My homemade ranch dressing proves you can make restaurant-quality ranch at home. Always perfectly tangy, creamy, and worth the few minutes it takes to make. Don't just take my word for it; check out the reviews from people who've made it themselves!
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You'll be making this Easy Ranch Dressing Recipe over and over again
Homemade ranch dressing always tastes fresh, creamy, and easy to customize with your favorite herbs. Everyone who makes this recipe loves it! Here's what one Pinner said:
"First time making homemade ranch, and I needed a recipe on the fly - this absolutely delivered! This recipe is really a great base, and then you can add more seasonings as you want, and that's awesome. Highly recommend it!"
Best Homemade Ranch Dressing Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients!! It really is so super easy to put together.
- Mayonaise
- Sour Cream
- Salt and pepper
- Seasonings
- Enough milk to make it the consistency you like.
How to make Homemade Ranch Dressing
The easiest way to make this ranch dressing (and any salad dressing) is in a jar. I add all the ingredients to a jar and just shake them all up. It's fast and easy and if you have a mason jar pouring spout (affiliate), you can serve it or use it right out of the jar. Genius and so easy!
What?! I know, so easy. Why haven't you been making creamy homemade ranch dip more often?! PS: Want that awesome Mason Jar Pouring Spout?? Click here!!
How to thicken Ranch
The base for homemade ranch is made from sour cream and mayonnaise, which is then thinned out by milk. Add the milk slowly so that the ranch stays as thick as you'd like. If you do thin it out too much, add a bit more sour cream and mayonnaise.
Ways to use this recipe for Ranch Dressing
The options are endless!! I love to put this on salad, of course, but it's also fantastic for dipping fresh vegetables, chicken tenders, and even pizza.
I also love to serve it with my oven BBQ chicken, use it when making bacon ranch pizzas, and substitute it for the gorgonzola dressing on my steak salad with it if I have people who aren't fans of stinky cheese.
How long is Homemade Ranch good?
This is a super common question! Since ranch dressing is made of dairy products, you'll want to use it before the earliest "best by" date found on them.
Usually, this is the milk, but always double check and write the date on the container the homemade ranch dressing is kept in.
Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe FAQs
Ranch dressing got its name from Hidden Valley Ranch, a steakhouse in California where it was believed to be invented.
The first ranch dressing that was sold was packets of dry ingredients to mix into sour cream and buttermilk.
Yes, this ranch dressing is gluten-free but I can't speak for all ranch dressing recipes.
I might be biased but I do think that homemade ranch tastes better. A few commentators on Pinterest agree as well! "I will never buy bottle dressing again."
It probably depends on which ranch you buy. You can find the estimated nutrition facts below the recipe card.
Looking for more delicious salad dressing recipes??
- Lemon Vinaigrette with Easy Green Salad
- Poppy Seed Vinaigrette
- Balsamic Salad Dressing
- Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Creamy Farmhouse Ranch Dressing
- Creamy Peach Poppy Seed Dressing
- Winter Spinach Salad
PS: Want that awesome Mason Jar Pouring Spout?? Click here!
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Easy Ranch Dressing Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon onion powder (NOT onion salt)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
- 1 teaspoon parsley (dried)
- ½ teaspoon basil (dried)
- ½ teaspoon dill (dried)
- ¾ teaspoon salt (see note)
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup milk (amount will vary depending on desired consistency )
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together, except the milk.
- Pour in enough milk to make the dressing the consistency you like.
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper to your preference.
Jen Probert
This recipe was delicious, and I will never buy store bought again. The dressings at the store made with soy and other ingredients my body doesn't respond well to. This recipe allows me to control what goes on it. I found a homemade recipe for the mayo as well, and I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I love it!
Deb
Fresh, delicious and easy. Thank you
Patty
Why didn’t I know this sooner!!! I love ranch but I’m super picky about it and most bottled stuff misses the mark for me.(plus they’re loaded with preservatives)This was fantastic! And sooo quick and easy!! I used Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream and added a quick squeeze of fresh lemon juice. I will be using this recipe forever!!! I’m hooked! Thank you for sharing!
Lesleyann
Yummmy! I added dill pickle juice as I had no dill. Did not add milk. This recipe is delicious!!!
Melissa G
Great idea for the dill pickle juice!
Kathy
Very good! I didn't need to add any milk. The yogurt I make is kinda runny. The best ranch dressing I ever made.
