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Of all the dressings out there, ranch is my absolute favorite. And to say I’m in love with this homemade ranch dressing recipe is the understatement of the decade. It’s probably the best condiment I’ve ever made from scratch, and I always have a jar in my fridge. It’s the tangy, creamy, dreamy puzzle piece to complete my meals.
But it’s not just me. Ever since I posted my ranch dressing recipe back in 2017 (on the 2nd anniversary of Wholesome Yum!), what I’ve heard from readers has blown me away. Many people have told me that it tastes like Hidden Valley. Others argue that it’s even better. Some just call it the best ranch dressing. My favorite of all is those who say they make it every week. I get it, friends… me, too. If you don’t do that yet, make it with me and you will! 😉
Why You Need My Ranch Dressing Recipe
- Readers say it tastes better than Hidden Valley – And I agree. The flavor and texture will knock your store-bought favorites out of the park. It’s tangy, herby, smooth, rich, and creamy… in all the right ways.
- Make it in 5 minutes – One of the reasons this ranch dressing recipe is a staple in my kitchen is it’s so quick and easy to whip up!
- Clean, simple ingredients – With no sugar, corn, soy, or preservatives, my ranch is your feel-good alternative to store-bought. And for my low carb friends, you’ll be happy to know that this is keto friendly, too. (I even included it in my first keto cookbook.)
- Tastes great on everything – I use it as a dip, dressing, sauce, and even a marinade to enhance meals with its fresh, homemade flavor. It’ll cling perfectly to everything it touches, from crisp veggies to hot wings.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ranch dressing ingredients, what each one does in my recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Mayonnaise – I usually whip up my own homemade mayo using avocado oil, but feel free to grab any store-bought mayo you like. It works just as well!
- Sour Cream & Lemon Juice – Traditional ranch contains buttermilk (or buttermilk powder), but I don’t usually have these on hand, so my homemade ranch dressing recipe uses sour cream and lemon juice to create the same tang. You can also substitute the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt (a la my Greek yogurt ranch!), and the lemon juice for white vinegar.
- Dried Herbs – For that signature ranch flavor, you’ll need dried parsley, dill, and chives. Got only fresh herbs? Simply triply the amount — measure in tablespoons rather than teaspoons to keep things easy. I find it doesn’t last quite as long using fresh herbs, though.
- Spices – A mix of garlic powder, sea salt, onion powder, and black pepper does the trick. Fresh garlic (2 minced cloves) and freshly ground black pepper are amazing if you have them! And you can throw in a pinch of paprika for more flavor if you want.
- Milk Of Your Choice – This thins the dressing to just the right consistency. I usually use store-bought almond milk for here, but it’s amazing with my homemade almond milk, too. If nuts aren’t your thing, any milk will do — regular dairy milk, coconut milk, hemp milk, or even something creamier, like half and half or heavy cream for extra richness.
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VARIATION: Want a dry ranch dressing mix?
It’s just as quick and easy to make a dry version with similar ingredients! See my ranch seasoning recipe for instructions.
How To Make Ranch Dressing
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Combine the ingredients. Whisk the ranch dressing ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add the milk last, gradually, until you reach the consistency you like.
- Chill to develop the flavors. This is optional, but enhances the flavor if you have time. Once I’ve made the ranch dressing recipe, I find that refrigerating it for at least an hour makes it taste better. But you can totally enjoy it right away, too!
My Recipe Tips
- Adjust the amount of milk based on how you’ll use it. I like to make my ranch a little thicker for a dip, or thinner for a salad dressing.
- The amount of milk you need can vary depending on your mayo. Some brands are very thick, while others are on the thinner side. So again, just adjust the thickness to your liking.
- Homemade ranch dressing is usually thicker straight from the fridge. This is normal, and not a problem! I don’t usually need to do anything, but if it’s super thick, you can always thin it out with more milk as needed. (Seeing a pattern in my tips yet?)
Storage Instructions
You can store homemade ranch dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
I don’t recommend freezing it, as it will become a separated mess. Just don’t.
I like to store this dressing in a mason jar for easy mixing and just spoon it out, but you could also use a glass salad dressing bottle or a plastic squeeze bottle.
Ways To Use It
I put this stuff on everything! Whether you’re using it as a dip, condiment, casserole enhancer, or you know, an actual salad dressing… I’m willing to bet that my recipe for ranch dressing will quickly become your go-to. Here are some ways I use it:
- Salad – The obvious! It’ll jazz up any salad like no other. It’s amazing on my BLT salad, adds oomph to my hearty chef salad, and is pretty much the champion dressing for my chicken bacon ranch salad or classic Cobb salad.
- Veggie Dip – When I want to use this ranch dressing recipe as a dip, I just make it a little thicker. It’s perfect for dunking fresh vegetables, like carrots, celery, and broccoli. I’ve also enjoyed it with fried zucchini, zucchini chips, and kale chips, and it makes up the base for my crack dip recipe.
- Wings – You’ll spot this dip in dozens of my pictures for wing recipes, because it’s the perfect sidekick for so many of them! Keep it simple with my air fried chicken wings or oven baked wings, or amp them up with different sauces. Try my garlic parmesan wings, lemon pepper wings, or the classic, buffalo wings. I even serve this sauce with my buffalo cauliflower and air fryer chicken tenders!
