Ranch Dressing is indulgent; it’s creamy; it’s fresh. Well, when it’s done right, it’s fresh.
This Ranch Dressing is nothing like the bottled stuff that I grew up with. The tang of the bottled stuff seemed to be covering something up, although it was probably just a substitute for flavor. And the texture was less than appealing to me. I didn’t like ranch dressing until I started making my own.
Ron typically likes a vinaigrette – his go-to is my White Balsamic Vinaigrette. But I love a creamy dressing. I try to keep it as light as possible most of the time – my Green Goddess Dressing, for example. But sometimes, especially when the salad is the main course, I like something a bit more indulgent. If I’m not in the mood for Blue Cheese Dressing, this Ranch Dressing is it!
Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup half-and-half
- 1 t fresh dill
- 1 T fresh parsley
- 1 t fresh chives
- 1/4 t onion powder
- 1/2 t garlic powder
- 1/4 t kosher salt
- 1/8 t coarse ground black pepper
- 1 t lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix the dairy – Whisk the mayo, sour cream, and half-and-half together.
- Stir in the herbs – Mince the dill, parsley, and chives. Add the herbs, the onion powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to the dairy mixture, and stir to distribute.
- Stir in the lemon juice and let rest – Stir in the lemon juice. Cover and let rest for at least an hour to allow the flavors to bloom.
Ranch Dressing used to be just a summer thing. I’d make it when I had an abundance of fresh herbs available outside my back door. But I’ve begun buying a variety of fresh herbs every time I go to the grocery store during the winter months, whether or not I have a plan for how to use them. I almost always work them into our meals, and if not, well, there’s always the compost bin. That’s not wasteful, now is it?