This classic homemade ranch dressing recipe is the best ranch dressing you will ever taste! Creamy, tangy, and bursting with herbs, this ranch salad dressing will quickly become a family favorite.

Pouring ranch dressing over a salad.

A simple, made-from-scratchhomemade salad dressing will turn any salad into a delicious dish, bursting with flavor! We especially love this recipe in the spring and summer, when fresh vegetables and greens abound. 

This homemade ranch recipe is absolutely a game changer. The combination of sour cream and milk is a creamy base with the perfect consistency, and fresh ingredients make a huge difference.

Use this homemade version to top salads with sourdough croutons (or gluten-free croutons!). It is also a delicious dipping sauce. I’ve heard those in the South love ranch for French fries, fried chicken, and chicken nuggets. Us Midwesterners love it for dipping pizza!

The classic ranch flavor in this dressing is so much better than the bottled stuff! Skip the hidden valley ranch and whip up your own homemade ranch in no time with simple ingredients, minimal time, and bold flavor..

If you love making your own salad dressings, try some of my other favorite recipes – lemon vinaigrette, blueberry vinaigrette, or a simple honey mustard!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simply delicious – This homemade ranch dressing recipe is truly much more delicious than the store-bought stuff! You get all the delicious ranch taste but none of the added ingredients found in store-bought ranch.

Easy to make – No special equipment or fancy ingredients are need to make your own ranch – just a blender or medium bowl and whisk. This is a great recipe for kids to help because it’s so easy!

Customizable – Want more garlic flavor? Prefer to use plain greek yogurt? Like the taste of real buttermilk? Make the original recipe the first time. Then, switch those things out the next time!

Ingredients

Lemon juice, mayo, sour cream, spices, and more on a marble countertop.

Mayo – I love using homemade avocado oil mayo. You can use homemade mayo or store-bought jars, whichever you prefer.

Sour cream – I sometimes make my own sour cream. Store-bought will work well, too.

A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Want to save this recipe?
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Tools You May Need

Storage container – I like to use mason jars.

Mason jar straw lids – These are my favorite way to easily pour right from the mason jar lid.

Recipe Modifications and Variations

Buttermilk ranch dressing  Switch out the regular milk for buttermilk.

Mexican ranch dressing  Switch up the original dressing with this Tex-Mex inspired variation.

Kefir ranch dressing – One of my favorite homemade dressings, this kefir ranch is a delicious way to add beneficial bacteria to your favorite foods.

Homemade ranch dressing in a glass jar with a salad and a half of lemon in the background.

How to Make Ranch Dressing

Mayo, milk, sour cream, and spices in a bowl.

Step 1: Place all ingredients into a blender or bowl and combine until smooth and creamy.

Ranch dressing mixed in a bowl.

Step 2: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Tips

  • You can use dried herbs or fresh herbs. Whatever you have on hand will work great.
  • Use a bit less milk for a thicker ranch (or a thicker ranch dip) or a bit more for a thinner dressing.
  • If you have a basic Oster blender, you can just put the ingredients in a normal mouth mason jar, screw the blender base onto the jar itself, and blend it right in the mason jar.

Recipe FAQs

What is ranch dressing made of?

Ranch dressing can sometimes have a long ingredient list, but usually includes a creamy base of mayo, milk, and sour cream, plus dry herbs.  Like the best recipes I know, this one is simple and streamlined.

How to make ranch taste like restaurant?

The key is using good quality ingredients. A combination of parsley, onion, and garlic gives that restaurant ranch flavor.

How to make ranch sauce from scratch?

You simply blend up mayo, sour cream, milk, herbs, and lemon juice. The good news is that is it so easy to make from scratch and to your desired consistency. Any home cook can do it!  

How long will homemade ranch last?

This recipe is good when in the fridge for up to two weeks.

More Recipes from the Farmhouse

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you could come back and give it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.

Homemade Ranch Dressing

4.46 from 24 votes
Creamy, tangy, and bursting with herbs, this ranch salad dressing will quickly become a family favorite.
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings: 6
ranch dressing in a glass jar on a countertop.
Save this recipe!
Just enter your email and get it sent to your inbox! Plus you’ll get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients 

  • 1/4 cup mayo
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley , or 1 teaspoon fresh
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • cracked pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions 

  • Place ingredients into a blender or bowl and combine until smooth and creamy.
  • Store in container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Notes

  • You can use dried or fresh herbs. Whatever you have on hand will work great.
  • Use a bit less milk for a thicker ranch (or a thicker ranch dip) or a bit more for a thinner dressing.
  • If you have a basic Oster blender, you can just put the ingredients in a normal mouth mason jar, screw the blender base onto the jar itself, and blend it right in the mason jar.

Nutrition

Calories: 89kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 163mg | Potassium: 32mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 82IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.04mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

Sharing is caring!

4.46 from 24 votes (24 ratings without comment)

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




17 Comments

  1. Karen Williams says:

    You forgot the dill and buttermilk in the ranch dressing.