Need an easy healthy ranch dressing? Here’s the recipe you need. It comes out so creamy and tasty using only a few simple spices. Every time we serve it, it gets rave reviews! It’s perfect for salad or dipping veggie sticks, and comes together in just 5 minutes. Even better, it skips the additives, preservatives, extra salt and sugar of store bought dressing. Now that we have a homemade ranch dressing recipe that we love, I don’t think we’ll ever buy it again! Here are all our secrets to this homemade salad dressing.
Ingredients for healthy ranch dressing
What’s ranch dressing made of? Most recipes include mayonnaise, buttermilk, onion, garlic, spices, and herbs. To make this healthy ranch dressing, we decided to cut back a little on the mayo. Our secret? Plain yogurt! It makes the dressing a little lighter and adds a hint of yogurt probiotics. You do need the mayo to add richness so the dressing clings to the lettuce leaves, but not nearly as much as a standard recipe. Here are the ingredients you need for this healthy ranch dressing:
Plain yogurtMayonnaiseApple cider vinegarSpices: Garlic powder, onion powder, and dried dillOptional: Chopped chives or minced green onion
Adding chopped chives or minced green onion tops adds a beautiful freshness to the flavor. It takes it to the next level: but it’s also not necessary if you don’t have them on hand!
Is ranch dressing healthy?
Ranch dressing typically is not considered a health food. However, get this: this healthy ranch dressing recipe has only 38 calories per tablespoon, vs 73 calories in store bought! So we’d call that healthy version. It’s also gluten-free, keto and low carb. In either case though, you don’t necessarily want to go eating gallons per day.
Who invented ranch dressing, anyway?
If you’re like us, you wonder how popular foods like ranch came to be. Turns out ranch dressing was originally invented by Steve Henson, a plumber turned cowboy, in the 1950’s. Apparently he invented the dressing while working as a plumber in Alaska, then he and his wife opened a ranch in California called Hidden Valley Ranch. They started selling the popular dressing at grocery stores, and eventually ended up selling the name and recipe for a cool 8 million dollars! Here’s more about the story of ranch dressing if you want to nerd out.
Variation: vegan ranch dressing
Can you make ranch dressing vegan? Yes! Here’s a spinoff on this recipe: a Vegan Ranch Dressing that’s just as creamy as this one. The secret? Blended cashews, which make a creamy body for the dressing that you’d swear has dairy in it. It’s incredibly satisfying.
Ways to serve healthy ranch dressing
This healthy ranch dressing is perfect on any type of salad that you throw together! Here are a few of our salad recipes where we’d use it:
Wedge Salad: This Wedge Salad with Potato Chips is over the top good. Cobb Salad: Try it on Vegetarian Cobb Salad for an alternate option. Chopped Salad: This Favorite Chopped Salad is just as perfect with ranch. Salad Bar: Make a Salad Bar Dinner and drizzle with ranch. Caesar: You can always make Caesar Salad or Grilled Caesar with ranch: no judgement!Veggie Sticks: This dressing is perfect for dipping! Pizza: This ranch is perfect for drizzling over our Taco Pizza!Fries: Dunk these Baked French Fries in a big bowl of ranch.
More healthy salad dressing recipes
There are so many healthy salad dressing recipes to make at home! There are so many to choose from; here are some favorites to try:
Creamy Pesto Salad Dressing Creamy like ranch, but flavored with pesto!Raspberry Vinaigrette or Strawberry Vinaigrette A fruity, zingy spin with balsamic and real fruit.Creamy Avocado Dressing Beautifully green and fresh. Blue Cheese Dressing Creamy, with pungent blue cheese chunks.
This healthy ranch dressing recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, see our Vegan Ranch Dressing.
5 from 9 reviews **Adding 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives or green onion tops amps it up a notch. You can also use Ranch Seasoning in place of the spices: just add 1 tablespoon in place of the listed spices above.
