Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing with Fresh Herbs
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Whisk buttermilk, sour cream and mayonnaise with grated garlic and so many fresh herbs that it comes out flecked with green. Give it half an hour in the fridge, then thin it for salad or leave it thick for dipping.
The short version
Whisk buttermilk, sour cream and mayonnaise with grated garlic, lemon juice and a lot of fresh herbs. Season, then chill for at least 30 minutes. Thin it for salad, or leave it thick for a dip.
What makes ours better
the tricks Nonna pretends she never taught me
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Use sour cream and mayonnaise. Mayonnaise brings richness and body; sour cream brings tang. Together they give a dressing that clings to lettuce and wings instead of sliding off.
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Grate the garlic and use three herbs. Grated garlic melts into the dressing with no bites of raw garlic, and chives, parsley and dill taste like ranch without a packet.
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Add a little Dijon and onion powder. Dijon gives it a subtle backbone, and onion powder gives the savory depth fresh chives alone can't.
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Let it rest. Garlic and herbs need about 30 minutes to flavor the cream, and the dressing thickens as it chills.
What you need
the cast, in order of appearance
- Buttermilk½ cup
- Sour cream⅓ cup
- Mayonnaise⅓ cup
- Garlic1 clove
- Dijon mustard½ teaspoon
- Minced fresh chives1 tablespoon
read it twice. buy it once.
Steps
nobody opens the oven door. looking at you, Dad.
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Mince the herbs
Finely mince the chives, parsley and dill. Grate the garlic on a rasp grater or mash it to a paste with a pinch of the salt.
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Whisk the base
In a medium bowl, whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, Dijon and onion powder until smooth.
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Stream in the buttermilk
Whisk in the buttermilk a splash at a time until the dressing is smooth and pourable.
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Add the herbs
Stir in the herbs, then the salt, pepper and hot sauce, if using.
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Chill and taste
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Taste, then add salt or lemon juice if needed. The dressing thickens as it chills; whisk in a spoonful of buttermilk to loosen it.
Taste after chilling, not before. Cold dulls salt, and the garlic gets stronger as it sits.
About 30 min. Cook mode has a timer for this step.
Good to know
things I learned the hard way, so you can skip that part
- For a dip, use only ¼ cup buttermilk, so it holds on a carrot stick. For a thin salad dressing, use up to ¾ cup.
- Fresh herbs make the flavor. If you only have dried, use 1 teaspoon each of dried parsley and dill and 1 tablespoon of fresh chives, and let it sit an hour.
- Reduced-fat sour cream and mayonnaise make a thin, dull dressing. Use full-fat.
- Don't have buttermilk? Stir 1 teaspoon of lemon juice into ½ cup of milk and let it sit 5 minutes.
- Storage. Refrigerate in a jar for up to 1 week. Shake before using; it doesn't freeze well.
Questions, answered
the questions my cousins text me
Can I make ranch without buttermilk?
Yes. Stir a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar into ½ cup of whole milk, wait 5 minutes, and use it as you would buttermilk. Thick plain yogurt thinned with milk works too.
Why is my homemade ranch runny?
Too much buttermilk. Whisk in a spoonful of sour cream or mayonnaise. It will also thicken a little as it chills.
How do I make ranch dip instead of dressing?
Cut the buttermilk to ¼ cup, or leave it out and add a few more spoonfuls of sour cream.
How long does homemade ranch last?
Up to 1 week in the fridge in a covered jar. Smell it first; if it tastes sour or off, toss it.
Can I use dried herbs?
Yes, but fresh is better. Use about a third as much dried as fresh, and let the dressing sit for an hour so they soften.
Can I use Greek yogurt?
Yes, in place of the sour cream. The dressing will be tangier and a little lighter.
From the table
Made it? Tell me everything. Especially if somebody said it was better than their mother’s. I’ll keep your secret.
Made it?
be honest. I can take it. probably.
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Published October 29, 2026.