Simple Creamy Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Recipe for Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is a perfect creamy dressing for any combination of tossed greens. So easy to make and simple with fresh ingredients, you’ll never go back to store bought.

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is nothing like those mass produced bottles you grab off the shelf at the grocery store.

And this recipe is as wonderful in flavor as the famous packets of dry mix. By gathering buttermilk, mayonnaise and sour cream and mixing in your own dry seasoning, you have complete control over the sodium and homemade is devoid of any chemicals that make the dry packets shelf stable.

I call that a win-win.

We’ve been having a few warm days here in Denver, which felt like a perfect time to break out the Weber. Today’s dinner was inspired by Larry who just happened to be grilling chicken, so I dusted off my favorite recipe for BBQ Chicken made it to our table.

A side salad with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing sounded like a perfect dinner.

Sunshine and warm temperatures found us sipping wine and basking in sunshine on the back deck this past Saturday. Grilling was certainly in order.

We removed the cover from the Weber and broke a bottle of champagne over the cast iron hull, officially christening it for the season. Actually we didn’t really do that, what a mess it would have been to clean up.

What to serve with that grilled chicken? A salad piled high with cucumbers, orange bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes, of course. And it couldn’t have been more delicious with this creamy homemade ranch dressing.

I’m such a cheerleader for making homemade dressing rather than using bottled dressing.

Ingredients for this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe

Simple, fresh and oh-so creamy, let’s take a look

• Mayonnaise: Full fat please. And use your favorite brand.
• Sour Cream: Again, full fat. You’ll get a thicker and richer result.
• Buttermilk: Did you know you can freeze buttermilk. Whenever I purchase buttermilk for this dressing, or even for Coleslaw, I only use a small portion of the carton. I measure the rest into small canning jars and freeze. It works very well, you may need to shake it up a bit before using, as it can separate.
• Garlic: Use fresh garlic please. And use a microplane zester to grate it into the the dressing ingredients. This will help distribute that wonderful garlicky flavor.
• Plain Old White Vinegar: No need to get fancy with the vinegar for this recipe. Although I have been known to use white wine vinegar to add a fruity accent.
• Fresh Chives: Chives are wonderful for adding a mild onion flavor to this recipe. Just use scissors to cut the pieces very small.
• Fresh Parsley: Use Italian Flat Leaf Parsley for this recipe. For a clean, slightly peppery taste, you’ll be glad you chose it over the curly variety. Which actually makes a better garnish along side your burger than for flavor in any recipe.
• Fresh Dill: A fresh buttery herb, using fresh dill will add a grassy flavor with notes of anise and lemon. Use dried dill if you don’t have access to fresh.

And the best part of all? Just place everything in a bowl and with a whisk, blend the ingredients.

I like to let this dressing sit in the refrigerator for about an hour so the flavors marry, but it’s not a deal breaker if you don’t.

How long does ranch dressing keep? Storing ranch dressing in the refrigerator, covered, the dressing will last 5 days. I have no trouble using it around the 1-week mark.

Ways to use Ranch Dressing

It’s not just a salad dressing after all:

• Use as a dip for celery sticks, carrots or anything that happen to land on your crudites platter.
• Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is a great dip for those spicy chicken wings.
• Slather it over your next piece of grilled salmon. Just spread it over the fish as you toss it on the grill.
• Making a quick lunch of chicken avocado wraps – use buttermilk ranch dressing to jazz it up.
• Next time you’re grilling corn, drizzle ranch dressing over the corn once it’s cooked. It’s also wonderful drizzled over grilled new potatoes.
• And speaking of potatoes, try dipping your Oven Home Fries into ranch dressing. Fabulous

Recipe for Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

I’ve had this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe for years. I couldn’t begin to tell you where I found it.

It’s fresh and crisp, cool and creamy, with flavor and easy to make. And it’s minus the preservatives and those ingredients that are impossible to pronounce.

More Homemade Dressing Recipes

• Red Chile Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
• Creamiest Blue Cheese Dressing
• Homemade Catalina Dressing
• Creamy Poppyseed Dressing

And if you’re looking for even more, don’t miss my Salad and Salad Dressings Category. You’ll find lots of delicious recipes, including the most popular on my site for Ina Garten’s Creamy Mustard Vinaigrette.

Recipe for Buttermilk Ranch Dressing …It’s What’s For a Salad