Ranch dressing was one of my first condiment loves (after ketchup, or course) but I had to break up with the store bought version long ago when I found out that it was hiding things from me, mainly:

Vegetable oils
Sugar
Soy
Xanthan Gum
Modified Food Starch
Artificial Flavors
Calcium Disodium EDTA as Preservative
MSG

Seemed pretty counterintuitive to make a healthy salad and then top it with that list of junk. I found a great alternative to regular ranch dressing (here’s the recipe), but I wanted an alternative to the ranch dressing mix I often used on chicken, roasted vegetables and other dishes.

A Better Ranch Mix

The ingredient list for that one was even more scary than the bottled ranch dressing and I figured I could make a better real-food option. This was the result and it is lovely. We keep a jar in the cabinet for use on veggies, eggs, chicken or to make dip.

I order all of the ingredients in bulk so I can whip it up whenever we need it. This way, I can also make any other spices we need any time we need them. You can find my other homemade spice blend recipes here.

Some Things Don’t Change

This ranch mix and ranch dressing are part of our regular meal rotation. I keep the powder pre-made and always add the other ingredients to my Real Plans Shopping List so I can whip up a quick batch whenever we need one.

I’ve noticed that so many things in life have changed since my childhood, but love of Ranch dressing seems to be a consistent part of childhood. I just love that I can give my kids a healthier (and more delicious) version these days!

Real Food Ranch Dressing Powder Mix Recipe - Wellness Mama

3 votes

Healthy Ranch Dressing Mix Recipe

Author Wellness Mama

Homemade dry ranch dressing mix to use in place of store bought ranch packets in dips, meat dishes and on roasted vegetables.

Ingredients

1/4 cup dried Parsley leaf
1 Tablespoon Dill weed
1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
1 tablespoon Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Basil leaf (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

Mix all ingredients together in jar or food processor.
Store in an airtight container.
To make into Ranch Dressing, mix 1 Tablespoon of this mix with 1/3 cup homemade mayo or Greek Yogurt and 1/4 cup Coconut Milk.

Courses Spice

Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!

I never thought I could give up ranch dressing (or thought I would want to) but I now like the real food version much better. What I thought was going to be one of the worst/toughest parts of switching to healthy, real food actually became one of the best.

What are the worst and best parts of switching to a healthier lifestyle for you?