When I posted my Homemade Cool Ranch Doritos recipe a couple of weeks ago I mentioned using a homemade dry ranch dressing mix in the seasoning — and then discovered I never actually published that mix. So here it is: Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix.
We have a family tradition every Easter Sunday: the day before I bake a loaf shaped like a bunny. After church I hollow the bunny’s belly, set a bowl of ranch dip inside, and surround it with “bunny food” — carrot and celery sticks, broccoli and cauliflower florets, cucumber slices, olives (yes, in my world bunnies eat olives), green onions, and snow peas. The boys tear off pieces of the bread and eagerly dunk them and the vegetables in the ranch. It’s become a beloved ritual they look forward to more than their baskets.
I used to spend a surprising amount on store-bought ranch mix. Even the economical canisters add up when a family goes through a lot of ranch — I once caught a child trying to drink dressing through a straw. Since some of our relatives and friends have food sensitivities and still love ranch, I started developing a homemade version. Fresh-herb ranch is wonderful in summer, but winter makes fresh herbs expensive or unavailable. Plus my kids insist the dried-mix version tastes more like “real” ranch, so I created a shelf-stable dry mix that matches the commercial flavor without the additives.
The beauty of this Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix is convenience: a jar of mix sits ready in the pantry. When you want dressing, combine a cup of mayo, a cup of milk, and a few tablespoons of the mix, whisk, chill briefly, and you’re done. This recipe yields about two cups of mix that’s hard to distinguish from the store-bought counterpart.
This mix is versatile beyond salad dressing. Use it to make ranch dip, knead a little into bread dough for savory ranch bread (and croutons), season homemade Cool Ranch Doritos, or stir into sour cream for a baked potato topping. It’s a small pantry staple that dresses up many dishes.
Anyone for a salad?
Cook’s Notes:
- Dried buttermilk powder is the ingredient that may require a bit of searching. Check bulk-food stores, baking-supply shops, health-food stores, or specialty baking retailers. Buttermilk powder is useful in baked goods as well, so it’s handy to have on hand.
- If you don’t want visible herb flakes in the finished mix, pulse everything in a blender until very fine. I usually reserve about half the parsley to add back in so the mix looks like the commercial version my kids prefer, but both methods work.
- Store the dry mix in a tightly sealed container at cool room temperature in a dark cabinet. It keeps up to six months. If it clumps, break it up with a fork or shake the container before using.
Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
For the Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix:
- 1/3 cup dry buttermilk powder
- 3 tablespoons dried parsley flakes divided
- 2 ½ teaspoons granulated garlic
- 2 ½ teaspoons granulated onion
- 2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
- 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
- 2 teaspoons dried chives
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher or sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cracked or ground black pepper
For Dressing Made from the Mix:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix
Instructions
To Make the Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Mix:
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Place the buttermilk powder, 1 ½ tablespoons of the parsley flakes, granulated garlic and onion, onion flakes, dill weed, chives, salt, and pepper into a blender carafe. Pulse about 8–10 times until the onion flakes, parsley, and chives are broken down to a fine, almost powdered consistency similar to commercial ranch mix. Stir in the remaining parsley flakes, transfer the mixture to a jar with a tight-fitting lid, and store in a cool, dark cabinet for up to six months. Break up any clumps before using by shaking the jar or stirring with a fork.
To Make Buttermilk Ranch Dressing:
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Whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, and 3 tablespoons of the homemade mix until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Use within one week.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using the actual ingredients you use with your preferred nutrition calculator.
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