Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix from Scratch
As a self diagnosed ranch-aholic, I can give you my personal guarantee that this is the best, most delicious homemade ranch dressing you have. ever. had. Just look at it.
I love ranch. I put ranch on…well…basically everything. It’s meant for so much more than just salads. My pizza? I’m dipping it in ranch. My fries? Going for a ranch dive. My burger? Getting a nice layer of ranch right on the bun. It’s serious.
I was never able to buy bottled ranch that is anything close to that yummy goodness you can get at a restaurant. They shouldn’t even be able to call that stuff ranch. Then I worked at a restaurant. And guess what? They homemade their ranch! Actually, they “homemade” their ranch by using ranch seasoning packets mixed with milk and mayo. Bingo! I could finally make good ranch at home. The Hidden Valley Ranch Buttermilk mix is very good. Problem? It’s a little pricey. And, it has ingredients that don’t seem like they should be in ranch. Monosodium Glutamate? Maltodextrin? Huh? No thanks.
So I researched, and have come up with the perfect dry seasoning mix. I buy all the dried herbs in bulk on Amazon, and it comes out to only $0.56 per serving of 2 tbs! That is way better than the 2 tbs Hidden Valley packet at $2.99. Here’s what you’ll need: dried buttermilk powder (tricky to find in stores, recommend getting online), dried chives, dried onion flakes, dried parsley flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, and dried dill.
Portion out your dried ingredients (measurements listed at the end of post).
So pretty.
Mix all of your dried ingredients in an air tight container.
I love this one I got because it has a rubber liner that prevents the mix from escaping. And it’s so darn cute! Perfect size for the amount of mix I make, about 1 cup.
This mix will last you for a long time. As long as you keep it sealed tight, it shouldn’t go bad.
The best combination for making the salad dressing is milk (I use 2%) and Best Foods mayonnaise. If you want to go dairy free, leave out the dried buttermilk and use unsweetened almond milk or soy milk instead of cows milk. Add in a little vinegar or lemon juice for some “tang”. I’ve make it with almond milk before and you can barely taste a difference. If you want to lower the amount of calories, use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. However, I can taste a pretty significant difference when making it with Greek yogurt. Has more tangy flavor rather than creamy. But it’s still pretty good. But if you want it to taste restaurant style, you’ve got to stick with milk and mayo.
Mix 1 cup of mayonnaise with 2 tbs of the dry seasoning mix. If you mix the seasoning with the mayo first it is easier to incorporate evenly with no lumps. I like to make mine right in my Oxo salad dressing bottle, which I love! It even has the measurements right on the bottle. They think of everything.
Once you’ve mixed it all together, add in 1/2 cup of milk. Screw the cap on, mix it all up, refrigerate for about 20 minutes, and it will be the perfect salad consistency.
To all my fellow ranch-aholics, enjoy!
Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix from Scratch
Ingredients
Ranch Dry Seasoning Mix:
- 3/4 cup dried buttermilk
- 3 tbs dried parsley flakes
- 1 tbs dried chives
- 1 tbs garlic powder
- 1 tbs onion powder
- 1 tbs dried chopped onion
- 2 tsp dried dill weed
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper[br]
Ranch Dressing Recipe:
- 2 tbs dry seasoning mix
- 1 cup of mayo
- 1/2 cup of milk, I use 2%
Instructions
Ranch Seasoning Mix:
- 1. Combine all the dried ingredients in an airtight jar or container, will keep for up to 1 year
Ranch Dressing Recipe:
- 1. Mix ranch dressing mix in to mayonnaise until combined
- 2. Stir in milk, then refrigerate for 20 minutes
- 3. Store in air tight container in the fridge, will keep for 10 days
Notes
61 Comments on “Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix from Scratch”
Hello Nathalie,
Thank you for this recipe, I was wonderig though if there was anyhing I could replace the buttermilk powder with, since we don’t find any in France?
Thank you
Fellow Ranch fanatic, here, and your recipe is amazing. Just like in quality restaurants. I know this isn’t the point, but the best off-the-shelf bottled ranch dressing I have found is Wish-Bone’s.
