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.
We love dipping pizza in ranch and these spicy chicken bites are awesome with ranch on the side too.
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.
Homemade Ranch Dressing
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 Salad 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.
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
- In a small bowl or jar, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream and milk until smooth.
- Add the dill, parsley, chives, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
- Add the lemon and whisk again. Pour into a jar and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
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
- ¾ – 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
{originally published 9/15/11 – recipe notes and photographs updated 7/15/21}
Greta says
I’ve made this countless times and get compliments every time. It’s so easy to customize to your individual preferences too.
Mary Younkin says
That is awesome to hear, Greta.
Morgan says
It’s a lot too runny for my liking, but that’s no big deal. Just cut back on the milk for thicker, or don’t use any if you want dip. As for the flavor, it’s good, but I felt like it needed more seasoning. I sprinkled a little more of each dry seasoning after it was done, added another squirt of lemon juice, and tried it again. It was better. I’ll definitely make this again; I’m just going to remember to add an extra sprinkle after every measurement.
Mary Younkin says
That works too! Thank you, Morgan.
Jan says
Same here, a bit more spices, especially the dill, little more lemon. I will make this again👍Thanks
BIGSAC420 says
I double the seasoning and use and 1/8 C milk. Perfect!
Rebecca says
Tastes like sour cream and vinegar
Mary Younkin says
Rebecca, I have never had that happen before. Was your sour cream near the expiration date, perhaps?
Diane says
why does every body have dill weed in their Ranch dressing, Ranch does not have dill in it.
Mary Younkin says
Because dill belongs in ranch, Diane. 🙂
Laurice says
I skipped the dill because I had none in my pantry; still it was the best I have tasted. I will never buy store bought again. I did add a bit more spices and lemon juice.
Jay Cartwright says
If I could give this 100 stars I would.? I think it should also be known as “Life Changing Ranch”. It’s life changing because it’s been saving me at least $200 a month in restaurant bills as I’m pretty sure our local steakhouse uses a recipe close to this or possibly this recipe All I know is they use a heavy duty Foodservice mayo, so I bought a gallon off Amazon, then used the rest of your recipe verbatim and it took me into another dimension of home cooking. Don’t forget the lemon juice ! It’s key. I want to thank you for posting this. This recipe blows alway anything store bought. I believe the sour cream really helps in how it covers the lettuce making it opaque and not thin looking. I’m going ahead and nominating you for a Nobel Peace Prize. If everyone made this ranch, the world would be a better place.
Mary Younkin says
oh, Jay. You have made my day. What a fantastic compliment. I’m thrilled you love the ranch dressing so much!
Danielle says
Great consistency
Mary Younkin says
Thank you, Danielle.
Carol Hagan says
I’m 50 and still learning to make stuff from scratch with a recipe so I’m confused on how much dill to use from this recipe 3/4-1teaspoon dill…. Is that 3/4 cup or 3/4 teaspoon – 1 ….. Please don’t hate on me for asking ….. I ues your recipe a lot but I’m confused on this one .
Mary Younkin says
It is 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of dill. I love that you aren’t afraid to learn new things and are teaching yourself to make things from scratch. I am always happy to help.
Ashley Holmgren says
Carol, I’m 40 and have been ‘cooking’ for 30 years, but I’m just now learning cooking techniques. I feel ya! Cooking from scratch is an art that requires practice. I’m just so happy my family is willing to try my ‘experiments’ in cooking. There is so much technique that isn’t explained in most recipes. Best wishes and don’t give up!!
Angela says
I didn’t expect this to be as good as it was!! I used regular milk and used fresh chives since dried chives weren’t available at my store. It was the best ranch I’ve ever tasted. thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ll be making this forever and ever.
Mary Younkin says
So delicious! I make this every week to keep in the refrigerator.
Brenda Harris says
I just can’t wait to give this ranch dsg a try. I just know it will be so good! I do have a question, however. The recipe states it can be kept in the fridge for only a week. Is that because of the dairy? I’m wondering if my dairy ingredients’ “best by” dates are longer than a week could I go by that to get a little more time?
Mary Younkin says
I typically err on the side of extreme caution when providing dates like that, Brenda. It will absolutely be good as long as your dairy is good. I typically double or triple the recipe and we use it for at least a couple of weeks.
Susan says
I loved this dressing. I ran out of blue cheese so I couldn’t make my regular blue cheese dressing for my chicken wings. I opted to see what I could make with what I had in the house, so I went for a ranch dressing. I think I’ll be passing on the blue cheese and making this from now on. I also have allergies to gluten, soy, and corn. I don’t buy commercially made salad dressings because of the this. This was a fabulous dressing and alternative for my allergies.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so happy to hear that it was a hit, Susan!
