10 Minute Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

This DIY buttermilk ranch dressing is perfectly creamy with lots of tangy zip. Best of all, it takes just 10 minutes to whip up. It’s perfect for green salads, or use it as a dipping sauce for snacks like cut veggies, chips or crackers. For best results chill for 30 minutes before use. This dressing makes everything better!

 

I might be biased, but I really think this is the best recipe for homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. And it’s so much more than a dressing. Dip it, spread it, drizzle it – it makes everything better.

If you’ve never made your own homemade salad dressings, give this recipe a try. Sauces and dips from scratch add so much more flavor. I know it’s easy to grab a bottle or a packet of Hidden Valley Ranch off the shelf at the store, but you’ll see how easy and quick it is to make something that tastes so much better. 

Along with buttermilk, my homemade ranch dressing includes fresh herbs and garlic, creamy mayo, sour cream, and mustard. I also like to add just a touch of hot sauce for a hint of warmth. This makes the perfect dip for some crispy fried pickles or okra.

If you don’t like bottled ranch, this recipe might change your mind about ranch dressing. It only takes a few minutes and it’s so creamy and flavorful. You’ll want to keep a batch of it in the fridge all the time. It’s great added to buffalo chicken dip and it makes the best ranch potato salad.

One of the best things about homemade dressings is that you can modify the recipes to make them the way you want. Use fresh or dried herbs. Substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream. Add a pinch of other herbs or spices like smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, basil or dill. Try a bit of lemon zest, extra hot sauce or red pepper flakes, mustard, crumbled feta or bleu cheese.

Experiment until you find your favorite version! You’ll love it so much more than any you pick up in the grocery stores.

What you’ll need 

Buttermilk – for the best flavor, I recommend a full fat buttermilk, but low fat will still be delicious, you’ll need a cup of buttermilk. Recipes with buttermilk have a tangy flavor that is hard to reproduce.

Mayonnaise – helps make the dressing creamy and rich.

Sour cream – the full-fat variety makes the best-tasting dressing, but you can use a lower-fat version if you prefer. You can also substitute plain yogurt.

Minced fresh garlic – adds just the right amount of zing.

Shallot – if you can’t find shallots, you can substitute a yellow onion or you can even use green onions. 

Fresh chives – these have a mild taste similar to green onions.

Fresh parsley – you can use flat-leaf or curly parsley. To keep parsley fresh until you’re ready to use it, treat it like a bunch of flowers. Trim the ends and wrap in a damp paper towel in an open bag to keep it from gathering moisture. Parsley should last about a week in the fridge.

Mustard – whole grain dijon is my favorite kind to use, but substitute another kind if you prefer.

Hot sauce – a tiny splash adds a touch of spicy heat.

Salt and black pepper – freshly ground pepper is the best.

Pro tip: If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can substitute dried. Generally, one tablespoon of fresh herbs equals one teaspoon of dried herbs.

How to make homemade ranch dressing

Step 1:

Chop the herbs, garlic and shallots very fine.

Step 2:

Place all of the ingredients together in a jar with a lid, and shake it until all of the ingredients are combined. Or you can whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl. For a thinner dressing, add more buttermilk. For thicker ranch salad dressing, decrease the buttermilk or add more sour cream.

Step 3:

Store the dressing in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This gives the mixture a chance to chill and lets the flavors come together.

Substitutes for buttermilk

It seems I’m always running out of buttermilk, or the carton has gotten pushed to the back of the fridge and has mold growing on top. Half the time my grocery is all out of buttermilk. For those times, here are a few substitutions whether you’re making ranch dressing or biscuits.

• Make your own by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a 1 cup measuring cup and add milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it’s slightly thickened. It won’t get quite as thick as cultured buttermilk.
• Keep powdered buttermilk on hand, like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur’s. 
• Sour cream is a good substitute for some recipes, just thin it with milk. In this recipe, you can use milk instead of buttermilk, it just won’t be quite as tangy, so try making your own with milk and lemon juice.

Once you have a batch of ranch dressing you love, start to customize it. 

• Try making a bbq ranch dressing by adding ¼ cup of your favorite barbecue sauce.
• If you like a spicy ranch dressing, try making chipotle ranch dressing, just add 1-2 chipotle peppers that have been finely ground with a knife or in the food processor.
• For a Buffalo ranch dressing, add 2 tablespoons of your favorite buffalo sauce like Frank’s Red Hot or Texas Pete, or make your own buffalo sauce, and reduce the buttermilk by the same amount. 
• Try a Southwest ranch dressing and add 2 tablespoons of your favorite taco seasoning.

How to make Ranch Dip

If you want to make homemade Ranch dip instead of dressing, start by using less buttermilk, just ¼ cup, and add more until you get the consistency you want. If it’s too thin, add more sour cream.

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.