This Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing and Dip is creamy, savory and takes just 5 minutes to make with pantry ingredients. It’s perfect on all your favorite salads or as a dip with crunchy vegetables (or even pizza, if that’s your thing).
And it’s also gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, low carb, Paleo and Whole30 friendly.
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Why this recipe works
Ranch dressing has been popular ever since it was invented in the 1950s and has been America’s favorite salad dressing since 1992. It’s easy to see why: it’s traditionally made with buttermilk, fresh herbs and seasonings like onion and garlic. So it’s creamy, fresh and savory. Drizzle it over a salad or serve it with crunchy vegetables as a dip and you’re all set.
But some of use don’t tolerate dairy products like buttermilk, so I wanted to create a healthy ranch dressing that tasted as good as the regular version. And I wanted to make it as fast and easy as possible, something you could whip up in a few minutes with just some pantry ingredients.
So I start with mayonnaise, which has a creamy texture and tangy flavor similar to buttermilk. I use avocado oil mayonnaise for the heart-healthy benefits of avocado oil. This also makes this a Paleo and Whole30 ranch dressing as well.
Instead of fresh herbs, we’re using dried parsley and dill. Will using fresh give you a, well, fresher flavor? Of course. But like I said, I want this to be as simple and easy as possible. And it still tastes great with dried herbs.
I use dried onion and dried garlic, plus salt and pepper, to keep it on the savory side. Plus I add a bit of apple cider vinegar to make sure it’s as tangy as the classic version. Add in some water to thin it out to your preferred consistency.
Your dairy-free gluten-free ranch dressing and dip is ready to go!
What you need
Ingredients:
- 1 cup avocado oil mayonnaise – This kind of mayonnaise has a mild flavor, plus all the heart-healthy benefits of avocado oil. I like Chosen or Sir Kensington’s.
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar – Even though the mayonnaise is already tangy, I like to add a bit of vinegar to make sure the tanginess doesn’t get lost.
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon dried garlic powder – You could also use one small, minced garlic clove instead.
- ¼ teaspoon dried onion powder
- 8-10 grinds of black pepper
- ¼ cup water (or more or less to your taste
Equipment:
- a medium mixing bowl
- a whisk
- measuring spoons (<– these are my favorite because they actually fit into spice jars)
- measuring cups
How to make Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing
Step 1: In a medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, dried parsley, vinegar, salt, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Whisk until combined. Whisk in the water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency (I like using 4 tablespoons – or a ¼ cup – to make it thick and creamy but pourable.)
Step 2: Taste and adjust seasonings. Makes about 1½ cups.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use yogurt, Greek yogurt or sour cream in place of the mayonnaise. Make sure to use dairy-free versions if necessary. You might need to adjust the amount of seasonings and water.
You can use 2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley instead of dried.
You can use 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill instead of dried.
You can add 1 teaspoon minced chives.
You can use 1 small, minced garlic clove instead of dried.
Yep. You can keep it in the fridge, using the expiration date on the mayonnaise as your deadline for the dressing.
I do not recommend freezing this.
Yep! The recipe as written contains no ingredients with gluten.
Yep. By switching out the buttermilk for mayonnaise, we’re making this recipe completely dairy-free.
Yep, just check the ingredients on the mayonnaise. I like to use Chosen or Sir Kensington’s for Paleo-friendly mayonnaise.
Yep, just check the ingredients on the mayonnaise. I like to use Chosen or Sir Kensington’s for Whole30-friendly mayonnaise.
Yes. With only .2 grams of carbs and .03 grams of fiber per serving, the amount of net carbs comes to less than 1 gram. It also contains 22 grams of fat, making it suitable for a keto life-style.
Yes. With only .2 grams of carbs per serving, this is suitable for a low-carb lifestyle.
Other recipes you might like
- Dairy-Free Veggie Dip (Paleo, Whole30)
- Tahini Date Dressing (dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30)
- Paleo Cobb Salad (Whole30)
- Caesar Tuna Salad (dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30)
- Strawberry Cucumber Salad with Creamy Yogurt Dressing (dairy-free, Paleo, Whole30)
Healthy Homemade Ranch Dressing & Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dried parlsey
- ½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon dried garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried onion powder
- 10 grinds fresh black pepper
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Ina medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, dried parsley, vinegar, salt, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper. Whisk until combined. Whisk in the water 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency (I like using 4 tablespoons – or a ¼ cup – to make it thick and creamy but pourable.)
- Taste and adjust seasonings. Makes about 1½ cups.
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