
This one’s for my friend Peg. Peg bakes magnificent bread and sells it at our farmers’ market in Angelica, New York. Last Saturday she pointed a baguette at me and said, “Rebecca, you need to do Ranch dressing. Soon.” When someone brandishes bread at me, I listen.
Peg wasn’t wrong. I’d been thinking Foodie With Family needed more salad dressings, and it’s prime season for big green salads. Ranch is also perfect for dunking — carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, breadsticks, and chicken wings all benefit from a good Ranch. So this is my case for making Ranch at home instead of relying on packets or bottled varieties.

Ranch isn’t complicated: at its core it’s a tangy buttermilk base enriched with sour cream and mayonnaise and loaded with fresh herbs. Fresh herbs taste brighter and more vibrant than dried, so why settle for dried ones in your dressing? This Independence Day, declare a Ranch revolution: herby, garlicky, tangy, creamy, and unmistakably homemade.
Serve pitchers of this at parties, bowls for dipping on a buffet, or jars in the fridge for salads all week. Celebrate your freedom from packets and bottled dressing — and let Peg lead the charge with her baguette.
Fabulous Homemade Ranch Dressing
Rebecca Lindamood
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups cultured buttermilk homemade or storebought
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup packed, finely chopped dill
- 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley flat-leaf or curly
- 1/4 cup finely chopped chives or green parts of scallions
- 3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
- 1 large clove garlic peeled and finely minced or pressed (or 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic)
- 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a mixing bowl, whisk all ingredients together until smooth. Transfer to a jar or pitcher, cover tightly, and refrigerate. The dressing will keep for up to 10 days.
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the exact ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.
Did you make this recipe?
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