This Ultimate Ranch Dressing is perfect for your crisp green salads. All the fresh ingredients make for the best-ever Homemade Ranch Dressing.

This Ranch Dressing Recipe is brighter in flavor and more delicious than anything you could find in a bottle or make from a packet. Perfect for dipping veggies or dressing your favorite salad, you’ll be making it over and over again.

The Ultimate Ranch Dressing in white ceramic bowl with a red handled fork.

Why You Must Make this Homemade Ranch Dressing

  • You can control the ingredients. If you’re following a low salt diet, you can decrease or eliminate the salt.
  • It tastes terrific!
  • It only takes minutes to make.

I had not made this Ranch dressing recipe since 2012, so it was overdue for a remake. I’d been making loads of refreshing lettuce salads lately, chock full of suspicious ingredients like cucumbers, hearts of palm, and artichoke hearts. At least according to the hubby.

It was easy enough to pick up a bottle of ranch or French dressing at the market, but I thought I’d remake this old favorite instead. It’s not called the ultimate ranch dressing for nothing!

Ingredient Notes

Pick up a few items on your next trip to the market and you can have the best ranch dressing in no time! You’ll need:

  • Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Salt, Pepper, Mayonnaise (I like Hellmann’s or Duke’s)
  • Buttermilk – If you forget to buy buttermilk, an easy home version is to mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix, let it thicken, and use as directed in the recipe.
  • Sour Cream – I use full fat.
  • Large Shallot – Finely mince.
  • Fresh Parsley – Remove leaves from stems and finely mince.
  • Fresh Cilantro – Remove leaves from stems and finely mince.
  • Garlic– Finely mince.
  • Fresh Lemon Juice – Squeeze your own for the tastiest results.
The Ultimate Ranch Dressing in a glass jar.

How to Make Ranch Dressing

I was surprised how much this buttermilk ranch dressing tasted like the Hidden Valley brand that we all know, but better.

  • PROTip: Fresh herbs are imperative, but if you despise cilantro, dill will work just as well.
  • You also must use fresh lemon juice, not from a bottle. The quality is so much better. If you have no other need for lemon, you can squeeze and freeze the rest of the juice.
  • The process is extremely simple. Just whisk all the ingredients together, and voila, you have ranch dressing!
  • If you want to make a lighter version, you can use low-fat sour cream, but you may need to increase the lemon juice. Do not use a light mayo as the end result will be too sweet.
  • PROTip: Did you know you can easily make your own buttermilk if you don’t have any on hand? To make a buttermilk substitute at home, combine 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then use as directed in your recipe.
  • Drizzled over a simple salad of iceberg lettuce, grape tomatoes, diced bell peppers, cucumbers, and avocados, this made a light and luscious side dish. The picky hubby pulled off a few of the above ingredients and I added hearts of palm and artichoke hearts to mine.
The Ultimate Ranch Dressing on a round white salad plate.

Frequently Asked Questions

When Was Ranch Salad Dressing Recipe Developed?

Ranch dressing was created by Steve Hensen and his wife in 1949. They opened a guest ranch in 1954 and it gained popularity after they served this dressing to their guests. So they started selling dry mix packets. In 1972 the Clorox Company acquired the Hidden Valley Ranch brand and created a bottled version.

How Else Can You Use Ranch Dressing?

Besides as a salad dressing, Ranch can be used as a dip for vegetables, fries or wings.

How Long Will Homemade Ranch Keep?

If stored in the refrigerator, it will keep up to 4 days. Just rewhisk before using if needed.

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This recipe was first shared in September 2012. Photos and text were updated in 2020.

Stay in touch through social media @ InstagramFacebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And if you love the results, please give it a 5-star rating in the recipe card.

The Ultimate Ranch Dressing featured image

The Ultimate Ranch Dressing

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Yield 12 servings

A tasty, authentic ranch salad dressing made from scratch.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 6 tablespoons sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • Pinch of sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.
  2. Check seasonings and add more sugar, salt, or pepper if needed.
  3. Store covered in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  4. Makes approximately 1½ cups (use about 2 tablespoons per serving).

Notes

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 81Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 168mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

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