This Buttermilk Ranch Dressing recipe is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor from freshly pressed garlic and fresh dill and chives. 

Ranch dressing in a Mason jar being ladled over a salad.

Ranch dressing is one of those versatile condiments that pairs well with pretty much anything. 

Salads? Of course.

Sandwiches dipped in it? Yup. 

Chicken tenders? You bet. 

Pasta Salad? SO good!

Chicken wings? Duh!

Pizza? Even pizza!

I like my buttermilk ranch dressing to have a bit of a bite to it, and this recipe does not disappoint. It gets its bite from the zing of the buttermilk and the zestiness of the garlic. 

The chopped dill and chives give the dressing an incredibly fresh flavor that can’t be beaten. Why have boring ranch when you can have this amazing buttermilk ranch dressing instead?!

An overhead picture of a salad dressed with buttermilk ranch.

Recipe Questions Answered:

How to make homemade buttermilk ranch dressing?

This dressing couldn’t be any easier to make. 

  1. First, add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl. 
  2. Next, you whisk until the dressing is smooth and combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
  3. Finally, chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Does ranch dressing need to be refrigerated? 

Yes, absolutely. This dressing has a slew of dairy products in it: sour cream, buttermilk, and mayonnaise to be exact. Dairy needs to be refrigerated to keep bacteria from forming. As a general rule, salad dressings with dairy in them cannot sit out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours. 

If you’re serving this at a summertime barbecue where the food is kept outside, then I’d say this can stay out no longer than 1 hour. To extend the time that it can stay out during parties, I like to pour the dressing into a glass salad dressing container that I then put in a dish of ice cubes. 

Jar full of homemade buttermilk ranch dressing.

How long does homemade buttermilk ranch last? 

The dressing will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. I do not recommend freezing it, because after it thaws it will separate and become chunky. Yuck. 

What salad goes best with buttermilk ranch dressing?

This dressing is great on any type of salad. I personally find myself putting it on more than just salads (think chicken tenders, chicken wings, and even pizza!).

With that said, I often put this Buttermilk Ranch on a simple salad made up of the following ingredients:

Salad on a plate that is drizzled with homemade ranch dressing.

Cook’s Note – Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing:

  • The longer that this dressing sits in the refrigerator, the more intense the garlic flavor will become. If you don’t love a ton of garlic flavor, then cut back on it. 
  • The dressing will thicken as it chills in the refrigerator. 
  • Additionally, if garlic gives you problems, then you can absolutely omit it from the recipe. 
  • If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, then you should use my buttermilk substitute recipe. All that you need is just milk and either lemon juice or vinegar. 

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. 

Cook’s Tools:

  • mixing bowl
  • whisk
  • dressing container

ONE YEAR AGO: Slow Cooker Taco Soup

TWO YEARS AGO: Loaded Bacon Ranch Dip

THREE YEARS AGO: Honey Mustard Chicken

Jar full of buttermilk ranch dressing and a salad with the dressing on it.

A ladle of buttermilk ranch coming from a mason jar full of dressing.
5 from 7 votes

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
10 people
This buttermilk dressing is rich, creamy, and packed with flavor from freshly pressed garlic and fresh dill and chives.

Ingredients
 
 

  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh chopped dill
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 2 large garlic cloves pressed through a garlic press
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl and whisk until no lumps remain and the dressing is combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 2Tablespoons | Calories: 69kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 32mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 140IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 28mg

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8 Comments

  1. This buttermilk ranch dressing is AMAZING!

  2. Luci's Morsels says:

    I secretly love ranch dressing and just hate the bottled versions! I absolutely needed a good homemade recipe! Thank you!!

    1. I hate the bottled versions, too. Enjoy this recipe!

  3. I always buy ranch dressing in stores. Never knew that is that simple to make one at home. I love how this dressing sounds and looks, creamy and super tasty. I must make this!

  4. I love ranch dressing! It’s one of my favorite salad dressing, and the one I eat most of the time. I never tried making it myself – so easy! Can’t wait to try this recipe ♥

  5. Ranch dressing is my faaaaavorite! I never knew how easy it was to make at home, but oh my gosh…..homemade is so much better than the store bought and I’ll never go back to the bottled version!

  6. We love ranch and use it almost daily. This one is great!

  7. The best ranch! I did add a couple splashes of Tabasco because I like a little spice but no other changes-AMAZING!