Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing - This homemade restaurant-style buttermilk ranch dressing from scratch can also be used as a dip. It's easy to make with no mayo if that is your preference. It's lower in calories, low carb, and keto-friendly.
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WHY RANCH BUTTERMILK DRESSING IS BETTER
There are a few differences between regular ranch and buttermilk ranch. Those being taste, texture, and ingredients.
When it comes to taste, buttermilk ranch will have a stronger, tangier flavor than typical ranch thanks to the buttermilk. You can think of the taste being similar to that of plain yogurt.
The texture can also be different when you're comparing buttermilk ranch to regular ranch. Buttermilk ranch is thinner and smoother, while regular ranch since it's made primarily of mayo/sour cream, is thicker and isn't as smooth.
As far as ingredients go, the biggest difference between the two is the type of milk. Regular ranch uses a combination of regular milk with sour cream and mayonnaise. Buttermilk ranch foregoes the sour cream and relies on a base of buttermilk and sour cream OR mayonnaise, not both.
Can I make my own buttermilk?
If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, it's easy to make your own. Just take regular dairy milk and add in white vinegar.
To measure this out, you'll want to take 1 tablespoon of white vinegar for every 1 cup of milk. Mix them together and let it stand for 10 minutes.
BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING RECIPE INGREDIENTS
- dill
- chives
- parsley
- garlic
- cayenne pepper
- kosher salt
- black pepper
- buttermilk
- sour cream (Greek yogurt or mayo can be substituted)
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE RANCH WITH BUTTERMILK FROM SCRATCH
Detailed instructions and measurements are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Add all of your ingredients to a blender and pulse until mixed through.
- Enjoy with your favorite meal!
BUTTERMILK RANCH RECIPE TIPS
- The fresh herbs in this recipe will make the ranch turn green. If you really don't want that, you can chop your herbs separately and mix it all by hand.
- Depending on your preference and what you have on hand, sour cream, Greek yogurt, and mayo all work great in this recipe. Try each one to see which you like best!
- It is completely fine to use dried herbs. In fact, you may prefer the taste with dried herbs.
BUTTERMILK DRESSING RECIPE FAQ
Yes. If you just don't have buttermilk on hand, you can do the alternative of making your own buttermilk with vinegar and regular milk, or you can just use plain milk on it's own if you prefer the taste.
Absolutely! These two are mostly interchangeable. Your very picky eaters may notice a slight difference, but I've used both and love both.
I keep mine in wide mouth Ball jars like these. They should last 10-14 days in a container like that.
If you like a thicker ranch dressing or want to use it as a vegetable dip, go with minimal buttermilk. Only add enough to thin it to the consistency you want.
You can make this buttermilk dressing thicker by adding more sour cream (or mayo) and less buttermilk.
Buttermilk will not make the ranch thicker. It is actually the opposite and buttermilk ranch tends to be thinner.
Ranch and buttermilk ranch are the same with a few minor differences in taste, texture, and ingredients. Buttermilk ranch will be a bit tangier, thinner, and contains buttermilk rather than regular milk.
alterations for picky eaters
- You can use dried herbs instead of fresh herbs. Sometimes picky eaters prefer the taste of dried herbs to fresh herbs.
- Try to stick with sour cream instead of Greek yogurt. Sometimes Greek yogurt can provide a flavor that they are sensitive to.
- Alter it to their preferred thickness. Some people like thick ranch dressing, while others like it thinner. Adjust the sour cream/buttermilk ratio to be of a thickness they prefer.
LOWER CALORIE BUTTERMILK DRESSING FOR WW POINTS
- 1% or lowfat buttermilk is lower in both calories and WW points.
- Using nonfat, plain Greek yogurt will significantly lower the WW points and it has a lot more protein.
- Go heavy on the herbs! You'll get more "bang for your buck" when it comes to flavor.
WAYS TO USE HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING
HOMEMADE RANCH WITH BUTTERMILK DRESSING RECIPE
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup fresh dill or 1 ½ tablespoon dried
- ¼ cup fresh chives or 1 tablespoon dried
- ¼ cup fresh parsley or 1 tablespoon dried
- 2 cloves of garlic
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 1 ⅓ cup sour cream Greek yogurt or mayo can be substituted
Instructions
- Add all of your ingredients to a blender and pulse until mixed through.
- Enjoy with your favorite meal!
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