In Condiments, Recipes
DIY Ranch Seasoning and Ranch Dressing Header Image

DIY Ranch Seasoning

The perfect mix for dressings, dips and seasoning!

Doesn’t everything taste better with ranch? Salad! Carrots! Celery! Pizza!… Cake!…OK, so maybe not cake, but that may be the only thing!

This is, hands down, our favorite homemade ranch recipe we have EVER tried (and I’ve made a lot…my kiddos love them some ranch dippers!).

Back in my high-school days, I worked at a local pizza parlor that had the best tasting ranch known to man. I used to make batches of it by the garbage can full using a whisk the size of my arm (true story!). I don’t recall the ingredients used in that ranch, but I do remember dumping gallons of mayo and buttermilk into the mix. Probably why my favorite base for the following recipe is homemade mayonnaise and buttermilk!

I mix up a 2 cup batch of the dry mix and store it in a mason jar in the pantry. Then, whenever we need some dressing, I can whip up a batch in no time with whatever base ingredients we have on hand. The best part is, it’s totally customizable (did I just make that word up?)! If we want it as a dip, I’ll add more mayo or sour cream and less milk. If it’s for salad dressing, more milk, less mayo (or I’ll use milk kefir or yogurt for a probiotic salad dressing…even better!).

On to the recipe…

Ranch Seasoning Recipe

Ranch Seasoning in a jar

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup dried parsley
  • 1/3 cup dried dill
  • 1/3 cup garlic powder
  • 1/3 cup onion powder
  • 1/4 cup dried basil
  • 1/4 cup pepper
  • 2-3 tsp salt (or to taste)

Details

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: appx. 2 cups dry seasoning

Directions

Measure out and mix all ingredients into a large bowl. Stir with a whisk and store in an airtight container.

You can make ranch dressing or dip with the following combinations, adding 1 tablespoon of dry ranch seasoning. Try each variation until you find your family’s favorite!

  • 1/3 cup yogurt and ¼ cup milk
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream and 1-2 tablespoons of milk or buttermilk
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1-2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • TIP: If you’re looking for more of a “dip” consistency, mix the milk in last and only add enough until desired thickness is obtained. For a thinner dressing, add more milk to your preference (dip tends to thicken as it sits, so whip up your dip/dressing ahead of time, and thin with milk as needed).

These are just some basic guidelines. Once you get the hang of making ranch you can use just about anything creamy in your fridge. We’ve used homemade cashew milk, cream or half and half instead of milk, kefir instead of yogurt, apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice and avocado oil instead of olive oil. Get creative and let us know your favorite combinations in the comments below!

For a killer avocado ranch dressing/dip recipe, you might want to check out our 14-Day Meal Plan! It’s outta this world!

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do…having this dry seasoning on hand keeps me from grabbing a bottle of chemical laden ranch from the grocery store, not to mention saves money, keeping those dollars in my wallet!

Pin It Image
Ranch Seasoning Pin
Recommended Posts
Showing 14 comments
  • Avatar
    Meghan
    Reply

    What kind of mayo do you use

  • Avatar
    Emily @ Recipes to Nourish
    Reply

    Homemade is the best! I want to make some ranch dressing now!

  • Avatar
    Beth
    Reply

    I make my own garlic and onion powder and can grow my own spices so this gets even better for me!!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      So awesome Beth! I want to be more efficient with my garden this year growing spices to dehydrate and use as well! Talk about cutting the costs even more! LOVE IT! I’m hoping I can do an herb garden on my deck this year…just hoping the dog and the toddler stay out of it! 🙂

  • Avatar
    Beth
    Reply

    How do you think this would do with just mayo? I can’t have any dairy

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Beth, should work just fine…I have actually done this before when I thought I had yogurt/sour cream in the fridge and started whipping up a batch of ranch! I just used mayo and thinned it out with water…it was still delicious! I’m not sure you can go wrong with this recipe…at least, we have yet to!

      • Avatar
        Beth
        Reply

        Great thanks!! I’ll make some mayo and give it a try! You could try hanging your herbs to keep them out of reach. Like hanging baskets or even a topsy turvy. I have to blockade the floating deck over the carport this year because the my dear Ellie made her way up there over the winter to eat what I didn’t get put away!!! Then she moseyed on over to the front porch and helped herself to some of the cat food!! And to top it all off a few days later she brought friends!!!! Naughty deer…but we love her!

  • Avatar
    Betsy
    Reply

    Can’t wait to try this recipe! Thank you!

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Hope you love it as much as we do! It’s fun figuring out what your favorite “base” for the ranch is! Sometimes we just mix it in with all yogurt and call it good!

  • Avatar
    Tracey
    Reply

    FYI I’ve never compared the prices but at super1 (for the locals) you can order their bulk organic spices too instead of filling them up into those baggies that they offer. Hope that makes sense:)

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Great tip! I’ll have to compare the prices with Azure to see if they’re cheaper! Thanks!

  • Avatar
    Tammy
    Reply

    is it seriously that simple??? I have all the ingredients in my cupboard…. so simple… once again, I should have done this YEARS ago! of course I will have to buy larger amounts of the ingredients, where do you purchase your bulk spices?

    • Kelsey Steffen
      Kelsey Steffen
      Reply

      Yes, it’s seriously that simple! As many things are, I’m finding out! Much better for you without the anti-caking agents or MSG as well. I buy my organic spices from Azure or Amazon. Mountain Rose Herbs is good, but tend to be a bit more pricey.

Leave a Comment

shares