Finally, a restaurant-style buttermilk Ranch Dressing that everyone in the family loves. This cool and creamy homemade ranch recipe comes together in seconds with simple ingredients. It’s so quick, simple, inexpensive, and tastes way better than bottled store-bought dressings or dry packet mixes.
This recipe works great as a buttermilk ranch salad dressing or as a ranch dip for veggies and Buffalo Chicken Wings. If you love the flavor of restaurant ranch, this homemade ranch dressing is a must-try.
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Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe
Over the years we’ve bought MANY brands of ranch dressing, but few have been kid-approved. The only one that my little ranch connoisseurs actually liked had some pretty awful ingredients in it, and I couldn’t bring myself to buy it again.
I’ve been working on this buttermilk ranch recipe ever since, and I’ve finally perfected it. And as a bonus, my kids LOVE it. They tell me it tastes just like their favorite restaurant ranch dip. High praise.
This homemade ranch dressing is rich and creamy, perfect for drizzling over salads (try it on a Garden Salad), or serving as a dip with, well, just about everything. Plus, the ingredients are super simple and you probably already have everything you need in your refrigerator and spice drawer.
Ranch Dressing Video
Watch Natasha make restaurant-style buttermilk ranch in seconds with just a handful of easy ingredients. Trust us, you’ll want to smother this dressing over everything.
What is Ranch Dressing?
Ranch is cool and creamy, with a flavor that’s irresistibly tangy and garlicky. There’s a reason it’s the most popular dressing in the US! Ranch is a favorite condiment and dipping sauce, used on salads, veggies (like Roasted Broccoli), chips, Pizza, and just about anything else.
Ranch dressing is made with a creamy base and when you use buttermilk as the main ingredient, it becomes a Buttermilk Ranch. We love combining buttermilk, sour cream and mayo for the ultimate creamy consistency that makes it creamy enough to drizzle as a dressing and thick enough to serve as a dip.
Ingredients
If you’ve ever wondered, “Why is restaurant ranch dressing so good?” The answer is simple: the right combination of ingredients and store-bought packet mixes aren’t as good. Below is a quick look at what makes the best ranch dressing, with the full recipe available in the recipe card.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk makes ranch dressing ultra creamy and tangy. Alternatively, you can use kefir, which is a fermented milk drink. You can also make an easy buttermilk substitute, see the section below for details.
- Sour Cream – Either full-fat or low-fat sour cream.
- Mayonnaise – Use your favorite brand of real mayo.
- Vinegar – Plain white vinegar is perfect, otherwise, apple cider vinegar also works.
- Herbs and Seasonings – This dressing is flavored with a combination of onion, parsley, dill, garlic, plus salt and pepper. You can use fresh or dried herbs (see tip).
Pro Tip: If you are serving this dressing to kids, you may want to use dry herbs. Fresh herbs are lovely but the garlic and chives can seem a little spicy and overpowering for little ones. Otherwise, the sharp flavors do tend to mellow out a bit after a couple of days in the fridge.
Can I Substitute Buttermilk?
As mentioned, if you don’t have buttermilk, you can use kefir instead. Or, in a pinch, you can make your own homemade buttermilk substitute with regular milk and white vinegar. This is very easy to do:
- Combine 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or lemon juice) with enough milk to make 1 cup.
- Stir, then leave the mixture to sit and curdle for 5-10 minutes and stir again.
Tada, homemade buttermilk. This is a handy substitute that you can use not just in this ranch recipe, but in baking as well.
How to Make Ranch Dressing
Making buttermilk ranch dressing from scratch couldn’t be easier. Simply combine all the ranch ingredients in a bowl and give it a good whisk to combine.
You can adjust the seasoning to taste. I prefer to use a little more salt when I’m making this ranch recipe as a dressing, and a little less when serving it as a dip.
Pro Tip: Let the dressing sit covered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight, to give the flavors time to meld.
Common Questions
Both are ranch dressings made with a base of sour cream and mayo. This recipe includes buttermilk, which makes the texture a little creamier.
Fun fact: The original dressing was invented by a plumber in the 1950s. He owned Hidden Valley Ranch in California, which is where the name (and famous ranch brand) comes from. Here’s more info on the history of ranch dressing.
Absolutely. If you’re making enough ranch for a party, go ahead and double the ingredients. The more the merrier and it keeps well in the refrigerator.
Ways to Use Buttermilk Ranch
This homemade ranch dressing recipe serves 6 as a salad dressing or 8-10 as a dip. Here are some easy ways to use it:
- Salads and Sandwiches – Drizzle ranch dressing over a fresh Garden Salad or try it on our BLT Salad with Avocado. Or, smother ranch onto a Crispy Chicken Sandwich.
- Dip – Ranch is the perfect dip for veggies, chips, French fries, and Onion Rings.
- Pizza – my son loves to drizzle over Pizza or dip pizza into ranch
- Chicken Wings – Serve spicy Buffalo Chicken Wings or Air Fryer Chicken Wings with a side of cooling ranch.
- Potatoes – Use homemade ranch to make Cheesy Ranch Potatoes.
Make-Ahead
We love having mason jars of fresh homemade salad dressing in the fridge, ready for any occasion. Here’s how easy it is to store your buttermilk ranch:
- To Refrigerate: Store your ranch dressing covered in a jar or airtight container and refrigerate it for up to a week. Give it a stir or a shake before you use it in case some separation occurs. Add additional salt to taste if needed.
- To Freeze: Freezing homemade ranch isn’t recommended since the taste and texture tends to change once it’s thawed. I always prefer to whip up a fresh batch.
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