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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!
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}
Quick and tasty. Perfect.
I’m glad you’re enjoying the dressing, Andrew.
So good! I’ll be making my own from now on 🙂
I’m thrilled you’re enjoying the dressing.
Yummmm!! I’ve tried many homemade ranch recipes and this is by far my favorite! Thanks!!
I’m thrilled that you love it!
Followed directions to the letter. But what I got was ranch soup. After reading comments it’s likely from using regular milk instead of buttermilk. The recipie should come with a warning that if you use the “or regular milk” option it will be soup not dressing
I use regular milk most of the time when we make this dressing. It’s a pourable dressing (like soup) not a “dip.” There are several dip recipes here as well, but if you add 1/3 part liquid, it’s going to be pourable. It will thicken up a bit in the fridge, but still, it’s a dressing.
My base ranch dressing recipe is nearly identical to Mary’s(I would have to check to verify amounts, but ingredients are for sure the same…i often dont measure, just throw it together to taste).
I make mine as a “concentrate”(no liquid, only mayo/sc-i also usually use powdered lemon), then leave it in the fridge to use as needed. This way I make it once on the weekends and have great, homemade dressing all week and it doesn’t take up more valuable fridge space than necessary 🙂 my 5 kiddos could drink the stuff!!
When it comes time to use, I can add milk/buttermilk to thin, avocado & lime for an avocado lime ranch, cilantro & lime for a cilantro ranch, etc.
It works quite well as the flavors are mostly “pre-melded”….and I can achieve any consistency I desire or need for a recipe, etc, dip to “soup”(ie dressing :-))….some days I desire a thicker dressing, some days I desire thinner.
May I suggest doing something similar and simply thinning the dressing to your preference??
Truly seems silly to thin down a recipe, then complain it isn’t to your liking, didnt you notice that at the outset? Couldnt you just add more mayo/sc(maybe throw in a bit more garlic & herbs-but not even necessary, honestly)and simply thicken it up a bit….akin to someone following a recipe containing a head of garlic exactly to the letter, then complaining the finished product had too much garlic and they don’t like garlic, so one star….ummm, really?!?!?
This is so delicious! It’s creamy, tangy and seasoned just right. Thank you for the recipe!
I’m happy to hear that you like it!
How long will this recipe good in the fridge once sealed in a jar?
It will keep nicely for a week or two. Enjoy!
Can you sub heavy cream for milk? or use a different liquid other than milk?
Great Recipe!!
OMG…I would drink this out of a garden bucket! Soo delicious and totally on point!! I can’t wait to make some buffalo wings for dipping!
I didn’t have dried herbs (!?) so used fresh, and skipped the buttermilk/milk to use this as a dip. Excellent. Everyone raved how delicious and fresh it tasted…and the bowl was empty.
I have made this recipe sooo many times and it honestly IS the best homemade dressing. And so easy to add a bit more milk to make thinner or a bit more dill or lemon if that is your flavor preference. I am so, so picky about my ranch and this is up there with some of the best restaurant ranch I’ve tried.
Love this stuff!! What do you think the shelf life is?
There is no shelf life, as this must be refrigerated, Rebecca. However, in the refrigerator it will keep nicely for a week at least.
Really appreciate this recipe. I had to improvise using kefir in place of buttermilk/milk because my vanilla flavored almond milk wasn’t going to cut it. It all worked out. The flavor is fresh, and honestly, because it was so easy, and tastes delicious, I don’t see myself ever buying from the store again. Thank you!
Best dressing ever! Never cared for the bottled ones, too heavy. This is so light and fluffy tasting! I’m addicted!
This is just perfect! My boyfriend just made some following your exact recipe. Thank you! 😊
This was great! I didnt have sour cream, so I substituted plain nonfat yogurt. That made it a little runny but still delicious!
Delicious! I love having it with a fresh pre roasted chicken from Safeway inside butter buns and hot sauce. Perfect texture. I half the recipe and add extra herbs. Perfect dressing
That sounds delicious, Lisa.
I’ve made this several times. It’s delicious! When using full fat sour cream and buttermilk, but light Mayo, and no more than 2 tsp of lemon juice, it still turns out pretty thick. It’s that perfect consistency of being thick enough to use as a dip, but runny enough to be a dressing.
I’ve subbed the sour cream for plain nonfat Greek yogurt and the taste and consistency are still perfect. I just made a BLTA salad and used this recipe as a dressing. Phenomenal! Thanks for the great recipe! It’s now a staple in my household.
I’m thrilled to hear it, Cynthia!
I tried hard to like this, but the interplay between the sour cream and the mayonnaise just ended up tasting odd to me, like it was slightly spoiled. I’ll have to keep looking, but thank you very much for posting this and getting me started on making homemade ranch.
Is there a good substitute for mayo? My son has so many allergies and sensitivities, I can’t find a clean Mayo for him. Thanks!
You can make it with just sour cream, but it will be much thinner. Have you tried an avocado mayo?
This was a pretty good dressing after I let it set overnight. I didn’t add the full amount of milk because it was getting a little too thin for my taste but after it set it was the right consistency for me. I’ll definitely keep making this.