This Avocado Ranch Dressing is a healthier way to add great flavor to your summer salads. It also makes a delicious party dip or sauce for tacos or wraps. Incredibly versatile and always delicious!
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As much as I love fall cooking, I’m clinging on to these last few weeks of summer and I’m not letting go! Remember the days when school didn’t start until after Labor Day? No? Well, old folks like me remember and those long, lazy summers were glorious. Regardless of the fact that it’s Back to School time for some of you, there is plenty of time left to enjoy fresh, summery meals and I’ve got a few more to share before I move into the heartier fare of fall.
We’ve had the most bizarre weather here in Northern California. Hot and rainy? Yeah, whatever. But today the sun is shining again and there were about six avocados staring me down in my kitchen so I decided to throw one in my food processor and make this delicious dressing.
Avocado is a fantastic base for dressing and dips. It creates a silky, creamy consistency which means you can use FAR less mayonnaise than is typically called for in classic Ranch salad dressing recipes. And, it is out-of-this-world good!
It’s going to take you less than 5 minutes to pull this together.
Everything goes in the bowl of your food processor. A good sized avocado, buttermilk, mayo, fresh flat-leaf parsley, fresh dill, fresh chives, onion powder, minced garlic, the juice from half a lime, and a little salt and peppa! If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, the recipe card below has all the information on substituting dry herbs.
I start off with just 1/2 cup of buttermilk and after the mixture is pureed, I add more to reach the consistency I’m going for. Less for a party dip and more for the pourable consistency of a salad dressing like you see here.
This recipe will make one pint of dressing that will keep well refrigerated for about a week. Every time I pop open my fridge I find myself wanting to dip something! It’s easy to fill up with veggies when you’re dipping them into something this tasty.
But, why stop there? It also makes a delicious dipping sauce for taquitos or drizzle it on grilled chicken or fish tacos.
Avocado Ranch Dressing and Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup reduced fat buttermilk (1.5%), divided
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 large avocado, pitted and peeled
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian flat leaf parsley or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives or 1 teaspoon dried chives
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ lime, juiced
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus additional to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add ½ cup buttermilk and all remaining ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until well combined. Add additional buttermilk, as needed, to reach desired consistency. More for dressing, less for dip. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
- Transfer to an airtight container with a lid (a mason jar works perfectly) and refrigerate until ready to use. Keeps well, refrigerated, for up to a week.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
Like this? Please rate & comment below!
This looks so good Valerie! I’m not ready to let go of summer yet either! 🙂
Wonderful. It looks quite versatile!!! But then, I live for condiments…
You and me both! Thanks, Mimi 🙂
awesome recipe ! You should be in Western Michigan this summer for the best weather ever had . Sunny 70’s day after day. Rains only at night. Fresh blueberries and peaches now — oh yes, tomatoes and
Corn! Thx Valerie for your good food ideas!
Rosie
Yummy. Just love avos
I love that you provide nutrition information so I can figure Weight Watcher Smart Points!!?