Ranch dressing crops up quite often in posts from our US members. We don't have it in the UK (maybe because we don't have ranches). Is there a basic recipe for it?
Ranch dressing: is there a basic recipe?
- Thread starter Morning Glory
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Ranch dressing…when I lived in your fine country, that was the number one item the locals wanted me to snag for them from the US commissary…that, and Michelob beer. The grass is always greener, I suppose.
I do have one written down somewhere. I’ll track it down, post it, and link it back here in a bit. Ranch dressing comes in about 6,391 varieties here.
I do have one written down somewhere. I’ll track it down, post it, and link it back here in a bit. Ranch dressing comes in about 6,391 varieties here.
JAS_OH1
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Ranch Dressing
Well if you don't have it bottled in the UK, chances are you aren't going to have the powder packets, either. Honestly, I often buy it premade because I use it infrequently and my husband prefers vinaigrette, so making it fresh it might not all get consumed and I hate waste. Buttermilk is key, IMO.
Well if you don't have it bottled in the UK, chances are you aren't going to have the powder packets, either. Honestly, I often buy it premade because I use it infrequently and my husband prefers vinaigrette, so making it fresh it might not all get consumed and I hate waste. Buttermilk is key, IMO.
It seems we do have bottled (I googled). I don't buy ready-made dressings so hadn't looked. In the UK the idea of powder packets for a salad dressing would seem extremely odd. I'm not being critical. Just an observation.
My question is, what are the essential ingredients? Its buttermilk and....?
JAS_OH1
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I provided the link with the recipe. I will open it and copy/paste.
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon dried chives
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Edited to add that the ingredients will vary from different sources, and some recipes I saw call for fresh parsley and chives, and I saw some with fresh dill as well.
JAS_OH1
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If I make it fresh I have to use it up within 5-7 days. If I buy the bottled stuff, it has enough preservatives in it to keep for a month or more. I like adding grated or shaved parmesan or asiago and peppercorn if I can't find one with it already in it. Here is one of my favorite bottled dressings:
Here you go:
Recipe - Ranch Salad Dressing
To me, ranch dressing has to be made with buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise to start, and the herbs must include dill and chives, and there should be a good amount of garlic in there. That's how I like it.
Recipe - Ranch Salad Dressing
To me, ranch dressing has to be made with buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise to start, and the herbs must include dill and chives, and there should be a good amount of garlic in there. That's how I like it.
I'm sure I've subbed in cream fraiche for the sour cream at some point, and I probably double the garlic when I make it.
JAS_OH1
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I happen to like the Hidden Valley Ranch packets mixed with fresh buttermilk and mayonnaise. I never looked at the ingredient list to see if it has dill in it, but I like it just the way it is so I don't really care. It's been awhile since I made it so I can't remember if it called for sour cream or not.
Sorry, I missed the link.
JAS_OH1
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Yeah, sorry but that light green font is hard to spot. That happens to me a lot, too. It's one of my only peeves about this site, I think we should be able to bold font for recipes or links to make it stand out more prominently. I honestly think that it is not hard on the eyes to do that. If it was changed to harsh, neon, bright colored font it would be jarring for sure, but to darken it slightly within the same color wouldn't be so bad, would it?
Same with us, only the other way round.
Of course, ranch dressing as a pizza dip has been extremely popular the last few years, but I’m not on board with that. Salads, veggie dip, hot wing dip, sure. Ranch on pizza? Nope.
JAS_OH1
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Agreed. I do like a little garlic butter drizzled on the pizza "bones" (outer crust edges), but seriously, ranch dressing does not belong on the same plate as pizza, unless there is a small side salad going with it. But I'd rather have that on another plate/bowl to make more room for the pizza slices on my plate!