Recipe: Quick and Easy Homemade Low Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and Dip (2024)

Are you one of those people who swoons over phrases like buttermilk pancakes and buttermilk biscuits but never actually buys buttermilk because there's nothing to do with the other 3½ cups in the carton after you've used the half cup you needed? Behold the solution.

Recipe: Quick and Easy Homemade Low Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and Dip (1)
Pour it on! This simple, healthy salad dressing is flavored with onion, garlic, and dill. To make a thicker dip for veggies or chips, simply add less buttermilk.

I love salad. I eat it nearly every day, sometimes even

for breakfast. I also love salad dressing. A two tablespoon 'serving' is something I simply cannot fathom, probably due to the size of my salads.

For years, I always tossed my greens with extra-virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar, a little granulated onion and garlic, salt and freshly ground pepper. If I was feeling especially energetic, I would blend the dressing together first in a small Pyrex measuring cup with a fork, adding a dollop of dijon mustard or maybe some chopped fresh herbs.

When I moved to the country and started growing my own lettuce from seed (it's

easier than you think!) and eating salads out of a giant green vintage Pyrex mixing bowl, I realized that I was probably consuming as many extra-virgin olive oil calories as were in a large piece of pie.

Rather than give up dessert—or my waistline—I started making a lowfat yogurt-based concoction I dubbed Farm Dressing, since I lived on a farm and not a ranch. In summer it was full of chopped fresh basil, in winter lots of parsley. Variations abounded, and I lived on the stuff for years. The thought of buying bottled salad dressing never crossed my mind.

Then one day I crossed over. I accepted a taste of Trader Joe's Lowfat Parmesan Ranch Dressing from that dangerous sample counter in the back of the store, and immediately became addicted. So tasty! So easy! So few calories! So expensive, since it didn't take me long to go through a $3.49 bottle—and I bought a lot of bottles.

The good news is that last summer I crossed back over. I quit my Lowfat Parmesan Ranch Dressing addiction cold turkey. I'm also eating more fresh veggie snacks than ever before.

The bad news is that I'm now addicted to homemade buttermilk ranch dressing. I eat it on a whole lot more than just salad and can easily suck down a cup of the stuff in a day or two. My only saving grace? It doesn't taste good on pie.

Do you have any ranch dressing memories, stories, or recipes to share?

Recipe: Quick and Easy Homemade Low Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and Dip (2)
It's so easy to eat your veggies (garden goodness from last summer)

Lowfat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing / Dip
Makes 3 to 4 cups

**Click here to print this recipe**

The beauty of ranch dressing is that there are about a zillion different ways to make it. My version was inspired by

Cookiecrumb (she of the amazingly simple Pear Butter Recipe) by way of this moving post on Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef.

I'm calling it lowfat because compared to some versions—like the one I saw that was half mayonnaise—it is lowfat, and I didn't want anybody to shy away from the recipe thinking they'd have to give up dessert in order to enjoy it.

You can dress up this basic version in all sorts of ways, but what's nice is that you don't have to. I actually like it best plain. It comes together so quickly you'll even have enough energy left to mix some up when you get home at one in the morning after a 400-mile day of driving and enjoy it with your I survived the big city! bag of potato chips and bottle of chilled champagne.

Or when a salad craving hits and the

steaks are already on the grill—just drizzle some over a few handfuls of fresh spinach or arugula (so
easy to grow) and you're good to go.

That said, the flavors of this dressing definitely improve after sitting in the fridge for a day or two. It took me an embarrassingly long time to realize that the last dregs of the previous batch didn't always taste better than the new one because I'd done something differently, but simply because they'd been allowed to mellow.

Recipe: Quick and Easy Homemade Low Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and Dip (3)
I even eat it on freshly laid eggs.

Homemade buttermilk ranch dressing just might be the most versatile Superbowl party food: drizzle it over nachos or quesadillas; dunk your Buffalo wings, fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, or fried zucchini and mushrooms in it; use it in coleslaw; slap some on a burger; or even put in on pizza (something I learned from Lisa the Homesick Texan, who makes

her dressing with cilantro, serranos, and lime juice).

And of course it's a great all around dip for vegetables and chips.

Recipe: Quick and Easy Homemade Low Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and Dip (4)

This recipe makes 3 to 4 cups of dressing, which might seem like a lot. It's not.

3/4 cup sour cream (I use lowfat)


3/4 cup yogurt (I use lowfat—homemade yogurt is wonderful)
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I'm a Hellman's/Best Foods girl)
1 teaspoon granulated garlic (or garlic powder)
1 teaspoon granulated onion (or onion powder)
1 slightly heaping teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon salt (my organic mineral salt is pink)
Freshly ground pepper
1 to 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar (I like white)
1 to 2 cups cultured buttermilk (I use lowfat)

Optional additions:
Fresh dill rather than dried
Chopped fresh parsley
Chopped chives
Chopped scallions
Minced shallots
Minced garlic
Fresh basil
Fresh or dried oregano
Other fresh herbs
Fresh lemon juice
A little lemon zest
A dash of Worcestershire sauce
A smidge of dijon mustard
A pinch of cayenne or paprika
Finely shredded Parmesan or Romano cheese

In a small bowl or large measuring cup, combine the sour cream, yogurt, mayonnaise, granulated garlic, granulated onion, dill weed, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Mix well.

