This Fresh Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe took me 6 years to perfect. I know, it sounds crazy that a recipe for a dressing would take 6 whole years to develop. BUT here's the thing--I was obsessed with ranch dressing as a kid. It was pretty much the only way to get me to eat any kind of vegetable. AND while I was developing this recipe, there was no such thing as the internet. Yes, I'm ancient.
I gathered every cookbook I could find that contained a ranch dressing recipe. Every time I would try a recipe from those cookbooks? Absolute disappointment.
Here I am a 13 year old dumping out the ranch dressing at every restaurant and spreading it out on my plate, trying to figure out, "what the hell is inside this thing?" I was determined.
It wasn't until the age of 19 when I perfected this recipe. My former husband and I owned a pizza parlor and so I needed to make a ranch dressing that was ideal for pizza, breadsticks and salads.
After years of research and several failed attempts, I finally figured out the ingredients that I needed. BUT this ranch dressing is not just about the ingredients; its also about the technique.
Why the food processor is so important to make the perfect buttermilk ranch dressing....
The herbs used in this recipe are fresh, so they don't meld well with the mayo and sour cream unless they are broken down. Blending the herbs with the garlic and acids in the food processor before adding it to the mayo & sour cream mixture is one of the most critical steps in making this ranch dressing so flavorful.
The vinegar you use is key for this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing...
White Distilled Vinegar: This is the vinegar that truly makes this dressing stand out from other ranch dressings. Most buttermilk ranch dressing recipes will call for apple cider vinegar. You can use apple cider vinegar, but the end result won't be the same. If you want a good restaurant-style buttermilk ranch dressing, do what the restaurants do and use white distilled vinegar.
I don't have buttermilk. Can I make my own?
Homemade buttermilk is easy to make! If you don't want to buy buttermilk you can easily make some. Just add 1tsp of lemon juice or white distilled vinegar to ⅓ cup of milk and let it sit in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. The milk will look like it's starting to separate, that's what you want.
What else can I do with Buttermilk Ranch Dressing?
So. Many. Things.
Veggie Platter Dip
Sandwich Spread
Pizza Sauce
Garlic Bread Base
Potato Salad
Dip for fried appetizers and sides
Dip for Chicken Wings
How long does this dressing last?
This Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe will last up to 7 days, covered and stored in the refrigerator.
I don't recommend freezing this dressing. It contains dairy and will separate when defrosting.
Fresh Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup Mayonaise Best Foods
- ½ cup Sour Cream
- ⅓ cup Buttermilk
- 2 tbsp Fresh Chives Chopped
- 2 tbsp Green Onions Chopped
- ½ Lime Juiced
- 2 tsp Fresh Garlic Chopped
- 2 tbsp White Distilled Vinegar
- 1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard Smooth
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper Ground
Instructions
- In a medium side bowl, mix together the mayo, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper.
- In a food processor or blender, add the chopped garlic, chopped chives, chopped green onion, distilled vinegar, balsamic vinegar and fresh squeezed lime juice.
- Pulse or blend this mixture until the herbs and garlic start to break down. Add the buttermilk and blend until the herbs and garlic break down but are still noticeable. Don't blend until completely smooth - some chunks are good here.
- Add the blended herb mixture to the mayo mixture and stir well. Add more salt and pepper to taste if desired.
- Store the in the fridge overnight to let the flavors develop, if desired.
- This dressing will last 7 days stored in the fridge.
Nutrition
See the video on how to make this Ranch Dressing here.
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