This homemade ranch dressing recipe is so easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought!
Mayonnaise, sour cream, and a handful of herbs and seasonings are all you need to make your own ranch dressing that has a fresh bright flavor.

Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Tangy, creamy, and filled with garden-fresh flavors, this homemade ranch dressing recipe is endlessly versatile!
- Ranch Dressing: Everyone’s Favorite Flavor!
- Once you know the ratios for ranch dressing, you can whip up as little or as much as you need anytime!
- Preservative, sugar-free, and gluten-free, this recipe is a cleaner option than Hidden Valley Ranch bottled or powdered mixes.
Ingredients Tips For Ranch Dressing
- Mayonnaise: Mayonnaise is the base for this recipe. Lighter versions of mayonnaise can be used, but it will change the flavor as the fat is often replaced with sugar.
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds a bit of tang—it can be replaced with Greek yogurt.
- Seasonings: Onion powder and garlic powder add the base of flavor to this dressing.
- Herbs: This recipe can be made with either fresh or dried herbs. I like to use fresh if possible, but dried herbs make this an easy anytime kind of dressing.
Variations: Ranch dressing is so easy to customize! For a pop of nutrition, turn it into avocado ranch or chipotle ranch for a zesty version. Bacon crumbles turn up the flavor. For a tangier kick, try a splash of pickle juice or chopped jalapenos from a jar.
How to Make Ranch Dressing
- Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl except milk (full recipe below).
- Add milk a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
Chill for 30 minutes before using.
Ways to Use Ranch
Ranch dressing is a favorite float, and the sky’s the limit to the ways to use it!
- It’s a delicious dressing for a tossed salad of course!
- Drizzle homemade ranch dressing over roasted potatoes.
- Use it as a creamy dressing for a bacon ranch pasta salad.
- Turn dressing into a dipping sauce for chips or veggies by omitting the milk or buttermilk, and use it for chicken wings, jalapeno poppers, or as a dip for pizza crusts.
Storage
Keep leftover ranch dressing in a tightly covered cruet or jar in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Check the expiration date on your dairy ingredients as a guide.
More Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes
Did you make this homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe? Leave a comment and a rating below!
Ranch Dressing Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon dried chives or 1 tablespoon fresh
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh
- ½ teaspoon dried dill or 2 teaspoons fresh
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup milk or buttermilk, or as needed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, and salt.
- Add milk or buttermilk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach the desired consistency. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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Awesome recipe, exactly why I search Spend with Pennies’ page when I want to try a new recipe! Easy to make and perfectly balanced. Another hit!
I’ve had this recipe for a while, but had extra buttermilk from marinating chicken, and made this with the extra. I’m a ranch everything fan and this is absolutely delicious.
Yay! So happy you loved this dressing, Jason!
How much of the homemade ranch seasoning should I use in this recipe?
Hi Mitchell, to make dressing using homemade ranch seasoning we recommend using the recipe in the homemade ranch seasoning recipe. I hope that helps!
What can you use in place of chives. Thanks Fiona
You can leave them out and while it will change the flavor it will still be delicious!
Definitely a keeper!
I’m new here but glad I came across to your site . I must spend a hour a day looking through the recipes . I enjoy it very much and plan on making more of your recipes . This Ranch dressing is very best I have ever made and so simple. Thank you for welcoming me here and thank you for your site . And Oh’ , the article on air fryers … wow , you explained it very well . Thank you again .
Thank you so much for the kind words Peggy, this made my day! I am so glad you are enjoying all the recipes ❤️
Best ranch dressing ever!
I am so happy to hear you love this dressing as much as I do Marion!
This was amazing! I have an MSG sensitivity that’s put in most ranch dressings, so it is nice to find something that I can have. I used it as dip for a veggie tray yesterday and everyone loved it. Super easy to make, I will continue to use this recipe.
Very good
Best ranch dressing ever! I don’t even like the store made ranch dressing, but this one is perfect! I add a little extra dill and herbs for extra punch. Simply devine!
So glad you loved it Amanda, it’s my all time favorite dressing too!
Hi. You mentioned lemon juice but not how much. Does lemon curdle milk based products?
Thanks!
I add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice if I am adding it. I would use it to make a make shift buttermilk and then add it and have had no issues with it curdling. Enjoy!
How long can this be refrigerated?
Hi Margaret, this dressing should be immediately refrigerated and kept for only 2-3 days.
I want to make this dressing, but I’m the only one in my house that uses Ranch dressing, so I’m wondering how long I can keep it in the fridge. Thanks!
As mentioned in the post, Homemade Ranch Dressing will keep in the refrigerator as long as your dairy is good. Check the dates on your sour cream and milk so you know how long you can keep the dressing. It must be stored in the fridge because of the sour cream, mayo and milk mixture (and it doesn’t freeze well). If using fresh garlic, this dressing will only last 2-3 days and must be stored in the refrigerator.
Love all your recipes. Simple and delicious. Good food doesn’t need to be complicated.
It’s great to hear you enjoy our recipes!
Absolutely love this dressing, never lasts long in my house. Use for salad, wings, baked potatoes, steak fries, hamburgers, I’m a huge fan of ranch. Made this numerous times. Thanks AGAIN Holly for all of your amazing recipes.
Thank you so much, Traci! ♥️ So happy you enjoyed it.
can you use this for wings or do you have to thin it down.
It’s perfect for chicken wings Diane!
We love homemade dressings and whiskey looks delicious!
Glad you enjoyed it Lisa!
This is delicious! The ONLY negative I can say is that I might cut back to just 1 T of lemon juice. I could kind of get the twang from it a tad more than I like but other than that this is the best homemade I’ve had! I prefer it over the packet mixes because of the sodium content. Will def make again!