Leave the store-bought ranch dressing on the shelves and make your own creamy homemade ranch dressing in a matter of minutes!
This recipe for Ranch Dressing is tangy, creamy, perfectly spiced, and absolutely delicious. It is the perfect dressing for a Buffalo Chicken Salad or dipping sauce for Air Fryer French Fries or Instant Pot Chicken Wings.

If your family is like mine, they may be a bit obsessed with ranch dressing. From dressing salads to dipping fries, ranch dressing is a staple at many American households.
And while you can find endless varieties of ranch dressing at any grocery store, homemade is the way to go!
why homemade ranch dressing is best
- Easy Recipe. It takes less than five minutes to make homemade ranch dressing that is creamy and tangy, just like good ranch dressing should be!
- Quality Control. Because you are making the dressing, you are in charge of the ingredients. That means that you can leave the added sugar, MSG, and preservatives on the shelf!
- Family-Approved. The flavor in this homemade dressing is far superior to any store-bought ranch. It is creamy, tangy, and filled with the right combination of dried spices to give this dressing its signature ranch flavor.
Notes on Ingredients

- Greek yogurt (or Mayonnaise): You can use plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise for this recipe. I personally tend to opt for yogurt in place of the mayonnaise for a homemade ranch that is lower in fat, egg-free, and has a bit of protein. Plus I find the tang of Greek yogurt pairs nicely with the ranch flavoring.
- Sour Cream: Use regular or reduced-fat sour cream, NOT fat-free as the flavor will not be the same.
- Dried Spices: I use the same dried spices that I use to prepare Dried Ranch Seasoning.
- Milk/Buttermilk: Ranch dressing is traditionally made with buttermilk, but because this recipe calls for fresh lemon juice as well, you can omit the buttermilk and use regular milk if that is what you have on hand.
- Lemon Juice: Be sure to use the juice of FRESH lemons, not jarred lemon juice, as the flavor is not the same.
How To Make Homemade Ranch Dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, yogurt, or mayo, with the seasonings until well combined.
- Slowly whisk in the milk and lemon juice and whisk until well combined.
- Place the dressing in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using, as this allows the flavors to really develop.

Storage
Homemade Ranch Dressing can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Be sure to shake well before each use.
Serving Suggestions
Homemade Ranch Dressing is the obvious choice for dressing salads, dipping veggies, and serving with Air Fryer Chicken Wings or Baked Fries.
- Use to top a simple tossed salad or pair with Buffalo Chicken Salad for a delicious entree.
- Tame down the spiciness of Buffalo Chicken Bake with a drizzle of this homemade ranch dressing.
- Serve Instant Pot Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, or Boneless Chicken Wings with a side of ranch dressing in place of bleu cheese dressing.
- Instead of ketchup, serve ranch dressing with Homemade Oven Fries or Air Fryer Potatoes.
- Make your kids happy and serve Fish Sticks, Chicken Tenders, or Air Fryer Zucchini Fries with a side of ranch and watch them dip away!
More Homemade Salad Dressing Recipes
If you tried this recipe for homemade ranch dressing, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.

Homemade Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon dried dill weed
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- â…› teaspoon basil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch finely cracked pepper
- ¼ cup buttermilk or regular milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about 1 fresh lemon
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, yogurt/mayonnaise with the dill, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, and salt and pepper until well combined.
- Slowly whisk in the buttermilk/milk and lemon juice until well incorporated.
- Place the dressing in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using, to allow the flavors time to develop.
- After 30 minutes serve as desired or store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Mary Tyler
I think your nutritional information is way off. 1/4 tsp of sea salt is 120 mg without counting other ingredients.
This info makes a big difference when you are on a 2000 or less mg of sodium per day diet.
Kristen Chidsey
Hi Mary Tyler! The nutritional values are for 1/16 of this recipe. I re-ran the nutritional information, being sure everything added was counted, and it still comes out to 45 grams of sodium per serving. If you use a lot of dressing, you would need to account for that increase. I hope that helps!
HisFave
I love this recipe! I HATED cauliflower until I tried it with this recipe. Now I’m planning on making this weekly!
Kristen Chidsey
I love hearing this Ranch Dressing made you enjoy cauliflower 🙂
Katie
I'm obsessed with homemade ranch dressing! It's so flavorful and delicious every time.
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks for sharing you enjoyed Katie!
Nellie Tracy
Great recipe! Will be keeping on hand!
Claudia Marie
You absolutely nailed Ranch seasoning with this recipe! I've been trying for years to find a recipe with which I could make Ranch dip, so I could have that wonderful taste sans the migraine-causing (for me) MSG. And I found it. I mixed the seasonings (followed recipe to a T) with a tub of sour cream and ... wow. Delicious with potato chips. Now anxious to try it in salad dressing.
Liz
This is my husband's favorite salad dressing, but I've been lazy and have just buying a bottle at the grocery store. Your recipe was just what I needed. Perfect---so easy and Bill loved it!
Kristen Chidsey
Oh I love hearing that your husband enjoyed!
Sarah Walker Caron
What a great idea to use Greek yogurt instead of mayo!
Kristen Chidsey
Thanks Sarah!