinks
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Contact Us
  • Story Archives

Copyright © 2023 · Splash of Taste · Privacy Policy