Charles says
You haven’t tasted ranch dressing until you have had this recipe! It’s amazing!
I wouldn’t change a thing, but I do have some recommendations for you first-timers:
– Make this 4 to 5 hours in advance. If you make this 10 minutes before your meal is ready, it will be slightly runny. Allowing it to sit in the fridge for a couple hours after preparing helps the dressing firm up a bit and allows the flavors to meld!
– The lemon juice is key. When I first made this recipe I started with one teaspoon of lemon juice because I didn’t want to put too much. A couple hours later I tasted the dressing and it was slightly bland, so I added another teaspoon. I ended up adding all three teaspoons eventually and it was perfect. Since everybody’s tastes are different, I would start with one teaspoon and work your way up!
This is my go-to recipe for ranch dressing – I will never buy store-bought again! It is so simple and tastes out of this world!
Mary Younkin says
I love this whole review, Charles! I’m thrilled that you like the dressing so much.
Stacy Novick says
Came home with a dreams of making Buffalo Ranch Burgers. The dip I got was horrible and I thought all was lost until I found this recipe.
I omitted the milk/lemon and used Franks Red Hot instead (the vinegar is enough acid) – PERFECTION!
Better than anything I’ve ever bought off the shelf 🙂 Saved the day, seriously.
Mary Younkin says
YAY! I’m so glad it worked out for you. That sounds awesome, Stacy.
Mary Nichols says
How far ahead can you make this dressing? Or how long does it last in your frig?
Mary Younkin says
You can make it a week or two in advance, Mary. Just shake the jar or give it a stir before serving. It will keep as nicely as the individual ingredients would normally.
Laura says
I omitted the dill and it was fabulous. I’m very picky about my ranch and my son and I thought it was the best. This is a keeper!
Mary Younkin says
Thank you for sharing, Laura. I am delighted you enjoyed it.
Carol says
This recipe is PERFECT! The only change I made was to cut the salt to 1/4 teaspoon because of our household diet restrictions and it is still yummy. I mixed with a little homemade taco seasoning, drizzled over leftover diced chicken, lettuce, tomato and green onions inside taco shells for lunch. This is a keeper—thank you for sharing this delicious recipe!
Mary Younkin says
We love a spicy homemade ranch as well!
Bill Waisnor says
For over 20 years, my all-time favorite dressing has been buttermilk ranch. In that time I have tried numerous homemade recipes all of which failed to meet my expectations. I also tried every bottled store bought ranch dressing which all failed horribly to meet any expectation.
Recently your recipe for The Best Homemade Ranch Dressing arrived via a news feed. It looked promising, so I gave it a try. OMGoodness this is what I have been looking for. After reading your note I added a touch of white vinegar as well as the lemon. I like it extra tangy. To give this recipe a fair trial, I cooked up some chicken wings and sat down to give this a try with some celery sticks, carrot sticks and grape tomatoes. I was blown away with how the dressing elevated everything to another level. If I were to try and improve on anything, it would be to have it a little thicker. Thanks for posting the recipe officially no longer any reason to run to the grocery store when you’re out of ranch dressing.
Mary Younkin says
Bill – you just made my day! Thank you so much for the kind words.
Bill Waisnor says
In my review of 11/29 I mentioned I preferred a thicker result. A little research provided the following recommendations. The use of softened cream cheese or xanthan gum are options. The addition of xanthan will not affect the taste of the dressing. I opted for 4 Tbsp of softened cream cheese. This thickened the dressing and improved the tartness. Added additional dill, garlic and onion powder.
Mary Younkin says
I always appreciate hearing reader’s customizations, thank you for sharing, Bill.
Beech says
I skipped the dill because I had none in my pantry;still it was the best ill tasted. I will never buy store bought again. I did add a bit more spices and lemon juice.
Mary Younkin says
That is perfect! I am glad it worked out.
Emil Gullerw says
Thank you! Finally I found a way to make “real” ranch dressing at home. I reduced the amount of salt a little bit but that is probably just a matter of personal preferences.
Mary Younkin says
Thank you, Emil! I am so happy you enjoy it.
Bethany S. says
Oh my goodness!!! I will never purchase store bought ranch ever again!!! My children and I are VERY particular about our ranch and this is one of the BEST we’ve ever tasted! Thank you for sharing this easy and delicious recipe!
Side note: I added Complete Seasoning to mine and it gave it an extra kick of flavor.
Mary Younkin says
I get it. it really is that good, I never buy it from the store either, Bethany.