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This homemade buttermilk ranch dressing is cool, creamy, and tangy, with plenty of fresh herb and garlic flavor—and it takes just minutes to make.
Gourmet is probably not the word that comes to mind when you think of ranch dressing, but homemade is nothing like the mass-produced bottled stuff on grocery store shelves. This buttermilk ranch recipe is a variation of my classic ranch dressing and one of my go-to salad dressings, with sour cream and mayo for richness, buttermilk and lemon for tang, and plenty of garlic, dill, and fresh chives. Honestly, it’s good enough to eat straight with a spoon! Try it over a crisp green salad or as a dip for crudités, potato chips, or baked chicken wings.
“Delicious. This takes just a few minutes to make with outstanding results. A+”
What You’ll Need To Make Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
- Sour Cream, Mayonnaise & Buttermilk: These make up the creamy base of the dressing. The sour cream and mayo give it richness and body, while the buttermilk adds tang and thins it to a pourable consistency. Use good quality mayo, such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s, and store-bought buttermilk rather than a homemade substitute—the flavor and consistency matter more in a dressing than they do in most baked goods.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic gives the dressing its characteristic bite, and its flavor gets stronger as the dressing sits. If you’re sensitive to raw garlic or making the dressing well ahead, you can use a little less.
- Dill & Fresh Chives: Dried dill gives the dressing classic ranch flavor, while fresh chives add freshness and a mild oniony bite.
- Fresh Lemon Juice: Adds acidity and brightness, balancing the richness of the creamy base.
- Tabasco: Optional, but a few dashes sharpen the flavors without making the ranch noticeably spicy.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
How To Make Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth and evenly blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. That’s all there is to it—enjoy!
Make-Ahead & Storage Tips
Buttermilk ranch dressing keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The garlic flavor gets stronger the longer it sits, so you might want to cut back if you’re planning on making it in advance.
The dressing will thicken up to more of a dip consistency as it chills; let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes and whisk well for a more pourable consistency.
Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s
- 2 cloves garlic minced (see note)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ teaspoons dried dill
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh chives
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, from one lemon
- Few dashes Tabasco sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk well. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Chill until ready to serve.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you’re following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Delicious and so easy!
The best ranch Ever !!!!!
First time I made it ,it disappeared and questioning eyes were asking is that all there is?
Second time I made it and sent home half (I doubled it) I used the Tabasco dashes.
Personally I think the Tabasco detracts from the great taste of the dressing without it.
It’s yummy but next time no Tabasco.
Thanks for the recipe.
This is lick your fingers good. I grow fresh herbs in the summer so I used fresh dill instead of dried and threw in some basil leaves. A stick blender makes quick work of the chopping. In addition to dressing greens, this is delicious in macaroni and potato salads too. Thank you Jen!
How much minced fresh dill would you recommend using?
Hi Ezequiel, you could use about 4 tsp. of fresh dill. Hope you enjoy!
This dressing made my BLT Pasta Salad a huge hit. I’m not kidding when I tell you folks didn’t know you could make ranch dressing from scratch. Converts all :). Thanks
Love. I add freshly ground black pepper for a lovely peppercorn heat & twist
I’m not a big fan of creamy dressing, but this is a winner! It is soooo much better than the store bought, and it’s super easy to make. My family all enjoyed them! Thank you for another wonderful recipe!!
If buttermilk, sour cream and mayo all have best before dates that are at least two weeks down the road, why would this only last 3-4 days refrigerated?
Your recipes are terrific. Thanks so much.
Hi Ron, when you add other ingredients like fresh garlic and herbs, it creates something that has a limited shelf life. This may be good for longer than 3 to 4 days but I always try to be conservative to avoid foodborne illnesses.
This recipe makes me wonder why I ever bought ranch dressing at the store. This tastes so much better and is super simple to make.
I’ve started subbing Fage 2% Greek yogurt (plain) for sour cream in recipes. I think it’s a little healthier and there’s no taste difference in my opinion. Iti