The only ranch recipe you’ll ever need – creamy, tangy, herby perfection in under 5 minutes!
OK, this stuff is dangerous. Dangerously good I mean. Once you’ve tried this homemade version, it’s sayonara store-bought ranch and you’ll never look back. We’re talking, creamy, herby and addictively good – as in, you’ll start making meals just to have an excuse to eat it. And all you need are five minutes and zero effort. No weird ingredients, no preservatives – just simple, fresh flavours that make (pretty much) everything taste better.
Use The BEST Homemade Ranch Dipping Sauce to dunk your sweet potato fries, Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips or chicken wings, drizzle it over salads, and slather it on sandwiches, corn cobs and baked potatoes. If you add an extra tablespoon or two of buttermilk, now you’ve got yourself a salad dressing. Actually, if you find something this ranch doesn’t improve, let me know!
What makes this ranch sauce better than store-bought?
It’s fresher, creamier and made with real ingredients – no preservatives or mystery additives.
Can I use dried herbs instead of fresh?
Yes! Use ½ teaspoon of dried dill and ½ teaspoon of dried chives in place of fresh, but fresh is always best for flavour.
What if I don’t have buttermilk. Can I make my own at home?
Buttermilk is a signature flavour in ranch dressing. Although you can make a nice, quick version of buttermilk at home (by mixing ¼ cup/60 ml of milk with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar and letting it sit for 5 minutes), I find it isn’t thick enough for dunking. I recommend using actual buttermilk and, if you can’t get your hands on it, use Greek yoghurt, but bear in mind the overall flavour will be different.
How do I make this ranch a salad dressing?
Add an extra tablespoon or two of buttermilk until you reach your desired consistency.
What are some recipes I can serve this ranch dipping sauce with?
Southern “Fried” Baked Chicken Strips
BLAT Pasta Salad
Ultimate Loaded Potato Salad
Juicy Homemade Beef Burgers
Chicken Burrito Bowls
The BEST Homemade Ranch Dipping Sauce
The BEST Homemade Ranch Dipping Sauce – cool, creamy, herby, and made in just 5 minutes!
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: ½ cup (125 ml) 1x
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk
- ¼ cup (60 g) whole-egg mayonnaise
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream (can be substituted with Greek yoghurt)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (can be substituted with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar)
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives, plus extra to garnish (optional), see note 1
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill, see note 1
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream and lemon juice until smooth.
- Add the chives, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine and serve.
Equipment
Notes
Note 1 – If using dried herbs, use ½ teaspoon of dried dill and ½ teaspoon of dried chives instead of fresh.
Make Ahead
This ranch dipping sauce can be made in advance and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Leftovers
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Not suitable to freeze.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Sauces & Condiments
- Method: No-cook
- Cuisine: American-inspired
