Homemade Ranch Dressing (Gluten Free, Easy)

Homemade Ranch Dressing that is super easy to prepare and can be whisked together in under five minutes. Fresh, flavorful and perfect on salads, veggies and so much more. Gluten Free, Easy, Kid friendly, Makaela approved.

 

And if you’re a big fan of ranch dressing then you really need to start making this stuff yourself…

SERIOUSLY… it couldn’t be any easier.

Especially since you only need a handful of ingredients including a few spices which I personally always have on hand.

So let me start by saying I haven’t had ranch dressing in years till now…..

And maybe that’s because I’ve always considered it as more of a dip than salad topping.

For salads my go to has always been the simple oil and vinegar based dressings.

But on the other hand my granddaughter Makaela❤ just happens to love the stuff…

And not on salads but as a dip for carrots and her beloved kid friendly foods such as pizza rolls.

So since she’s been visiting with us the past two weeks during her summer break, we decided to create our own version of homemade ranch.

Ya know, without all the unnecessary junk you sometimes find in the store bought varieties.

Plus I could also easily convince her to eat more veggies with ranch dressing on the side… 

And we also wanted to make some of this healthier Watermelon Lemonade to help keep us hydrated during this heat wave we were experiencing last week….

This was a recipe she helped with last year while visiting.

Hence I’m always trying to teach her how to make healthier food choices. 😉

How to make Homemade Ranch Dressing:

It’s really pretty simple… just add all your ingredients to a bowl and whisk together.

Store in an airtight jar in the fridge until ready to serve.

Allow at least 30 minutes for flavors to blend prior to serving…..

Personally I think it’s better after several hours so if you can make it ahead I would suggest that for optimal flavor.

 

 

 

What’s needed for Homemade Ranch Dressing:

• Mayo
• Sour Cream
• Whole milk or Half & Half Cream
• Lemon Juice
• Spices
• optional: fresh chives

 

Why buttermilk is not necessary in this dressing:

Well personally I don’t use a lot of buttermilk… as a matter of fact almost never. 🤔

So to buy that and have it sitting in the fridge seems like a big waste for me.

But you can actually get the same tangy ranch flavor with a little bit of lemon juice.

 

 

I even got Makaela to eat broccoli with this dressing and “she claimed” she doesn’t like broccoli.

So anywho… at least we got that on record. A good way to get kiddos to eat broccoli. 

Tips for making the best Ranch Dressing:

Always use a good quality mayonnaise… one your family really loves.

Use full fat sour cream- you want it thick and creamy.

Make sure to use fresh squeezed lemon juice… no bottled juice for this.

Taste for seasoning after it’s had a chance to blend in the fridge.

You can easily adjust the salt, pepper or anything else at this point.

And if you like it thinner you can add a little bit of milk at a time or thicker a little more mayo.

 

 

 

Other dips to try:

Jalapeno Cheese Dip

Caramelized Onion Dip

Easy Warm Bean Dip

Warm Creamy Spinach Dip

 

AND IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE PLEASE BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW…..

I’d love to hear if you make this & how you like it. Plus please be sure to include a star  rating

 

 

Until next time- xoxo