Preparation Method
At its heart, ranch dressing is little more than buttermilk blended with mayonnaise (or sour cream or Greek yogurt). If you do nothing more than season this creamy, tangy mixture with salt and pepper, you will have an excellent dressing. Of course, fresh or dried herbs and a hit of garlic powder turn it into a true ranch.
Variations
HERB-RANCH DRESSING
Substitute ½ cup plain Greek yogurt for ½ cup of the mayonnaise. Increase the amount of parsley (or celery leaves) to 1 tablespoon (or substitute cilantro or dill for the parsley). Add 3 chopped scallions, 1 minced small garlic clove (omit the garlic powder), 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Increase the salt to ½ teaspoon.
CREAMY BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
Substitute ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt for ½ cup of the mayonnaise and reduce the buttermilk to ½ cup. Add 1 heaping cup crumbled blue cheese and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice.
Pro Tip
The consistency of creamy dressings depends on the ratio of buttermilk to mayonnaise. A good rule of thumb: if you want a thinner dressing, add more buttermilk; for a thicker one, add more mayonnaise. A 2 to 1 ratio of buttermilk to mayonnaise creates a thinner, pourable salad dressing. If you go 1 to 1, you get a thicker dressing that’s closer to store-bought versions. At a 1 to 2 ratio of buttermilk to mayonnaise, you get something so thick that it’s more like a dip.
