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.
What You'll Need
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.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
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!
- 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!
Top Trick: 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 and Chicken Quesadillas. It's heaven.
-On Onion Rings. Try it. Tell Me I'm Wrong.
-ON PIZZA. Always. Fight me.
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
Storage Instructions
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.
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!
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.
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!
Leah Gardner says
My favorite new ranch recipe!
Rufus says
Yay! I'm so glad you like it! Thank you for letting me know. It means the world to me!
Melinda says
I've tried a lot of homemade ranch recipes and this is by far the BEST! I think the buttermilk is the key!