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Home » Soups & Salads » Salad Dressing Recipes

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Oct 23, 2018 · 9 Comments

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This is the best homemade buttermilk ranch dressing recipe, period. The best that I’ve ever tried, that’s for sure. I am not a big ranch dressing fan but this one really tickled my taste buds. I love its taste.

A grey speckled bowl filled with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing, with a spoon inside and fried tomatoes arranged around it.

With what you can use this ranch dressing

It’s super versatile too and is good as a dressing for salads as well as a dipping sauce for fried, roasted and grilled meats and vegetables. Try it with fried green tomatoes, you will love it.

You can also use it as a sauce for chicken sandwiches. I've also had success serving it with my roasted vegetables, fried eggplant and fried green tomatoes. I’ve also used this ranch dressing as a dip for my extra crispy Buffalo wings,  air fryer French fries and more. The options are limitless and it never ceases to amaze me. It’s so good!

How is this ranch dressing different?

I find many ranch dressing sauces to be a little overpowering, perhaps a little too fatty, and a little too zesty. This ranch dressing is different. It’s perfectly balanced. It’s good at complementing in the most subtle way, enhancing food flavor without taking anything away or overpowering it. I first tried it at Dinosaur BBQ in Buffalo, NY and loved it. Needless to say, this recipe is the adaptation of their recipe with some tweaks. It's the best! You can find the original one in their  Dinosaur BBQ’s cookbook.

A bowl of ranch dressing next to fried green tomatoes.

While being subtle, it has a robust flavor with many different components to tickle your taste buds in different ways. It has a slight kick from the cayenne pepper, a little bit of brightness from the red wine vinegar and a slight pungency coming from the fresh garlic and chives.

Tips to make this buttermilk ranch dressing taste its best

For optimum results, try using the best quality mayonnaise and buttermilk you can find. Better yet, try using kefir in place of buttermilk, I like it a lot and to me it tastes better that way.

Variations

If you like Greek yogurt, try substituting kefir/buttermilk with a cup of yogurt. The ranch dressing will be a little thicker, which works very well when using on grilled meats. Or, go with a 50/50 mix of buttermilk and sour cream in place of kefir. Finally, you can also try and substitute kefir/buttermilk with 3/4 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup heavy cream for a creamier ranch version.

Finally, every time I make this ranch dressing it’s never enough. It just quickly disappears. Keep that in mind and keep the ingredients ready to whip up more if needed. Better yet, double the recipe if you expect a company and want everything to go without a hiccup.

Ranch salad dressing in a bowl.

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Prep Time 10 minutes Total Time 10 minutes Servings 2 1/2 cups
5 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: seasoning, southern seasonings
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes minutes
Calories:
Author: Victor

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups mayonnaise
  • 1 cup plain kefir (or buttermilk)
  • 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 2 tsp minced garlic
  • ¼ cup finely chopped chives
  • 1 Tbsp lemon pepper
  • ¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/4 tsp sweet paprika
  • A pinch granulated onion
  • A pinch cayenne pepper
  • A pinch dried oregano

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together.
  • Place in an airtight container and store in a fridge until needed.

 

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    Recipe Rating




     

  1. Karen says

    October 08, 2023 at 3:56 am

    5 stars
    Wonderful!

    Reply
    • victor says

      October 13, 2023 at 1:14 pm

      Glad to hear it, Karen. Enjoy!

      Reply
  2. Karen says

    October 08, 2023 at 3:55 am

    5 stars
    Wonderful!

    Reply
  3. Donna Jo says

    March 18, 2019 at 8:55 am

    Hi there, sounds yummy. Wondering about mention of Dinosaur BBQ. Are they anyplace other than Syracuse, NY?

    Reply
    • victor says

      March 18, 2019 at 5:36 pm

      I visit their location in Buffalo, NY. I think there is also one in NYC.

      Reply
  4. Sue says

    March 04, 2019 at 3:41 pm

    How long does this last refrigerated?

    Reply
    • victor says

      March 04, 2019 at 10:05 pm

      One week without any problem or noticeable taste loss.

      Reply
  5. Dina says

    January 28, 2019 at 3:18 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I’ve found my new favorite ranch dressing. The only substitution I had to make was apple cider vinegar instead of red wine vinegar and it turned out great. I also added about a tablespoon of chopped fresh dill. I really think the Parmesan gives it good flavor and texture. This is a keeper!

    Reply
    • victor says

      January 28, 2019 at 3:39 pm

      Thanks for the feedback, Dina. Glad you liked the recipe. Dill sounds great, I like it a lot. I do find that many people don't though, unless it's in a jar of pickles;-)

      Reply

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Hi, I am Victor and welcome to my blog dedicated to simple and delicious everyday food... Read more...

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