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The best homemade ranch salad dressing tastes better than anything store-bought and only takes a few minutes to make. Ranch dressing is delicious on salads and as a dip for fresh vegetables.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
There aren’t all that many recipes here on the blog that I label as “the best.” With nearly 1,500 recipes here, there are less than 20 that have truly earned that label.
I figure that everyone’s tastes are different and who knows if someone else’s opinion on the “best recipe ever” is going to match mine? These recipes though? They really are the best of the best.
And this ranch salad dressing? It is hands down the BEST Ranch Salad Dressing that I have ever tasted. Without fail, the people who try it, have all agreed. Just scroll through the comments to see how everyone raves over it.
Ranch Dressing Recipe
Plenty of garlic, dill, and other spices make this a memorable ranch dressing. Just thin enough to pour smoothly, without becoming too liquid or watered down: the creaminess of the dressing is well balanced by the tang of the fresh lemon.
This dressing has had a permanent place in my refrigerator for almost five years now. My kids reach for this ranch dressing or our homemade ranch dip at least once, if not twice, a day to eat with fresh vegetables.
Most nights, I set out our produce boxes and a bowl of this ranch dressing each day as I am getting ready to make dinner. The kids happily snack on vegetables for half an hour or more while we chat and cook dinner.
Ranch Dressing
This is easily the most popular salad dressing I make. We have friends that insist I bring this Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing along every time we get together for a meal.
Everyone who has tasted this dressing has been convinced at first bite that they need to make it for themselves. This recipe has become not only the most popular salad dressing on this website but one of the most popular recipes overall.
After all, what’s not to love about the BEST ranch dressing you’ll ever taste?
How To Make Ranch Dressing
Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, and milk in a small bowl or jar, and whisk until smooth. Add the dill, parsley, chives, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and fresh lemon juice. Whisk again to combine.
Taste the ranch, I recommend dipping fresh vegetables into it for the perfect taste test. Adjust the spices or add more lemon juice for extra tang. Pour into a jar and refrigerate until ready to serve. This will keep well in the fridge for as long as the dairy ingredients are good, usually at least a week.
Salad Dressing Recipes
For more great dressing recipes to try, Honey Lime Jalapeno Vinaigrette, Creamy Poppyseed Dressing, and these Balsamic Vinaigrettes are a few more of my go-to homemade dressings.
If you love ranch but want to bump it up, Pepper Dill Ranch is packed full of crushed pepper and loaded with fresh dill, this dressing is a great addition to our usual dressings and dips for our raw vegetables.
I have this Avocado Lime Salad Dressing by Inside BruCrew Life and this Green Goddess Salad Dressing by Kalyn’s Kitchen on my future recipes to try list.
The Best Homemade Ranch Salad Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk
- 3/4 – 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon finely cracked pepper
- freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste approximately 1-3 teaspoons, adjust to taste
Instructions
- Whisk together the mayo, sour cream and milk until smooth. Add the spices and whisk until combined. Add the lemon and whisk again. Pour into a jar and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This dressing will keep nicely in the refrigerator for up to a week. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 9/15/11 – recipe notes and photographs updated 7/15/21}
This looks very tasty. I love salads and I bet this would taste great on one.
Oh Im excited to try this! The only 'homemade' ranch I've ever made is from the ranch packet mixes! : )
Oh how I miss ranch dressing. I think I'm gonna give this a try, but the thing is I'm allergic to both dill and parsley. Do you think it will taste "right" without them? Any suggestions for substitutions? (I should mention that I'm also allergic to cilantro, coriander, cumin, fennel and sage.) I'd be grateful for any suggestions!
Have you tried basil and thyme or caraway? Online it says:
For dill substitute caraway and anise, but I think anise tastes more like licorice.
For parsley substitute it says parsley doesn't have much of a taste and to sub with basil, or cilantro/chervil which you are allergic to.
You could also mince fresh chives, spinach or swiss chard (saltier green) and add them in as fresh greens.
Love this dressing, i must try this very soon. Thanks for sharing.
I love ranch dressing to dip veggies in.
Gotta try this one. All the herbs in there make it sound so good.
I love poppyseed dressing on my salads….gotta check out your blog for that one. 🙂
Well that was fast..I found it with your stone fruit salad !!!
Well I guess my comment from yesterday didn't save. Looks like EVERYONE loves ranch dressing. It looks delicious!!!
EcoCatLady – I found a few sources that cite dried tarragon as a substitute for dill. The only substitutes I found for parsley was cilantro (obviously out) and celery tops. I've never tried any of these though and I have no idea what the substitutions would do for the recipe. Dill is a central flavor in most ranch dressings. (Although, I have friends that do not use it at all for their ranch dressing, so that might be an option too.)
Can't wait to try this!!
I've always wanted to know how to make Ranch dressing. That recipe sounds literally finger licking good. I think I would dip everything and anything in that I could find. Thanks!
Alas… tarragon and celery are also on the no-no list. I fear I'm just allergic to anything with flavor! Perhaps I'll try it with just the chives and see how it tastes. I think a bunch of the flavor would come from the buttermilk.
thank you! this sounds like a perfect ranch recipe, i've got some fresh mayo waiting in the fridge so i might just head down there right now 🙂
Excellent recipe of course but what I really like is that picture! Very nice set up and the drip down the side of the bottle is perfection. It's actually a bit tricky to make a nice trickle like that on purpose for me.
I love this recipe and the picture too!
I cant's say enough how much I love you for a ranch recipe that a celiac can enjoy! I keep, it's so easy I keep it my refrigerator at all times.
Would love to try this, but do you have to use the lemon juice? I am allergic.
You can sub white vinegar for the lemon juice. I've made it both ways. Enjoy!
How long does it keep once you make it?
I keep mine for a week or so. It doesn't usually last longer than that in our house!
This looks & sounds so good! It's definitely a keeper recipe forsure! Can't wait to make it! There is only one ranch dressing I loved &Costco useto sell it years ago & discontiued it! I bet this one is even better! Thanks.
What is your favorite kind of mayo to use in this recipe?
I've made my own mayo a few times, using this method: http://barefeetinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2011/08/quick-and-easy-homemade-mayonnaise-with.html
However, if I am buying it from the store, I almost always use Best Foods mayo. I hope that helps!
Is there a low fat/low cal version of this? Has anyone tried it with fat-free mayo and sour cream?
Hi Amee, I no longer use fat-free products myself, but I did make this for years using LF and FF mayo and sour cream. Give it a shot. I bet you'll like it!
You can sub plain greek yogurt for the sour cream and mayo.
I'm gonna use Greek yogurt