I’m so glad you liked it Lee! It is my favorite ranch. Oooh, I’ve actually never tried Wish-Bone bottled ranch dressing! If I’m ever in a pinch, I’m going to give it a try next time. Thanks for letting me know you liked my recipe, you made my day!
OH MY WORD. This is SO GOOD! Seriously. I have no words. We’ve been looking for a dairy and soy free ranch for SO LONG. We used almond milk instead of regular milk (like you suggested), and soy free veganaise instead of mayo and omitted the dried buttermilk. I will now make this every other minute, and drink it and bathe in it…. I AM SO EXCITED!! Thank you so much for posting this!!!!!!
I am so happy to hear that Sally! When I was vegan, I missed ranch the MOST! So this recipe was a real lifesaver. Thanks for taking the time to let me know you liked my recipe. You just made my day : )
What about substituting the dry ingredients with fresh? I worked in a fine dining restaurant a while back and if I remember correctly we used fresh parsley and dill
And or chives.. It’s been a long time
Yes, you could definitely substitute fresh ingredients for the dry! This recipe is meant to be a dry seasoning mix that you can always have on hand in a pinch. But if you have all the fresh ingredients, that is even better! Just do equal part substitution for everything dry instead of fresh. And instead of buttermilk powder and milk, just use buttermilk instead of milk. Adjust the mayo until it’s the thickness consistency you like.
Hey thanks for the response! But what about compensating for the dry buttermilk in the dry mix? Does that not make the mix more potent?
So either use all buttermilk, or use regular milk with dried buttermilk. I rarely have buttermilk on hand, which is why I love the milk and dried buttermilk combo. Gives it great tang : )
Could I make this with actual buttermilk and leave out the buttermilk powder do you think?
Sure could! I use buttermilk powder so the seasoning mix is all ready to go. Gives it a nice tang. But you can definitely skip it, and use all buttermilk and mayo, then the dried herbs.
I too have been totally obsessed trying to find a substitute for restaurant Ranch Dressing. I am in love with the stuff.!
I buy all of my spices from Penzey’s and have done so for years. (I am not affiliated with them but just love their spices!) I found the dry Buttermilk mix at my local grocery store in the Baked Goods aisle. I have all of the other spices on hand.
While I have not yet made this recipe, I will be doing so very soon, hence the 5 star rating. My question is would it be on Buttermilk overload if I use liquid Buttermilk instead of regular milk to the mix?
Hi! Sorry for the late response! If you’re using Buttermilk instead of regular milk, I would probably skip the powdered buttermilk. Might be too tangy. But I’ve never made this with real buttermilk, so let me know how it goes!
Hi – this sounds yummy!! I LOVE ranch and recently found guacamole ranch dressing at the grocery store. Have you ever tried making anything like that? Adding Avacado?
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Im making my second batch of this and just realized the dried buttermilk container says refrigerate after opening so Im thinking I should also be refrigerating the ranch mix? We survived the first batch without any ill effects.
Oooh, yikes! I’ve never thought of that. I’ve never refrigerated my dried buttermilk. Uh oh. I wonder if it’s all? I’m going to have to check it when I get home. I’ve never refrigerated the mix and haven’t had any incidents. I make it in big batches that can take 2 months to go thru, and we’ve all been fine, just so you don’t worry. But maybe it is a good idea to refrigerate it. Thanks for the heads up Carrie!
the buttermilk is also cultured which helps with it shelf stability
Love this stuff! Tastes exactly like the ranch you get from a packet. How much of the mix would you use with sour cream for turning it into a dip? Thank you in advance :)
Thanks so much Lalita! I’ve never used this to make a dip in sour cream, but what a great idea! If I was mixing it with a 16 ounce container of sour cream, I would start off with mixing in 1 tablespoon, then give it a taste. If you think it needs more, add in another 1/2 or 1 tablespoon. I know the packets say to use 2 tablespoons per 16 ounce container, so 2 tablespoons might be the perfect amount. Let me know how it works out for you! Have a great rest of you day : )
Hi Natalie,
Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe! Of all the recipes I’ve tried, this one is hands down the best and closest in flavor to Hidden Valley. My only problem was I didn’t achieve a pourable consistency – it turned out quick thick, more like a dip. The only thing I did different from your recipe was to use Whole Milk and Kraft Mayo with Olive Oil, since that’s what I had on hand. Do you have any suggestions for achieving a pourable consistency with the substitutions I mentioned? Perhaps using less/more of either ingredient?? If not, I will definitely try it again and follow your specific milk and mayo recommendations.
