If you love restaurant ranch but hate how disappointing the bottled stuff can be, this one is worth making at home.
It takes about five minutes, uses simple ingredients, and comes together quickly with an immersion blender. The result is fresh, creamy, herby, and honestly much better than I expected for something this easy.
My daughter loved it too, which in my house is a very useful quality-control test.
Why make ranch from scratch?
This is exactly the kind of recipe that reminds me why I like making certain basics at home.
Not because everything needs to be homemade. Absolutely not. Convenience has its place.
But ranch is one of those things where the homemade version tastes noticeably fresher, and it only takes a few minutes.
You also get to control the flavor, the herbs, the salt, and the texture.
What you’ll need
For this recipe, I used:
A clear mixing bowl
Cutting board
Knife
Measuring spoons
An immersion blender
A storage bottle or jar
I used an immersion blender because it made the base smooth and creamy in seconds.
Ninja Power Immersion Blender:
https://sharkninja.sjv.io/qWqb2L
Affiliate link. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
Ingredients
Makes about 2 cups.
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cultured buttermilk
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh dill, finely chopped
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon MSG, optional
How to make it
Add the mayonnaise and buttermilk to a bowl.
Use an immersion blender to blend until completely smooth and creamy.
I used the Ninja Power Immersion Blender here because it made quick work of the base without pulling out a full-size blender.
Shop the immersion blender:
https://sharkninja.sjv.io/qWqb2L
Add the dried parsley, dried dill, dried chives, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, sugar, and optional MSG.
Blend briefly again until everything is evenly combined.
Stir in the fresh parsley and fresh dill by hand.
Transfer the ranch to a bottle or jar and refrigerate before serving.
It tastes even better after it has had a little time to sit and let the flavors come together.
A note on the herbs
The combination of dried and fresh herbs is part of what gives this ranch a stronger restaurant-style flavor.
The dried herbs provide that familiar ranch seasoning profile, while the fresh parsley and dill make it taste brighter and fresher.
You could technically use only dried herbs, but I would not skip the fresh ones if you can help it.
What to serve it with
This works anywhere you would normally use ranch:
Salads
Wings
Chicken tenders
Raw vegetables
Pizza
Sandwiches and wraps
Fries
Potato wedges
Or, realistically, whatever you decide needs ranch that day.
Can you make it ahead?
Yes.
In fact, I prefer it after it has had a little time in the refrigerator because the flavor develops more.
Store it in a covered container and use your judgment based on the freshness of the dairy ingredients you used.
Final thoughts
This one surprised me because of how little effort it took.
Five minutes, a few herbs and seasonings, and one immersion blender later, I had fresh ranch that tasted better than bottled.
That is exactly the kind of kitchen shortcut I like.
If you are looking for an immersion blender for recipes like this, sauces, dressings, soups, and more, you can find the one I used here:
Ninja Power Immersion Blender
https://sharkninja.sjv.io/qWqb2L
Affiliate link. I may earn a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