Susie Q
I will not buy ranch again! This is the best recipe I have found. No junk and so easy to make.
Patty
I used lactose free sour cream and milk and it came out great!
Pauline
If you use the metric version if the ingredients check the amounts because 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder becomes 2.5 teaspoons and 1/2 teaspoon pepper becomes 1 tablespoon!
Luci
Great fresh taste!
Kp
I’m never buying ranch again. This ranch recipe is the best I’ve ever had. My wife is not big on ranch but she loves this recipe.
Alli
So glad you loved it!
Virginia
This ranch dressing is wonderful. It passed with flying colors with my kids & grandkids who are ranch people!
G B
Perfect Homemade Ranch dressing!
Anonymous
Very rarely comment. I’m converted to being a ranch dressing fan. Have made several times. Even better after sitting overnight!
Alli
So glad you like it! Thank you!
Barbara Ernestus
WOWSERS
This is delish and tastes just like Buttermilk Ranch. Both my husband and I love it. I made it with items already in the pantry.
This is one recipe that I will be making often.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Alli
Thank you so much, Barbara! So happy you love the recipe.
Sue
Way too much salt
Alli
Hi Sue, did you read the note in the recipe? If so, then it should be too salty. I recommend there adjusting the salt to your preference before adding it all. Also, it's very important to use garlic powder and onion powder, NOT onion and garlic salt. That will definitely make the dressing too salty.
DLB
Love, love love this recipe!!
Ivy
Could I use dried, minced, onion in place of the onion powder?
Alli
Yep! That will work great.
Jennifer
Amazing! By far my fave. I have made a many ranch dressing recipes over the years but they always seem to be not quite right, this one checks all the boxes and is going in my recipe book! Thank you so much for posting this.
Alli
I'm so happy to hear that, Jennifer!! Thank you!
JBW
Excellent; no comparison to the store bought!
Alli
So glad you liked it!
Nicole Petersen
Has anyone ever made this in bulk? If so, how much do you use in a recipe?
Jenny
How long is it good for?
Alli
Hi Jenny, it should last as long as the dairy products you made it with are good for.
Sandy
Hi I don’t have dill in my pantry. Will it make a big difference in flavor to make it without?
Alli
You can make it without it! We don't love dill over here so we do that all the time.
Flora
It says dried next to parsley, is the basil and dill dried or fresh? Just want to follow the recipe exactly, thanks!
Alli
I use all dried herbs, I’ll specify that in the recipe. Thanks, Flora!
Pam
I wonder...could you mix it all up without the milk and only mix in a bit of milk to the amount of dressing you’ll use that day? That way, it would probably keep longer since, as you pointed out, the milk usually has the shortest shelf life. Think I’ll give that a shot, since there are only two of us in the house right now.
Alli
Great idea, Pam! I think it would work great. Let me know how this works if you give it a try.
Kimberly
I just made this for the first time, and it’s a winner! My daughter, the ranch connoisseur 🥰, loves it. She even picks restaurants based on how good their ranch tastes. She’s lactose intolerant so I used her lactose free milk, now if I could just find lactose free sour cream. We were wondering about mixing all the spices up in a jar, and adding it to the wet ingredients as needed. We’re going to give it a try.😋
Laurali Bates
So easy to make and and I loved it!😊
Alli
So glad to hear that, Laurali!
Patricia
March 30 2020
Just made thus ranch dressing . Couldn’t get to the store during the cOVID-19. Thanks so much and stay safe, Pat
Alli
So glad you liked it Pat! Thank you!
Sam
Very tasty and so easy! Definitely wait to add salt. Mine was far too salty with the listed amount.
Alli
Thanks for the input, Sam!!
Haleigh
I agree that this was entirely too salty. Used up the last of my mayo and sour cream so I could not remake or adjust.
Alli
Hi Haleigh and Sam, are you using onion and garlic POWDER and not onion and garlic SALT? That will make a huge difference. The salt content in this recipe is not high enough to make it overly salty. I also state in step three to taste the recipe and adjust the salt and pepper to your preference.
Debbee
SO easy to make and SO tasty! This will be in my fridge everyday!
Alli
So happy to hear this, Debbee!
Debbie Isham
This is the best homemade ranch recipe I’ve found! Thanks!
Alli
So glad you liked it, Debbie!
Alli
Homemade ranch is the best!