Homemade Ranch Dressing Recipe: Healthy, Delicious, and Simple (2024)

FAQs

What is a healthier alternative to ranch? ›

Greek yogurt ranch

Versatile, creamy, and delicious, ranch dressing is one of the most popular salad dressings available. In this homemade alternative, Greek yogurt gives a healthy twist to this tasty condiment. This version works well as a dipping sauce or dressing.

If you don't have time or inclination to make your dressing from scratch, but you want that elevated restaurant-style ranch, think about zhuzhing up the bottled version with things like finely chopped shallot or scallion, a clove of minced fresh garlic, a splash of buttermilk or dollop of sour cream if you have them ...

This Homemade Ranch Dressing recipe is fast, flavorful, and very easy! With options to use light mayo and yogurt, it is healthier than store-bought and packed with protein. It's a refreshing way to enjoy salads, fresh veggies, and more!

And at the top of that list? Caesar dressing. Made up of mayonnaise, cheese, salt and oil (and all too often, anchovies), Caesar tends to be one of the least healthy options out there. Those ingredients cause it to be high in both saturated fats and sodium.

Oil and vinegar.

“This is a great option, because it won't have any added sugar or salt,” says Allers. “But the type of oil is important. Opt for olive or avocado oil over an alternative like canola or soybean oil.” These healthy oils are packed with antioxidants, and can even help lower cholesterol.

If you like creamier dressings, don't worry about cutting them out of your diet. While they are more caloric, using them in moderation—no, you shouldn't drench your salad in ranch, but there's no harm in sticking to the two-tablespoon serving size— is a great way to make salads and vegetables tastier.

Below are the results of the nutritional comparison. As you can see, peanut butter is lower in fat, sodium, and higher in protein. I also love that you can out out a mixed tray with fruit and veggies when you are serving peanut butter. Ranch is only good on veggies.

The secret that many restaurants have up their sleeves is seasoning mix. Well-known brands make dry counterparts to their bottled ranch that encapsulate all the flavors, including powdered buttermilk, with none of the additives and oils.

The difference is dairy

The dry ingredients in ranch dressing are pretty much the same across the board: salt, herbs, and powdered buttermilk, per Mel. When you make the famous dressing from a packet, you add fresh dairy products, including mayonnaise, milk, and/or sometimes buttermilk or sour cream.

How long does homemade ranch last? ›

Stored in a well-sealed container in the fridge (assuming you began with fresh sour cream and buttermilk) your buttermilk ranch dressing should keep for up to two weeks. Help it stay fresh by not dipping anything directly into the container that you're storing it in—for example, a half-bitten carrot.

It's so quick, simple, inexpensive, and tastes way better than bottled store-bought dressings or dry packet mixes. This recipe works great as a buttermilk ranch salad dressing or as a ranch dip for veggies and Buffalo Chicken Wings. If you love the flavor of restaurant ranch, this homemade ranch dressing is a must-try.

While many restaurants use mass produced ranch mix, they often add it to a higher-quality base. This might include milk, buttermilk, sour cream, or mayonnaise. So when you notice that the ranch in a restaurant tastes better than the bottled dressing from the store, what you're really tasting is delicious, creamy fat.

You'll be putting your cardiovascular health at risk.

Ranch dressing contains 320 milligrams of sodium in a two-tablespoon serving. Eating this much sodium on a regular basis could lead to heart health issues like high blood pressure and increased risk of heart disease.

Hidden Valley's ranch dressing is high in sodium due in part to the cheddar, Parmesan, Romano and jack cheeses it contains. There are also over 20 ingredients in this dressing, many of which are preservatives. Best to save this one for a special occasion.

Ranch is high in sodium

Too much sodium can be detrimental to your health, leading to high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. While salt is necessary for your health, you only need about 500 milligrams a day. That's less than two servings of the typical ranch dressing, which contains 520 milligrams of sodium.

Traditional ranch is made from sour cream, mayonnaise, dried herbs (usually dill, parsley, and chives), garlic powder, and onion powder. Buttermilk versions have, as you guessed, the addition of buttermilk and tend to be a bit thinner.

Legumes are famously protein powerhouses. Plus, eating hummus can be a great way to eat more veggies. Use it as a creamy dip or top a salad with your favorite flavor. Hummus is a healthy alternative to dips like ranch.