Stir in the balsamic vinegar and then 1 cup of the buttermilk. Add up to 1 cup more of buttermilk, depending on whether you want a thicker dip or a thinner dressing.

Adjust the seasonings to taste, adding another tablespoon of balsamic vinegar if desired, along with any of the optional additions. Keep in mind that the flavors will become bolder over time.

You might enjoy my other dressings and dips:
Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing
High Kickin' Creamy Tomato DressingAll Purpose Arugula Cottage Cheese Dip/Spread/Sauce
Chives and Herbed Yogurt Cheese Dip
Fiesta Cottage Cheese Veggie Dip

Hot Swiss Chard Artichoke Dip
Quick Refried Black Bean Dip
Radish Cream Cheese Dip with Parsley, Scallions, and Feta
Ridiculously Easy White Bean and Basil Pesto Spread

Sour Cream and Onion Dip (and foodie travel)
White Bean Artichoke Dip with Rosemary and Kalamata Olives

Still hungry? You'll find links to all my sweet and savory Less Fuss, More Flavor recipes in the Farmgirl Fare Recipe Index.

© FarmgirlFare.com, the drenched in dressing foodie farm blog where Farmgirl Susan shares recipes, stories, photos, and addictions from her crazy country life on 240 remote Missouri acres.

Recipe: Quick and Easy Homemade Low Fat Buttermilk Ranch Dressing and Dip (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients in great value buttermilk ranch dressing? ›

Soybean Oil, Water, Sugar, Egg Yolk, Salt, Buttermilk, Contains Less Than 1% Of Natural Flavors (contains Milk), Spices, Dried Garlic, Dried Onion, Distilled Vinegar, Phosphoric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Food Starch-modified, Monosodium Glutamate, Disodium Phosphate, With Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, And Calcium ...

What's the difference between buttermilk ranch and ranch? ›

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.

What's the difference between ranch dressing and ranch dip? ›

Ranch dressing is a creamy, tangy, and herb-infused dressing commonly used as a topping for salads, as a dip for vegetables, or as a condiment for various dishes. What is ranch dip? Ranch dip is a thicker, more concentrated version of ranch dressing, specifically designed for dipping purposes.

What is the least fattening dressing? ›

“In general, the healthiest choices are oil and vinegar or a light vinaigrette,” Dobbins says. Still, she cautions that it is important to watch your portions because this dressing has a relatively high sodium-per-serving level.

Why is restaurant ranch dressing so good? ›

Even when a restaurant does start with premade ranch, they will often fold in extra fresh herbs, and maybe even more buttermilk, to lighten and bring in some brighter flavors that can be lost in shelf-stable bottling.

What kind of ranch dressing do most restaurants use? ›

Because while some restaurants do use a bottled shelf stable dressing, what you are referring to is a powdered ranch mix (typically the Hidden Valley brand) that the restaurant cooks add milk/ buttermilk and sour cream to make their dressing.

How do you thicken homemade buttermilk ranch? ›

If you want to thicken up your homemade ranch dressing, add more mayo, yogurt, or sour cream, and use less milk. For a more drizzle-able dressing, add more milk (or water) to thin it out.

Is Chick Fil A ranch buttermilk? ›

8oz Garden Herb Ranch Sauce

An 8-ounce, squeezable bottle of this creamy buttermilk ranch sauce with savory garlic, onion, and herb flavors.

Is McDonald's ranch buttermilk? ›

Ingredients: Soybean Oil, Water, Cultured Low Fat Buttermilk, Distilled Vinegar, Sugar, Contains 2% Or Less: Sea Salt, Garlic Puree, Whey Protein Concentrate, Lactic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Modified Guar Gum, Black Pepper, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Onion Powder, Natural Flavor, Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Salt, Parsley ...

Can you use ranch dip mix instead of dressing mix? ›

Certainly. It's all about what texture you're going for. Use the dip mix if you prefer a thicker dressing, or the pourable dressing as dip if you prefer a smoother, creamier texture. In a bowl, combine 1 cup milk and 1 cup mayonnaise with 3 tablespoons of Hidden Valley® mix.

What is ranch dip made of? ›

Ranch Dressing Ingredients

Sour cream and mayonnaise: The base for this creamy ranch recipe is a mixture of sour cream and mayonnaise. Seasonings: This flavorful ranch dressing is seasoned with dried chives, dried parsley, dried dill weed, dried garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and ground black pepper.

Why is it called ranch dip? ›

Ranch was created by a plumber, Steve Henson and his wife, Gayle. In 1954, they purchased a ranch right above Santa Barbara, California and named it Hidden Valley Ranch. They opened a steakhouse there that became popular for its salad dressing.

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.

Is Hidden Valley Ranch healthy? ›

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.

Can a ranch salad be healthy? ›

While it may seem that you should avoid creamy dressings in favor of vinaigrettes, that's not necessarily the case, according to Nedescu. “What you're mainly looking for in a salad dressing is to add flavor to vegetables,” she says. “So if [ranch or blue cheese] helps you eat those veggies, then go for it.”

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