Ranch Seasoning

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Ranch Seasoning adds that tangy, fresh herb flavor of Ranch Dressing to any dish without the need for a creamy base. Rub it on grilled or roasted meats, toss it with potatoes or other vegetables for a side dish that kids and adults will love, whisk it into Greek yogurt for a lighter dip for chips. 

overhead image of Ranch Seasoning in a small white ramekin

Ranch Salad Dressing is so addictive that it seems to show up everywhere. In college we dipped pizza crusts into ranch dressing – creating a combination so undeniably delicious that Frank and I may have recently picked the habit back up with orders from our local pizza place. I consider it a significant parenting oversight that a few months ago my 5-year-old told me she had “discovered” carrots dipped in ranch. She’d never had it before!

Keep reading to learn how to make this easy seasoning at home.

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Thanks to learning how to DIY this tangy, herby seasoning mix, we’ve got all kinds of ranch flavors coming into our kitchen in new ways.

What is in Ranch Seasoning?

Store-bought Ranch Seasoning usually contains processed ingredients. Most contain a large amount of salt and / or Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) to give the mix that intense savory flavor. The ingredients listed on one of the most popular brands of Ranch Seasoning are “Salt, Monosodium Glutamate, Dried Garlic, Modified Food Starch, Dried Onion, Maltodextrin, Spices, Less Than 2% of: Guar Gum, Buttermilk, Calcium Stearate, Natural Flavor (Soy).”

Skip all the junk. Make it at home and the ingredient list will just include dried garlic, dried onion, spices, and dried buttermilk!

buttermilk blend tub on a white table

Ingredients for Homemade Ranch Seasoning

  • Dried Herbs – Dried parsley, dried chives, and dried dill (or dried “dill weed”) give this seasoning the classic ranch herb flavor. You can absolutely skip one of these, though using all there will give the mix the most flavor.
  • Garlic Powder – Be sure to use garlic powder, not garlic salt (which will make the seasoning unnecessarily salty). 
  • Dried Chopped Onion – These finely chopped dehydrated onions give the dressing a rich savory flavor or “umami” that stands in for the processed ingredients found in the packaged ranch seasoning. Dried onion can be found in the spice aisle and is sometimes often just labeled “chopped onion” or “minced onion”. If you have onion powder (not onion salt) in your pantry, you can use that, but reduce the amount by half (onion powder has a more concentrated flavor).
  • Buttermilk Powder / Dried Buttermilk – The dried version of buttermilk gives the dressing a sour tang. Find it in the baking aisle near powdered milk. You can absolutely skip this ingredient and the seasoning will still taste great. If you use the seasoning to make ranch salad dressing, be sure to add some liquid buttermilk or Greek yogurt to get that sour flavor.
  • Salt and Ground Black Pepper – It’s up to you if you’d like to add salt and black pepper to this seasoning mix. If you prefer, you can make and store the seasoning without these – just be sure to add them later when you use the seasoning in a recipe.

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How to Make Buttermilk Ranch Dressing with Dried Ranch Seasoning

To make Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, whisk together the following ingredients. If the mixture is too thick, add additional milk a bit at a time until smooth and pour-able. The dressing is best if made at least an hour ahead and refrigerated until ready to serve (the flavors will mellow and develop a bit). 

  • ¼ cup Mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup Sour Cream
  • 1 Tbsp Milk
  • 2 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 1/2 tsp Ranch Seasoning Mix (ingredients listed below)
  • 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar (this is optional, but if you’re looking for something that closely resembles store-bought Ranch Dressing, a bit of sugar will get it the closest to that flavor; it’s why the store-bought kind is so addictive – the subtle salty-sweet balance)

It’s a great topping for any salad, but I’m partial to ranch dressing on this Spring Cobb Salad or this Kale Salad with Chicken and Croutons.

overhead image of two white bowls with kale salad

More Homemade Seasonings

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Ranch Seasoning in a small white ramekin
5 from 5 votes

Ranch Seasoning

Ranch Seasoning adds that tangy, fresh herb flavor of Ranch Salad Dressing to any dish without the need for a creamy base. Rub it on grilled or roasted meats, toss it with potatoes or other vegetables for a side dish that kids and adults will love, whisk it into Greek yogurt for a lighter dip for chips.
This recipe makes 5 tsp and can be substituted for a full packet of store-bought Ranch Seasoning (use the slider below adjust if you’d like to make a larger batch).
Prep: 4 minutes
Total: 4 minutes
Servings: 5 tsp

Ingredients 

  • 1 teaspoon Dried Parsley
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Chives
  • 1 teaspoon Dried Dill Weed
  • 1 teaspoon Buttermilk Powder / Dried Buttermilk (see note)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder (not garlic salt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dried Minced Onion (can substitute Onion Powder but use half as much; do not use Onion Salt)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt (optional; see note)
  • 1/8 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper (optional; see note)

Instructions 

  • Combine all ingredients in an airtight container.
  • Seasoning blends will taste best if used within 6 months (but most can be safely stored in a cool, dry place for up to a year).

Notes

Notes: Buttermilk Powder / Dried Buttermilk is a dried version of liquid buttermilk gives the dressing the sour tang of Ranch Dressing. Find it in the baking aisle near powdered milk.
Storage: A glass or plastic container saved from store-bought spices works great for storing your own seasoning blends. I have been using 4-oz mason jars for all of my spices and seasoning blends for nearly a decade. It’s inexpensive and looks super organized.
Salt and Black Pepper: It’s up to you if you’d like to add salt and black pepper to this seasoning mix. If you prefer, you can make and store the seasoning without salt or pepper – just be sure to add them later when you use the seasoning in a recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 15kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 590mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 856IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Author: Jess Smith via Inquiring Chef
Cost: $.50
Calories: 15
Keyword: Homemade seasoning, ranch, seasoning
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About Jess Smith

Jess is the recipe creator and photographer at InquiringChef.com. She spent nearly a decade as the Chief Recipe Developer for the award-winning meal planning app Cook Smarts. Her colorful, healthyish recipes have been featured in popular online publications including Parade, Hallmark, and HuffPost.

5 from 5 votes (4 ratings without comment)

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1 Comment

  1. 5 stars
    I am the biggest fan of Ranch Dressing…usually buy the Hidden Valley packets. I put it on so many things, my husband said I would put it on corn flakes if I ate corn flakes!! Hahahahahaaa! Thank you for this recipe! Will be making and storing this to mix with the mayo, sour cream and milk! <3