One flavor many people miss when they drop unhealthy vegetable oils is creamy, tangy ranch dressing. I know I did. I still love the taste of a good ranch dressing recipe. But I cringe to remember how I’d put store-bought ranch dressing on almost every school lunch in high school. Adding vegetable oils and processed soy to more vegetable oils and processed soy…
Now that I prefer my food to have healthy, whole ingredients, I needed a grown-up version. An upgraded and healthier ranch dressing.
This easy real-food ranch dressing recipe doesn’t taste the same as the junk version. But it does have a creamy texture and the same type of flavor. If you have kids (or adults) who will eat anything with ranch, try this recipe!
It’s good for people focusing on eating more protein since it’s much higher in protein than traditional ranch. Plus it’s lower in total fat and you avoid the vegetable oils found in many ranch dressings.
Why Homemade Ranch Dressing?
Why take the time to make homemade dressing? I wasn’t thrilled to find my favorite condiment had some not-so-great ingredients like:
- Vegetable oils
- Sugar
- Soy
- Xanthan gum
- Modified food starch
- Artificial flavors
- Calcium disodium EDTA (as preservative)
- MSG
(Cringe.)
I go through some extra trouble (and money) to make sure our meats and produce are from the best sources we can afford. I don’t want to ruin them! This homemade ranch salad dressing avoids all these unhealthy ingredients. Plus it adds probiotics and protein with Greek yogurt.
Many people make protein ranch by mixing ranch packets into greek yogurt and a little mayo or milk. I’m not a fan of the ingredients in those ranch packets, though.
Ranch Recipe With Fresh Flavor
And honestly, the fresh flavor alone makes it worth it. This ranch dressing recipe doesn’t get its characteristic zip from “fake food” additives but from fresh herbs and spices. And all of their health benefits as a bonus. The best ranch
I use dried herbs like dill, parsley, and one teaspoon onion powder in my usual recipe. Making your own dressing also means you can mix up the flavors from time to time. Experiment and find your favorite variation. Also, check out some of my other easy recipes for salad dressings below.
Some people add mayonnaise or sour cream to their homemade ranch. I prefer the flavor without it but you can add 1/4 cup mayonnaise for a richer flavor that also tastes more like a traditional ranch.
If you want a buttermilk ranch dressing, then use buttermilk to thin when mixing instead of water. For a blue cheese version, add some blue cheese crumbles to the yogurt and herbs.
Fresh vs. Dried
I use dried herbs for this because it’s what I usually have on hand. When the fresh herbs from the garden are vibrant though, sometimes I’ll use those. If you want to use fresh herbs instead of dried ones, here’s how. Use 1 tablespoon fresh dill, 2 tablespoons fresh chives, and 1 tablespoon fresh parsley. You can also add some freshly ground black pepper if you have a grinder.
Ranch Dressing Recipe from Scratch
It may sound intimidating at first to make things like condiments and dressings from scratch, but the secret is simply a little practice. Soon, it feels like no work at all to whip up a dip or sauce that can be stored in the fridge and used on a whole variety of foods throughout the week. It helps keep meals interesting and makes fresh veggies more appealing to little ones.
It helps me to keep my list of staple ingredients in a meal planner (I use this one) so I can whip up ranch dressing at any time. (And it avoids a trip to the store… always a bonus!) In fact, if I have the ingredients around, my older kids can even make this recipe on their own.
Another helpful shortcut: Looking for a real-food alternative to those Hidden Valley ranch dressing packets featured in so many recipes? Check out this simple dry mix recipe that makes a great marinade, soup addition, or base for a dip.
Protein Ranch Dressing and Dip Recipe
Servings
Equipment
Ingredients
For ranch dip:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp dried dill
- 1 tsp dried chives
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 dash Worcestershire sauce (optional)
Additional ingredients for ranch dressing:
- Milk or water (just enough to thin to the right consistency)
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.
- If you're making ranch dressing, rather than dip, whisk in water or milk a little at a time until the consistency is right.
- Use immediately or refrigerate to let the flavors meld.
