Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What's the difference between buttermilk ranch and regular ranch dressing? ›

The regular seems to have more of a note of acidity, while the buttermilk is obviously meant to be more creamy. I find that the more acidic original pairs much better with most foods than the creaminess of the buttermilk, even though the buttermilk is still tangy.

While many restaurants use mass produced ranch mix, they often add it to a higher-quality base. This might include milk, buttermilk, sour cream, or mayonnaise. So when you notice that the ranch in a restaurant tastes better than the bottled dressing from the store, what you're really tasting is delicious, creamy fat.

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.

Even when a restaurant does start with premade ranch, they will often fold in extra fresh herbs, and maybe even more buttermilk, to lighten and bring in some brighter flavors that can be lost in shelf-stable bottling.

But the real solution seems to be making it from semi-scratch. This is the position of a Mel op-ed, which, like many Redditors, says your favorite restaurant ranch is probably made from powdered Hidden Valley Ranch mix, as opposed to the ready-to-serve kind, or making one from scratch.

It's no secret that Hidden Valley Ranch is a staple ingredient in many homemade ranch dressings, but did you know that restaurants also rely on this classic brand? According to several chefs I spoke with, Hidden Valley Ranch provides the perfect balance of tanginess and creaminess that customers love.

Well having worked there for over 3 years, they use a gallon of Mayo, a half a gallon of 3% buttermilk and 3 packets (large 3.2 ounce packets) of hidden valley ranch mix. You mix the Mayo and a quart of buttermilk then the ranch packets then the last buttermilk. We would let it sit for a few hours to blend together.

The ranch packet has a fresher taste, because you add your own mayo and milk. Even though all the herbs and spices in the mix are dried, they rehydrate quickly and leave you with a product that feels homemade. This version of Hidden Valley Ranch is more flavorful than the bottled version and much, much thicker.

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.

Is left out ranch dressing okay to eat? No, no, no. Ranch dressing has plenty of ingredients that are an easy breeding ground for foodborne pathogens, and may have some of their own waiting to reproduce. If your dressing has set out for more than 2 hours, toss it.

What can I do with leftover buttermilk? ›

Whisk It into a Dip, Sauce, or Dressing

another cake. For an easy savory option, drizzle some buttermilk into your next salad dressing or creamy dip. You can whip up a simple, herby ranch dressing or any easy buttermilk dressing. Drizzle some into bean dips or caramelized onion dips.

Ranch dressing usually contains dairy products such as milk or buttermilk, which can spoil and lead to the growth of harmful bacteria such as Listeria, Salmonella, or E. coli. Even if the dressing looks and smells fine, consuming expired dressing can still put you at risk of food poisoning or other health issues.

Make your own homemade ranch dressing mix, using just a few basic ingredients, for much cheaper than the store-bought packets! Plus, there's no artificial fillers, chemicals, preservatives or extra sugars!

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.

Ranch dressing is ubiquitous in Iowa. You'll find it on salads, veggies and alongside French fries and cheese curds — and sometimes even on pizza and tacos.

Stuff in the restaurants or homemade has real buttermilk, which is much brighter in flavor. I've actually had good results with the ranch packets and fresh buttermilk. Restaurant ranch contains buttermilk, sour cream, and sometimes mayonnaise. It would definitely spoil on the shelf in a grocery store.

Buttermilk ranch is much thinner than a typical ranch “dip” because the buttermilk thins it out. I make a version of both and they use the exact same dried herbs. Quick tip: for a dip consistency, just leave out the buttermilk, dub sauce and vinegar in this recipe.

Buttermilk will be thicker and tangier; milk will almost be a non-flavor…but will thin it quite a bit more.

As mentioned, if you don't have buttermilk, you can use kefir instead. Or, in a pinch, you can make your own homemade buttermilk substitute with regular milk and white vinegar. This is very easy to do: Combine 1 tablespoon of white vinegar (or lemon juice) with enough milk to make 1 cup.