Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
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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
Mix the dressing: Whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth and evenly blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Keep in mind that the dressing will thicken as it chills and the garlic flavor will become more pronounced as it sits. The dressing keeps well in the refrigerator, so it’s a great one to make ahead; see the recipe card below for storage instructions.
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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.
Notes
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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do u have to have dill or chives to make the ranch dressing
Hi Patricia, You don’t have to have them, but the dressing is definitely enhanced by the herbs.
Made this for my mother and husband to go along with your delicious fried chicken recipe (for dipping)-not a drop was left haha. It was proclaimed “the best Ranch Dressing they ever tasted” (which is saying something because my husband hates store bought ranch dressing) & “way better than anything you could buy in the store.” I make it 2-3 times a week now and pack it my husbands lunch to jazz up veggies and plain potato chips. With praise like this I cant wait to try your other dressings as well 🙂 Thanks for making me a “rock star” chef (their words not mine).
I enjoyed this recipe (adding a little white vinegar and a scant spoon of sugar) and used all the mayo I had to make it. Later, I boiled eggs for egg salad and then realized I was out of mayo. I used this ranch dressing and that is probably the best egg salad I ever made.
I will first say how very PICKY I am about recipes and this is truly delicious. I made it to the letter of the recipe the first time and it was excellent. I’ve since made it a few times with slight variations for improvisational sake and loved all versions too. A perfect base to be creative with: add some Cajun seasoning, a dash of celery salt, maybe some chipotle chili powder, add some parsley or fresh dill to the chives, lots of black pepper and some grated parmesan — so many options. Thank you for this great recipe making salads even more delicious!
How long can I keep your “Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing”?
Dries
Hi Dries, I’d say about 4 days.
I added a little white vinegar (any kind will work) to give it that extra sour bite that Ranch needs. Adding more lemon makes it too lemony so I found vinegar does the trick.
I love making this. I use all fresh herbs in mine (lots of parsley!)
I am s glad that you consider Duke’s best quality! 🙂 Raised in the South it was the only one I knew and was so disappointed when I moved to Oregon and it couldn’t be found anywhere. I digress…sorry. I had no idea that there was dill in Ranch Dressing! I’m not a huge fan of it, but if I can make my own Ranch I’ll add it. Love being able to use fresh ingredients to make this. Salads are about all I eat in the warmer months so this is great!
I couldn’t find Dukes in New Jersey until one day I saw it in Dollar General. Check there
This is a very yummy ranch dressing recipe! I made it for my boyfriend and he wont go back to store bought anymore!
Since subscribing to your emails, our salads have been taken to a new level. I made your ranch dressing last night and it was wonderful. The beautiful photos show how to garnish like a pro, and the recipe is clear, accurate, and so delicious. This is true of all your recipes.
Many thanks, Jenn!