Nutrition
Notes
- Use cottage cheese instead of yogurt, pureeing the mixture in a blender or food processor
- For a richer flavor, use ¼ cup of mayonnaise and only ¾ cup of Greek yogurt
- Use fresh herbs instead of dry: 1 TBSP dill, 2 TBSP chives, 1 TBSP parsley
Like this recipe? Check out my new cookbook, or get all my recipes (over 500!) in a personalized weekly meal planner here!
Ranch Dressing Variations:
- Use 2 tsp of fresh herbs like dill, mint, or basil for alternate flavors.
- Use avocado instead of yogurt if you don’t tolerate dairy.
- Use Italian seasoning instead of dill and double the parmesan for a Caesar-like dressing.
My Favorite Salad Dressing Recipes:
- Creamy Caesar Dressing – The real-deal Caesar dressing (I would accept nothing less!) is made with pastured egg yolks for healthy fats and a creaminess that can’t be beat.
- Zesty Italian Dressing – white wine vinegar, thyme, basil, and olive oil… nothing artificial here!
- Tangy Greek Dressing – red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and oregano punch up the flavor in this homemade Greek dressing.
- Sweet Asian Dressing – Coconut aminos take the place of soy in this 5-ingredient recipe with sweet honey and spicy ginger. Or try this creamy coconut ginger version!
- Balsamic Vinaigrette – Garlic, dijon mustard, honey, and spices combine for a tangy addition to any salad.
- Green Goddess – Yogurt, fresh herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon salt combine for a simple, delicious dressing.
What’s your favorite way to use ranch dressing? Leave a comment and let me know!
I coom for a few shut ins in my church and some have to watch calories, carbs and potassium intake. Do you have any nutritional info on you recipes. They all look so good, but I want to be sure that my people I cook for get their nutritional needs met. I would not want to cause any harm to them.
Please read Katie’s remarks preceding the recipe of how her version is healthier than bottled ranch dressings. The ingredients are natural and wholesome with no added sugar, preservatives or other less healthful ingredients. That really is all the nutritional info you need.
Hi Jen, I’m not quite sure you understood the question. She’s asking about calories and what specific measurements of nutrients in the dip are. If someone is watching how much of a certain nutrient they are consuming due to a medical issue or something similar, then they really do need this information, not just reassurances that it is, in fact, healthy. To Tammy, the best I can say is that it’s different depending on the ingredients/swaps you make. Check the ingredients you use for nutritional information, then extrapolate it for the final product.
Great recipe! I bought Paul Newman’s Ranch at Grocery Outlet, not expecting much from a bottled dressing, and was blown away, but I know it’s not the healthiest option, so I was looking for a recipe. This is perfect, I had all the ingredients on hand, made today and already enjoyed my salad. I will be trying some of the reader hacks here also.
THANKS!
Hi, I really enjoy your site. This is not about your work, which is fine. I’ve tried to find another way to alert you to the fact that there is an “ad” that shows up in various places on your site that is selling some kind of skin treatment, called Aviqua in some cases, and Nuavive in others…it is a scam, according to my credit card issuer, so beware! Interestingly, every time I try to copy and print it, the ad magically reverts to what should have been there, ie, your cookbook ad, or one for ranch dressing, etc. Just a word to the wise that it seems some group is hacking into your site.
I don’t have total control over all the ads on the site, as I use a 3rd party to display them. Most of them are set to display items you’ve already viewed on other sites, which is probably why you’re seeing it here.
How much avacado would you use for this when subbing the yogurt? My son is on GAPS, and have been making him a ranch out of raw cashews ( which amazingly tastes fantastic), but is quite spendy. I would love a bit cheaper alternative!
I’d use the same amount as you would yogurt
Lovely recipe! I use this frequently with an added zing of honey and acv! And pepper, lots of pepper!
What kind of parmesan cheese are you using, as most packaged ones contain cellulose (basically, sawdust or ground up paper) for anti-caking properties?
Fresh grated parmesan
Thanks for the recipe. I wonder could one use nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan?
Delicious! Exactly what I have been looking for in a healthy homemade creamy dressing. My husband ALWAYS wants a salad whenever I make this dressing.