- Casseroles – My all-time fave is my chicken bacon ranch casserole, but homemade ranch dressing also works well with the buffalo flavors in spaghetti squash casserole.
- Soups – You might not think of ranch for soups, but it adds an extra layer of flavor to my taco soup, or drizzle it on top of buffalo chicken soup.
- Chicken – It’s for more than just wings! I use it to top my buffalo chicken salad or dunk bacon wrapped chicken tenders. And you can’t make my cheesy bacon ranch chicken without it.
- Pizza – Drizzle it on chicken crust pizza, or make a BBQ chicken pizza using your favorite BBQ sauce and ranch on top. Remember those rectangle school pizzas we all used to douse in ranch? This is like the grown-up, way tastier version of that!
Ranch Dressing Recipe (5 Minutes)
By
Make this creamy, dreamy, tangy homemade ranch dressing recipe in 5 minutes, with common ingredients. It's the best for salads or as a dip!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, dried herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
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Add the milk last, gradually, until you reach your desired consistency. (Use a bit less for a thick dip or more for a thinner dressing).
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If you have time, refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors develop.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 2 tablespoons
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you get the best consistency in your homemade ranch dressing.
- Storage: See my storage section above for my recommended storage options.
- Ways to use it: I have so many ways to use this dressing above!
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Cookbook here.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe
More Easy Homemade Dressings
Tired of store-bought dressings with fake ingredients? Same. If you like my easy ranch dressing recipe, you’ll love some of my others that are just as quick:
492 Comments
Karen
0What would happen if you left out the sour cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, You won’t have the right flavor without the sour cream, and also the ratios of the other ingredients will be off.
Joanne
0This is now mine and my sister’s ‘go to’ ranch dressing! So fresh and tasty! Whipped this up again today – ready for Super Bowl – Go Birds!
Bob
0Delicious thank you!! I added bell pepper infused olive oil and parmesea cheese and it was amazing!
Robyn
0How do I make keto ranch dressing?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Robyn, You can find the instructions in the post.
Linda C
0I’m looking forward to trying this homemade ranch dressing!! Looks so yummy!!
Linda
0How long can you safely store your low carb keto ranch dressing?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Linda, Store in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
Pash
0Just made this and I can’t stop eating it, it’s that good! Will definitely be a staple in my fridge. Thank you so much.
Deb
0Great recipe which will now be my go to one. Thanks so much!
Patricia Surratt
0Awesome salad dressing or dip with no added junk! I make my own avocado mayo, and sub HWC and white wine vinegar for almond milk and lemon. So decadent, so healthy!
Melodie
0I’m not generally a fan of Ranch dressings or dips, but this recipe is excellent! I’d highly recommend it to anyone needing a Ranch dip, salad dressing, or for one of Maya’s great casserole recipes!
Ebony
0That wasn’t even five minutes and it’s DELICIOUS!!!
Brad & Sondra
0Love the ranch dressing !!!! I used greek yogurt instead of sour cream but it turned out great!
Shelley Moriarty
0Very good! I didn’t have lemon so I used 1 packet of True Lemon crystallized lemon. It was just enough.
Jacquii
0I’ve been really struggling recently with my illness and need to get back on track, so I have signed up for the whole app. Thanks for making every recipe so simple and easy to follow, unlike most. Thank you ❤️
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much for the kind words, Jacquii! Hope you enjoy the app!
Natasha
0I like this but I make it with 10% plain yogurt. Mostly because we always have that on hand, but no one besides me likes sour cream. Try it with fresh herbs too! Yum!
Cheri
0Hi Maya.
I just made this, and it turned out very very good. I misread the ingredients list and thought it said 1 1/2 tsp of garlic powder, and it still turned out fantastic. I made it with homemade mayo. I gave it the taste test with lettuce, and I can’t wait for dinner tonight so I can put it on my salad. Thank you for this recipe.
Sandra L.
06 / 6/ 22 Just made this last night & kept it in the refrigerator overnight to mix the flavors.. Today, my adult son & I both tried it on peppers. Both of us really like this. Usually, my son doesn’t care for Keto, but this turned out to be a game changer and a BIG winner! Like you, I didn’t like to get a carton of buttermilk just to make something, so I bought a container of the powdered buttermilk. Not a good idea either. It mixes up to be very thin and really does not even taste as well as the buttermilk in a carton. Big mistake on my part.Won’t be buying this off the shelf anymore for sure, not even the ones that are in packages; those are loaded with undesirable ingredients, one of which is soy. I detest soy and for those of you that have thyroid problems, know that soy does compromise the thyroid. Thank You so much for posting this! Wish I could rate this much higher.
Bernice
01st time making a dressing I’m doing Keto it’s hard to find a dressing that’s keto friendly and affordable. I have to say this is the best dressing I’ve ever tasted! I’m amazed at how simple it was to make. And it’s KETO!!!!! Thanks a bunch for this recipe!!
Keri DiStefano
0Absolutely delish
Nora
0This recipe is delicious my new go to won’t be purchasing this at the store anymore. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Kent Walker
0Just made this tonight. It is currently in the refrigerator setting getting all the good flavors going. But I did taste it right after I made it and it was wonderful. Tomorrow it will be even more brilliant. I found the recipe through highfalutin low-carb YouTube channel. He mentioned this recipe, and that’s how I found your site. I’ve signed up to join your Facebook site as well. Looking forward to exploring all the things that you’re sharing with the world. Thank you so much.