Garlic Ranch

Homemade buttermilk ranch with fresh herbs and lotsa garlic (it’s got some bite!). Super easy prep and ready in just five minutes. Naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.

My name is Jessica and I am a ranchaholic. For real though.

Ranch on pizza ✔️

Ranch on fries ✔️

Ranch on chicken wings ✔️

Ranch on veggies ✔️

Ranch on burgers and sandwiches ✔️

Buffalo Fried Pickles ✔️

and of course…..ranch on salads like this BBQ chicken bacon ranch salad ✔️

I could go on, but I think you get the picture. Anyway….

I’m a Midwest girl through and through. If you know anything about the Midwest, you may be aware we LOVE our ranch. As illustrated above, we put it on EVERYTHING.

And why wouldn’t we? It is so good!!!

Believe me when I tell you not all ranch dressings are created equally. There’s the nasty bottled stuff packed full of MSG and preservatives that sells for a buck or two, the refrigerated store-bought stuff (which is a step up), OR the homemade stuff.

Clearly the last option is the best of three. No doubt about it.

It is so incredibly easy to make, takes no longer than five minutes to prepare, and uses basic ingredients. And let’s not forget it’s also naturally gluten-free and vegetarian.

This garlic ranch is creamy, herbalicious, and a bit tangy. It’s loaded with fresh, raw garlic. So much so that it’s got a bit of a bite, especially after a day or two. Once the flavors have had time to meld it’s like BOOM. If you are a garlic lover, you will dig it. Your significant other, on the other hand, may not. Don’t let that stop you though.

So what do you need to make this ranch?

• Buttermilk: You’ve probably seen ranch dressing specifically labeled as “buttermilk ranch”, but traditionally ranch was made with buttermilk, so identifying it as such is actually redundant.
• Mayonnaise: Personally I’m not a big fan of overly “mayonniase-y” ranch dressings. I have found that it is necessary to incorporate some mayo to reach the ideal consistency, however.
• Sour cream
• Garlic
• Lemon juice: A little bit of acid to balance the flavor profile.
• Onion powder
• Salt & black pepper
• Fresh chives
• Fresh dill
• Fresh parsley

How do you make garlic ranch? (+ tips)

This may be the shortest how-to section I’ve written yet.

Use a blender or immersion blender to blend together all the ingredients aside from the fresh herbs.

Transfer mixture to a jar and stir in the herbs or cover and shake until combined.

How to store

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to one week. Freezing is not recommended as both mayonnaise and buttermilk have a tendency to separate when frozen.

If you make this garlic ranch I’d love your feedback. Please leave a comment and/or a rating below as I greatly value your opinion. Or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram @taoofspiceblog. Love, light, and happy cooking ya’ll ♥