I follow the directions exactly and I use Greek yogurt.
To thin it out: blending it longer or using a thinner yogurt may help.
For a thicker consistency follow the instructions on emulsion and also let it refrigerate for an hour or two.
I hope that helps!
Hello, thank you for this post! How long does the ranch dressing last in fridge?
I make a ranch with kefir and homemade mayo (1 to 1 ratio) add salt and herbs to taste. Great way to get in healthy fats and probiotics over your veggies.
I made this with fresh basil and dill ( 1 tsp each ) and whole Greek yogurt. Came out great- I love it on both salad and as a dip. Mine was thin made in my mini food processor without adding thinners. Thanks!
This is so delicious and the best homemade ranch I’ve tried yet!! I was searching for a mayo free recipe bc I didn’t want to have to make any…. I ended up using half whole milk yogurt and half sour cream, part dill and part Italian seasoning, avocado oil instead of olive, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder bc I didn’t have a clove. I also added a splash of milk to make it more pourable but it was still thick enough to use as a dip as well.
Thanks for the great recipe, this is definitely my new go to ranch recipe!! 🙂
Excellent recipe! Here is my hack!
2 C Whole Milk Yoghurt
1/4 C EVOO
3 TBS Braggs ACV with the Mother 🙂
3 TBS Braggs nutritional yeast
2 TBS dry parsley
1 TBS dill
1 TSP dry mustard
1 TSP dry chili pepper flakes
1/2 TSP cumin
2 minced garlic cloves
2 minced scallions
Seasoning salt + pepper to taste!
A few tweaks and this is now my favorite! To this recipe I added the juice of 1 lemon, garlic powder instead of raw, 1/2 tsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and 3 tbs. caraway seeds. YUM!!
I was wondering if you could use something else besides olive oil, my son is allergic to it but I’m trying to find a good ranch dressing recipe for him like this one because he also has lot’s of other allergies. The oil would be the only replacement for is in this recipe
You might try avocado oil, perhaps?
I know this is an old post but, I must say, I’m a little surprised to see no one using buttermilk in their ranch dressing. I use a pretty classic mix of spices and herbs common in ranch dressing. I add those to a 1 to 1 ratio mix of mayonnaise (homemade) and buttermilk. Everyone loves it!! Even friends of mine that aren’t on the real food band wagon. They all say the same thing, it’s better then anything you buy at a store. This year I’m hoping to grow my own herbs and spices and drying them myself. I bet it will taste even better!
I believe it’s because this is suppose to be a healthier option. Buttermilk and mayo aren’t “healthy” options.
When I add the olive oil, do I put a bit in at a time & blend in the blender/food processor or do I take everything out of blender/food processor & whisk/spoon in a bit at a time?
Ive played around with this recipe quite a bit. Ive found it taste most like traditional ranch with the additions of bried basil & some onion & garlic powders along with the dill. I also add a tad bit of lemon juice & a sprinkle of raw sugar (or honey). The additional herbs & spices and the acid from the lemon and the sweetness from the sugar or honey really help to mellow out the yogurt & olive oil and make it taste more like a traditional ranch dressing. This is still so much more healthy than all the questionable ingredients in the bottled stuff. I make this all the time now! It does tend to separate in the fridge but a good shake of my jar and its well blended again.
I love your additions but could you give us an idea of the amounts of the additions? Thanks!
I must have done something wrong. It tasted like olive oil
Maybe try avocado oil instead. I love using avocado oil since there is really no flavor to it. I use it in all my baking in place of canola or other vegetable oils.
ThankU soooo much!!! This recipe is great! Ive been searching for salad dressings that dont have thickeners like carrigeenan or xanthan gum, because i have digestive issues that these things make worse. The only one i could find at the store was $6 for a 12 oz bottle! I found ur ranch recipe and it was with greek yogurt (no mayo!) And very basic and simple! I followed the recipe exactly and it was great! A lil thick for my salad so i just thinned it with a couple Tbls of water and it was perfect and tasted great!!!!! Maybe next time ill play with it some more and use some of the other readers suggestions, but this is fantastic! U have saved my salads!!!