Anyone who knows me might do a double-take over this post for Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing. See, I’ve never disguised my dislike of Ranch; it’s just not for me, and I’m usually like, “nope, uh-uh, never.”
Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing
The one exception is my Homemade Greek Yogurt Ranch, and that’s new. But my evil baby Sis (how dare she?) talked me into coming up with a recipe for Bacon Ranch Potato Salad, and what’s a girl to do?
About Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing:
The first thing I’m gonna do is research Ranch heavily. And come up with my own Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing. One that I like. One that isn’t slimy & has some zip that doesn’t come from a chemical Sh**Storm. Excuse me, but it has to be said.
So here’s mine. It’s quite lovely. (Um, am I 80? Quite lovely, indeed!) And now I can admit how good Ranch can be! And I hope you can, too! I think you’ll fall in love with this mix and the dressing!
I stuck with the basics on the first few go-arounds when I made the Ranch mix. Then I set out to make it even better. What sets my recipe apart is the dry mustard powder – an original Ranch dressing ingredient. See my Top Secret Super Stealth Arsenal of Ingredients (yeah, I think highly of myself, lol!) for more about mustard powder.
Then I took some departures, and they took the standard mix over the top, people! I included a little smoked paprika, a little dried cilantro (which isn’t very strong, being dried, but adds a little something to the mix), and a touch of Coleman’s Mustard instead of the standard mustard powder. I just love Colemans, but keep in mind it’s hot and a little goes a long way. These ingredients are optional in the recipe.
Ingredients in the Commercial Version
To Make the Mix:
As long as you work with about 3 tablespoons of the original three herbs in the Ranch Mix (parsley, dill, and chives), feel free to mix and match them how you like. I am not a Dill fan, but even I can admit how good it is in Ranch.
And of course, you can tinker and add a little less or more of the garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper. Just play with the recipe if you feel the need.
About the Salt:
- If you’re watching your sodium, making this homemade Ranch Mix is the way to go. I use 1/2 teaspoon of salt for the dry mix, which is very little salt when made into a dressing.
- If you’re not watching your sodium intake, feel free to add more salt. Make the dressing, and if you think the dressing needs a little extra salt, include a little more salt in your dry mix.
veggie tray with homemade ranch
To Make the Dressing:
You’re looking for about three tablespoons of the mix to add to the other ingredients: the mayo, yogurt, sour cream, vinegar, and milk.
I suggest tasting and maybe going up to four tablespoons if you are used to the strong taste of commercial ranch. You might want a little extra oomph. Go by taste.
Don’t forget to let it sit, if possible, in the fridge for about two hours. The flavors will blend, and the dried ingredients will be thankful for a bit of time to absorb the moisture and rehydrate.
Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing
To Store Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing:
The Mix: Keep in the fridge if possible. Either in or out of the fridge, a shelf life of one to three months is reasonable. If your mix should become lumpy, just push it through a strainer. Remember, there are no preservatives.
The Dressing: How well and how long a dressing like this keeps is directly impacted by how clean you work and how long it’s left at room temperature. Four to seven days is a good rule of thumb.
Saving Money on Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing:
There are so many ways to save! First of all, making your own mix and using it for recipes and for this dressing (or another favorite) is a flex on its own!
Buttermilk Powder:
Don’t be shocked at the price; I’ve crunched the numbers over and over, and it’s still going to be a savings over store-bought packets. As far as quality, I haven’t noticed any difference between brands. By the way, Food & Wine claims Buttermilk Powder is not an Option. It’s a Necessity. I use it a lot in baking recipes. Shop around; a quick check shows it can be close to twice as much at one place as another!
Herbs & Spices:
- Most of the herbs used here are “tender” herbs that will only retain their color and flavor for so long; these are items like parsley, dill, chives, and cilantro. It’s ok to buy them in larger amounts, but be aware of the limited shelf life; sometimes you might pay less for them in larger packets or jars than you would for one small container of a name-brand at the grocery store.
- The rest of the items, other than the mustard and if you decide to use it, smoked paprika, are common and can be bought in larger amounts as they keep well. Your big box store or the lower shelves of the spice aisle are great places to look for larger packages of things like onion and garlic powder.
For the Dressing:
You might know the drill on Mayo; buy it and most of your condiments during the summer sales. Stock up for the year!
Yogurt is best bought at a discount grocery store where the same size (and maybe same brands) you’ll find at the grocery are cheaper, or at the buyer’s club where you’ll find much larger packages for about the same amount of money!
Buy your sour cream before almost any holiday; store it upside down after opening, and it keeps just about forever. See my post Win at the Grocers. There are links at the bottom of the page that take you to a discussion of what’s on sale before every major food holiday.
Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing
Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3/4 cup for the Mix 1x
- Category: Salad Dressing
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
The Mix:
- 1/2 cup dried buttermilk powder (measure first, then sift if clumpy)
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard powder or 1/2 teaspoon Coleman’s mustard powder (optional for a kick)
- 1 teaspoon paprika or smoked paprika (optional)
- 3/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro (optional)
The Dressing:
- 3 tablespoons to 1/4 cup of Ranch Mix
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (or use all mayo if you prefer)
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- about 2/3 cup of milk; hold back a little, then mix, then decide if you’d like to thin it more
- a little more salt and pepper, if desired
Instructions
The Mix:
Makes about 3/4 cup; Takes Five Minutes:
Mix together. Store in an airtight container, preferably in the fridge.
3 tablespoons equals 1 packet of store-bought.
Store, preferably in the refrigerator. Keeps from 1 to 3 months.
The Dressing:
Makes about a 2 1/2 cups; Takes Five Minutes + Optional Rest Time of an Hour:
Whisk all ingredients together, adding additional milk to get to the desired consistency. Make thicker for a dip but for a dressing, whisk in milk until it’s creamy but still substantial; the whisk should leaves trails.
Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more Ranch Mix if needed.
Best if made about an hour ahead so flavors develop.
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I’m posting Homemade Ranch Mix & Ranch Dressing to Fiesta Friday 173, hosted by Angie and Lindy @ Love In The Kitchen along with Paula @ Her Life Is Love.
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