Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

5 from 2 votes

This homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is fresh, creamy and takes just minutes to prepare. The herby Ranch flavor is a classic choice for a green salad or serve it as a party dip with veggies and chips.

Prep Time5

Cook Time0

Total Time5

Course: Appetizer, Condiment, Dressing

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 71kcal

Author: Valerie Brunmeier

Ingredients

1 clove garlic
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt plus additional, to taste
½ cup reduced fat buttermilk
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream regular or light (increase to ½ cup for dip)
½ lemon juiced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh chives or Italian parsley leaves chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
1 ½ teaspoons fresh dill chopped (or ½ teaspoon dried)
¼ teaspoon onion powder (increase to ½ teaspoon if using parsley instead of chives)
⅛ teaspoon black pepper or to taste

Instructions

Place the garlic clove on a cutting board. Place the blade of a heavy knife, like a chef’s knife, flat on top of the clove (sharp side facing away from you). Press down using the heel of your hand on top of the blade. Once the clove is crushed, sprinkle it with salt and use the flat blade of your knife to mash it into a coarse paste. Use the knife to scrape the garlic paste into a small mixing bowl.
Add the remaining ingredients, using as much sour cream as needed to reach either a salad dressing or dip consistency, and whisk well to combine. Taste and season with additional salt, if needed.
Transfer the dressing/dip to an airtight container (like a mason jar) and pop it in the fridge for at about 3 hours to allow the flavors to come to life. It should stay fresh and tasty for up to one week if stored properly in the fridge.

Notes

This recipe yields 1 cup salad dressing or 1 ¼ cups dip.

To substitute dried herbs for fresh, reduce the amount by one-third (1 tablespoon fresh = 1 teaspoon dried)

Total time does not include optional chilling time.

Variations

Cilantro Lime Ranch: Substitute lime for the lemon juice and stir in a couple of tablespoons of chopped cilantro.
Blue Cheese Ranch: Stir in about ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese.
Sriracha Ranch: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Sriracha. Taste and add more, if desired.
Buffalo Ranch: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Buffalo wings sauce – like Frank’s Red Hot. Taste and add more, if desired. I like to top this variety with some chopped fresh chives.

Nutrition