HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING

I have never been a fan of ranch dressing. I wouldn’t say I like to put ranch dressing on everything. But last January, when I did my Vegetarian Challenge, I became addicted. I ate vegetable snack plates almost every day, and the Ken’s Steakhouse Buttermilk Ranch dressing my vegetables were dipped in was my salvation. I was hooked and wanted to dip everything into the ranch. I was hooked.

…Until I glanced at the nutrition label. After just one glance at the nutrition label, I almost choked on my carrot stick. They packed so much fat and calories into just two little spoons! It was amazing!

This stuff was so high in calories that I knew I had to cut back or find another alternative. I looked for another option. This Homemade Ranch Dressing is something I love just as much, if not more. It is more reasonable in nutrition than Ken’s.

To make this recipe as close to the original as possible, I kept a spoonful of Ken’s Steakhouse ranch sauce next to my mixing bowl. This allowed me to taste the dressing and compare them. The Ken’s Steakhouse ranch dressing became too salty and almost cloyingly sweetness after a while, so I decided to make my dressing. My final homemade ranch dressing recipe is lighter, fresher and less sweet. It will be my favourite ranch from now on.

Is it FULL FAT, LOW FAT or NO FAT?

This recipe can be made as rich or light as you wish. Regular or light mayo can be used, as well as non-fat, 1% or 2% yoghurt. It should be obvious that dressings with higher fat options taste better. I used non-fat yoghurt and light mayo to make my dressing. It was still amazing. It’s still good, even if it’s the worst.

FRESH OR DRIED HERBS

Because I have fresh parsley and green onions in my fridge almost every day, I decided to use them in my dressing. They are delicious and give off a wonderful flavour. You can substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley for the green onions and 1/4 teaspoon dried chives to replace them.

RANCH DRESSING / RANCH DIP

This recipe can be used as a salad dressing or as a dip for vegetables and chips. You can make it without milk to make a thick, rich ranch dip. Or you can add milk to make it more spreadable.

SMALL BATCH SALAD DRESSING

This is a small batch recipe. This makes about 1/2 cup ranch dressing. This recipe is small because you won’t need it to keep for more than 5 days. You can make a larger batch by simply changing the number in “servings” below. All of the ingredients will automatically adjust.

CAN I LET GO OF THE SUGAR

Although I won’t tell you to add sugar to this recipe, I will say it makes the dressing more delicious. The sugar helps reduce the acidity of the yoghurt and lemon, making the dressing smoother. It also gives the dressing a ranch-like sweetness. The sugar makes it taste better, but you can also leave the sugar and still get a delicious dressing.

HOMEMADE RANCH DRESSING

Ranch dressing is creamy and full of spices and savoury herbs. Use it as a dressing for your favourite salad or a dip with vegetables and chips.

Prep time: 5 minutes

Refrigerate Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 35 minutes

Servings: 2 Tbsp per person

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise ($0.13)
• 1/4 cup plain yoghurt* ($0.11)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice ($0.04)
• 3/16 teaspoon garlic powder** ($0.02)
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder ($0.01)
• 1 Tbsp chopped finely fresh parsley, loosely packaged ($0.05).
• 1 finely chopped green onion ($0.11)
• Freshly cracked pepper ($0.01)
• 1/8 tsp sugar (optional) ($0.01)
• 1 tbsp milk (optional )*** $0.02)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Stir to combine.
• You can use the dressing right away or refrigerate the dressing for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours blend.
• Keep the ranch dressing in the fridge for up to five days.

NOTES

*You can substitute Greek yoghurt for the cream, but you will need to add more milk to thin the dressing. I know that 3/16 is an odd measurement. Use a 1/8 teaspoon measuring spoon to fill the cup 1.5 times. You can make this dip without milk or add milk to make it thinner.

NUTRITION

Serving: 2 Tbsp Calories 114.48 Kcal Carbohydrates 2.6 g Protein 0.78 g Fat 11.63 g Sodium 145.2 mg Fiber 0.15 g