Homemade Ranch Dressing - Recipe Diaries (2024)

FAQs

How is ranch made from scratch? ›

I use a mix of mayonnaise, sour cream, and a bit of buttermilk for some tang, plus garlic, and plenty of fresh herbs. I also like to add a dash of cayenne pepper for a kick, but you can add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, or whatever you want. Ranch dressing is fun to customize!

Because while some restaurants do use a bottled shelf stable dressing, what you are referring to is a powdered ranch mix (typically the Hidden Valley brand) that the restaurant cooks add milk/ buttermilk and sour cream to make their dressing.

Directions. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise until smooth. Whisk in thyme, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ranch normally has a pleasant smell, so if it develops any kind of foul odor, it's likely past its prime. If you can't determine its quality from its texture or smell, you can also taste the dressing to see if it still tastes high quality.

Who Invented Ranch? Around 1950, Steve Henson unknowingly made history when he whipped up a unique mixture of dry herbs and buttermilk. Originally a plumber, Steve came up with the concoction while working briefly in Anchorage as a construction worker and part-time cook for his crew.

Scratch ranch relies on fresh herbs and aromatics, which bring bite and those pops of grassy flavor that dried or powdered versions never can, so you get an eating experience that is elevated. Usually, ranch recipes will contain fresh buttermilk, and sometimes sour cream as well, for a tang that is really balanced.

Stored in a well-sealed container in the fridge (assuming you began with fresh sour cream and buttermilk) your buttermilk ranch dressing should keep for up to two weeks. Help it stay fresh by not dipping anything directly into the container that you're storing it in—for example, a half-bitten carrot.

Too thin? Add a little more mayo. I did use a low-fat mayo this round and it ended up a hair thicker than I like. You can also use 1 tbsp water to thin it down.

Steven Henson, the Nebraska native who created ranch dressing, invented the now-ubiquitous condiment after moving to Anchorage in 1949 and taking a job as a plumbing contractor in the Alaskan bush, according to a biography of Henson published in the Santa Barbara Independent.

How can I upgrade my ranch dressing? ›

This might seem obvious, but you can add a lot of flavor to ranch dressing by adding more of what's already in it. I love adding lots of fresh herbs, extra garlic, or even lemon zest.

"Titanium dioxide, an ingredient often used in body care items, especially sunscreen and face lotions, helps provide the white color in ranch dressing," says Jones.

Dorothy Lynch says a bacteria in their product is causing the dressing to foam, leading to possible explosions of the bottle. This bacteria is found in multiple food products including yogurt and probiotics and can sometimes cause gas bubbles to build up inside of bottles.

Ranch should be refrigerated after opening because it contains perishable ingredients like buttermilk, which has a high moisture content and is prone to spoilage. Since perishable ingredients can become unsafe to eat after two hours at room temperature, refrigerating this dressing is essential to keep it fresh.

Moreover, the color of the ranch dressing can change dramatically when it spoils. Instead of the familiar creamy white, it may develop a yellowish tint or even a greenish hue. These color changes are a result of bacterial growth and chemical reactions that occur as the dressing deteriorates.

Ranch dressing is a savory, creamy American salad dressing usually made from buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs (commonly chives, parsley and dill), and spices (commonly pepper, paprika and ground mustard seed) mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil emulsion.

Ranch dressing is essentially a buttermilk mayonnaise dressing spiffed up with herbs. It was popularized by Clorox, when they figured out a way to make their Hidden Valley brand shelf stable. (According to Slate, bottled ranch dressing is shelf stable to 150 days or about 5 months.

Ranch is an American salad dressing. It traditionally features a buttermilk base, but some recipes (like this one) call for a combination of sour cream and mayonnaise instead. Ranch is usually seasoned with a savory blend of herbs and spices, such as garlic powder and dill.

"Titanium dioxide, an ingredient often used in body care items, especially sunscreen and face lotions, helps provide the white color in ranch dressing," says Jones.