Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is the superior salad dressing of all salad dressings in my humble opinion. It's creamy, tangy, and has the perfect amount of herby goodness. This recipe is quick, easy, and needs minimal ingredients that you probably have in your pantry and fridge right now. It's so good it'll knock your socks off!
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I am a ranch dressing girl from way back, but this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is perfection to me. It takes almost no time at all to make and the flavor is superior to anything you'll find in the store.
When say I've researched this recipe, I mean I have put in the hours. It is very important for me have the best best ranch recipe I can have, on hand, at all times. This is the one. I hope you like it as much as we do!
And, if you're in the market for some other phenomenal salad dressing/sauce recipes, try my Dill Pickle Ranch, Blue Cheese Dressing, or my Big Mac Salad Dressing. I live for a good dressing, and these are amazing.
Ingredients
Most of the ingredients in this quick and easy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe can be found in your fridge or in the spice drawer. Very, very simple ingredients! Here’s everything you’ll need to make it:
- Buttermilk, Mayonnaise, Sour Cream - The base of the creamy, tangy dressing.
- Dried Chives - A must for that delicate onion flavor.
- Granulated Garlic - Always.
- Granulated Onion - Always.
- Dried Dill Weed - I loooooove dill and think it is a necessity for Buttermilk Ranch Dressing. If it's not your thing, you can leave it out.
- Dried Parsley Flakes - For a nice fresh flavor.
- Tajin - Gives a wonderful, wonderful tangy, salty hit. This is my secret weapon.
- Lime - For more tang. We love tang. You can also use a lemon.
- Kosher Salt - A basic must have.
- Fresh Ground Pepper - Grind your own.
See recipe card for quantities.
Tools You'll Need
Minimal ingredients mean minimal tools and minimal cleanup! You don't need much!
Instructions
This dressing recipe comes together in mere minutes. There is nothing to it and that is just another reason you should make it and keep it on hand at all times. The stuff in the bottle and the shaker simply cannot compare.
Grab a mixing bowl and whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Measure out and add the granulated garlic, granulated onion, dried dill weed, dried parsley, and tajin. Add the kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
That's it! Super easy and so worth making it yourself. In about 5 minutes you'll have the best Buttermilk Ranch Dressing ever. I'll never go back to store bought, and I bet money you won't either.
Hint: Let the dressing hang out in the fridge for at least an hour. Taste it. If you think it needs more salt add some. Giving it time to allow the flavors to come together really does make a difference in this case.
Substitutions
As with any of my recipes, feel free to substitute things as needed. Make this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing your own. Use what you have and what you love. Here are a few ideas that come to mind.
- Limes/Lemons - If you don't have limes, lemons are a wonderful substitution. If you don't have those, a splash of vinegar will do.
- Dill - Dill can be divisive and some people just do not like it. I am no such person, but if you are, just leave it out.
- Crema/Sour Cream - I am a huge fan of Mexican crema and if I have some in the fridge, I will use it instead of sour cream. It is absolutely divine in this recipe.
- Buttermilk - If you don't have buttermilk, mix 1 cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Boom! Homemade buttermilk!
Variations
Make this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing spicy, add in some fresh herbs, thicken it up for a dip, go crazy! Have fun with it!
- Spicy - Add a touch cayenne or red pepper flakes for a kick! I also love adding jalapeño to ranch. The flavor is fantastic!
- Fresh Herbs - This recipe is written so that is can be made any time of year and for when fresh herbs are not as readily available. If you have fresh herbs, throw them in. I love using fresh chives and parsley if I have them. Soft herbs like tarragon and fresh basil are also fun to throw in!
- As A Dip - If you want to make this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing thicker and more dip-like, just add a couple more tablespoons of sour cream!
For a fun twist on a classic ranch dressing, you should also try my Avocado Jalapeño Ranch that I serve with my Grilled Steak Salad!
Storage
Assuming you used fresh sour cream and buttermilk, this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 10 days.
If you add fresh herbs to your dressing, it will stay good up to a week. The fresh herbs will decrease is longevity just a tad.
I do not recommend freezing ranch dressing.
Let It Sit!
In order for the flavors to truly get together and for this to be the best tasting Buttermilk Ranch Dressing you've ever had, let it sit in the fridge at least 1 hour before serving. It makes a huge difference!
Frequently Asked Questions
I don't have any buttermilk. Can I make my own?
Yes, you can! And, it's super easy! To make buttermilk, measure out 1 cup of whole milk and add either 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and stir. The acid helps to "sour" the milk ever so slightly. That's it!
What is Tajin?
Tajin is a wonderfully tangy seasoning Mexican seasoning blend made from chili peppers, lime, and salt. It can be used on everything from sliced watermelon to shrimp tacos. I even use it to rim the glasses of fun drinks. For this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe, it adds the perfect amount of tang. I totally recommend you get some. It's incredible here and with so many other things!
What can I use Buttermilk Ranch Dressing on?
Grab a seat. This might take me a minute. When I say I love this stuff, I mean I truly put it on anything. Think:
-As A Salad Dressing. Naturally.
-A Chicken Tender Sauce.
-A Veggie/Crudité Dip.
-A Sandwich Spread.
-Drizzled In Baked Potatoes or In My Loaded Baked Potato Soup.
-For Shrimp Cocktail.
-Drizzled in Soups For A Creamy, Tangy Component.
-As Dip For Tacos. It's heaven.
-On Onion Rings. Try it. Tell Me I'm Wrong.
-ON PIZZA. Always. Fight me.
Recipe
Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon dried chives
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon granulated onion
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ¼ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon tajin see note below
- juice of half a lime
- fresh ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Mix above ingredients until well combined. Let sit for at least an hour in the fridge to let flavors develop.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
If you guys make this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a star rating in the recipe card! I absolutely love to hear from you all and always do my best to respond to each and every one of your comments! And, as always, be kind. I’m only human.
Thank you!
I am so incredibly happy that you are here! I hope you try my Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe and fall in love with it. If you make this recipe, please share and tag me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, or YouTube! And, please leave a comment or star rating in the recipe card above. I absolutely love seeing each and every one of your kitchen masterpieces. It makes my heart so happy! And, as always, if you ever have any questions about any of my recipes, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Rufus for Real is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. I may earn a commission, with no additional cost to you, if you purchase through those links.
Rufus for Real is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
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Susan says
This is our new go to ranch recipe. I make it at least once and week. So much better for us than the other stuff!
Rufus says
Thank you so very much for letting me know! I'm so glad you liked it!