Thanks so much!
Hi Yvette! So glad to hear you like this recipe! I am beyond obsessed with ranch, especially the kind made with those hidden valley packets, and this one tastes just like it! But it’s much cheaper, and there’s no added chemicals.
I tend to like my ranch dressing a little thicker as apposed to “runny” like a balsamic dressing would be. If you like it to be thinner, just add in a little more milk until it reaches the desired thickness you like. Refrigerating it thickens it up a tad, but no where near as much as the Hidden Valley Packets thicken up in the fridge. Those have thickening agents that activate the longer it sits and cools. So after it has refrigerated, just add in milk about a tablespoon at a time until it is thick enough for you! You could also try adding less mayo too. Whichever sounds easier for you.
Whole milk will make it taste even better! And now I want to try it with Olive Oil Mayo. Bet that gives it great flavor too.
Hope this helps! Really appreciate you letting me know you like the recipe. You just made my day! Have a great rest of your week Yvette!
Hi Natalie,
Thanks so much for the quick reply and suggestions! I added some milk to the batch I had already prepared and got the consistency I was looking for – WooHoo!
Thanks again for your help :-)
Yvette
Oh good! So glad that worked for you Yvette! Looks like you’re going to have a lifetime filled with yummy ranch : )
Happy Friday! Hope you have a great weekend!
Natalie, I’ve looked at a LOT of ranch dressing mix recipes today. Not only does yours seem to have the best mix of ingredients, your photos make the recipe so very appealing. It’s true
–“you eat first with your eyes.” I’m off to make ranch dressing mix! Thanks and have a lovely day.
Thanks so much! You just made my day! This ranch dressing really is the best. I made it just this weekend for a wedge salad. So good! I really hope you enjoy it. Have a great rest of your day!
Hi and thanks for the help with this! You’re near the top of the google search engine :)
Do you (or anyone) know if you can use all onion powder instead of that second tablespoon of dried minced stuff? If so, wouldn’t it be about a teaspoon?
Thanks in advance for any answers!
Hi and thanks for the help with this! You’re near the top of the google search engine :)
Do you (or anyone) know if you can use onion all onion powder instead of that second tablespoon of dried minced stuff? If so, wouldn’t it be about a teaspoon?
Thanks in advance for any answers!
Oops sorry for double post. I edited to fix weird grammar disturbance.
Don’t worry about it, I do the exact same thing. Grammar is very important! And spelling errors make me go crazy!
Hi Kelly! Yea! Always nice when you rank well in Google. Makes you feel a teensy bit famous, haha! : )
You can certainly leave out the dried chives if you don’t have any on hand. I wouldn’t add in any more onion powder, it might make it too onion strong. Onion powder is way more potent than dried chives. So just skip the dried chives and follow the rest of the recipe as it is. You could always add in fresh chives (green onions) when you’re making the dressing for a little extra green color.
Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoy this recipe!
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Finally a good ranch recipe! I have been looking all day and I am so happy I ran across your website. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! I will be making this tomorrow! <3
Thanks Sky! I hope you enjoyed it! I always have plenty of it on hand. I love ranch dressing, and can’t live without this. Have a great weekend!
Is there any way to incorporate sour cream in this? Most other recipes use it but I just figured it was for a little more flavor?
Yes! You could use sour cream instead of the mayo! Will give it more tang. Yum!
Ok thank you!
Ummmm…dairy free? What about the dried buttermilk?? Did I miss something?
Umm… keep reading!
Hooray!!! I can’t wait to make this. I try SOOOO hard not to buy anything with MSG in it & Ranch is almost impossible! I’m going to make this tonight. And I’m sharing it on my FB page – thank you!!
-kristen
www.fb.com/KHWellness
Thanks so much for sharing Kristen! You’re the best : )
Actually, buttermilk powder should be very easy to find – it should be in your local grocer’s baking aisle near the milk products.
Milk is 1/2 what?
Oops, that’s supposed to say “1/2 cup of milk”. Thanks for catching that Sarah, fixing it now!