The Best Homemade Ranch: Small Batch Recipe - The Crafty Blog Stalker (2024)

by Katie Adams 45 Comments

Homemade ranch tastes better than store-bought, and this ranch recipe is delicious! A simple DIY recipe tutorial idea! A top pinned post on Pinterest!

The Best Homemade Ranch: Small Batch Recipe - The Crafty Blog Stalker (1)

Over a year ago I shared The Best Homemade Ranch Recipe. This has been and is my favorite ranch recipe. I was quickly amazed at how popular this post became. This recipe has been pinned 73,931 times! Isn't that crazy?! With the popularity of that post, I have been asked many questions and one of the biggest being if I had a smaller portion recipe. So I thought since it has been pinned that many times, that was the least I could do.

I bought all of my ingredients in bulk. I think bulk spices are so much cheaper than buying them pre-packed or bottled. I also purchased a Plastic Spice Bottle to store my Ranch mix in once it was made.

The Best Homemade Ranch: Small Batch Recipe - The Crafty Blog Stalker (2)

Printable PDF version of this recipe.

For the dry ranch mix you will need:

  • ½ TBS Black Pepper
  • 2 ½ TBS Parsley Flakes
  • 1 TBS Garlic Salt
  • ¾ tsp Kosher Salt
  • ½ TBS Garlic Powder
  • 1 ½ TBS onion powder
  • ¾ tsp Dill Weed

How to Make a Smaller Portion Best Homemade Ranch Recipe

Pour each of the ingredients directly into the Spice Bottle and then shake the container to mix. That is all there is to it!

The Best Homemade Ranch: Small Batch Recipe - The Crafty Blog Stalker (3)

I have used this dry mix in all sorts of recipes that call for dry ranch mix from the packets, but my favorite and most common use is to make Ranch Dressing.

For the smaller portion of Ranch Dressing mix:

  • 1 TBS dry mix
  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1 cup cultured low-fat buttermilk
  • ¾ cup light sour cream
  • ½ tsp lemon juice
The Best Homemade Ranch: Small Batch Recipe - The Crafty Blog Stalker (4)

To store the ranch dressing, I pour it into a Rubbermaid 2 Quart Bottle. The only difference between this recipe and the original is this recipe makes 6 Tablespoons of Dry Ranch Mix and the original makes 36 Tablespoons.

The Best Homemade Ranch: Small Batch Recipe - The Crafty Blog Stalker (5)

We go through a lot of ranch at our house and I make Ranch Dressing close to once a week to make the full portion of Ranch mix. Go to my original The Best Homemade Ranch Recipe post to see the full portion recipe.

So how much ranch does your family go through?

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Katie Adams

Creator at The Crafty Blog Stalker

Katie Adams, known as The Crafty Blog Stalker, inspires with her innovative DIY projects and artistic flair. Her blog offers detailed tutorials, tips, and engaging content, encouraging readers to embrace their crafty side. From simple crafts to complex creations, Katie's passion motivates followers to unleash their creativity and make unique pieces. Follow The Crafty Blog Stalker for a world of crafting inspiration and discover the joy of creating something beautiful.

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You are here: Home Side Dishes The Best Homemade Ranch: Small Batch Recipe

Title:

The Best Homemade Ranch: Small Batch Recipe

Authors:

  • Katie Adams

Categories:

  • Side Dishes

Mentions:

Recipes

Keywords:

Homemade Ranch

Last Updated:

February 5, 2024

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Comments

    • Katie Adams

      Thank you so much for suggesting that. I have added a link in the post for a printable pdf. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  1. Heather May

    I LOVE making my own dressings! I make a homemade ranch that is similar only organic. People are always amazed that great ranch doesn't have to come out of a packet!!Thanks for sharing--I will try making this one next time I make it!

    Reply

  2. Paula Parrish

    Congratulations on the popularity of your post. ;o) I haven't tried making my own ranch dressing, sounds easy enough. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  3. Vanessa

    That's a lot of Pins! Congrats. You can add another one to that because I need to remember to make this. New follower too. Love your blog.

    Reply

  4. Shannon Thomas

    You can tell I grew up in the era of Beavis and Butthead, because I giggled when I saw "dill weed" in the recipe. My kiddos love ranch! I'll have to try this. Visiting from Tuesday Tea Party

    Reply

  5. Kimberly @ A Time to Freeze

    I've never thought to make homemade ranch, but what a great idea! I will definitely be pinning this! I'm also a big Winco shopper. 🙂 Stopping by from the Someday Crafts link party.

    Reply

  6. mammy2grammy

    Hi, Stopping by from Lovely Ladies Linky to say Hi. This recipe sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  7. Amber Neal

    Thank you so much for a great recipe! I shared how to make your recipe dairy free today on my blog.

    Reply

  8. Heather

    Ranch is definitely one of the main food groups at our house, too! We can never find the ones that taste as good as what you can get at restaurants and I'm not too excited about all the "junk" in commercial ranch, so I think I'll give this a try. I'll let you know if it is a hit.

    Reply

  9. thegreatzambini.com

    This recipe is just what I needed in my life, and in my blog too for that matter! I hope linking to the recipe won't bother you?

    Reply

    • Katie Adams

      Not at all. Thank you!

      Reply

  10. Meredith

    What brand of mayo do you recommend with this recipe? Thanks for sharing! Excited to try!!

    Reply

    • Katie

      I am not brand loyal when it comes to Mayo. To me all mayos tastes the same. So I usually buy what is on sale. I think with all of the spices and everything that is added, any mayo will do. I hope that helps!

      Reply

    • Amanda

      I know this comment is old but since I just found this I'll throw my .02 in. I make my own mayo and it's super easy and only has 5 ingredients (pale mayo if anyone's interested) and I bet this would be fantastic to use. I also don't use sour cream so I would sub Greek yogurt for a healthier alternative. We try hard not to use any packaged, processed foods and I've discovered that most little things like ranch dressing are so easy to make! I'll definitely be making this once I get some more dill!

      Reply

  11. Alayna

    Hi- Thanks for sharing this. It looks great~

    I am wondering if I could just mix the ranch mix with plain greek yogurt instead of mayo, sour cream, and buttermilk. Do you think that would work?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • Katie

      I definitely think it would change the flavor a bit, but it wouldn't hurt to try it and see if you liked it.

      Reply

  12. SaRa

    I am wondering how long this stays good in the fridge?? Thanks!!

    Reply

    • Katie

      Go by the expiration date on the buttermilk. I think that is the safest best.

      Reply

  13. Kate Nelson

    can you tell me the calorie count in 2 TBS of dressing - it is delicious!!!!!

    Reply

    • Katie

      I am sorry but I can't. It all depends on what mayo and sour cream you use, different brands are different calorie counts.

      Reply

  14. Jenna

    thanks for this recipe, I really need to start making my own, I use ranch seasoning for so many things!

    Reply

  15. Carrie This Home

    We go through a lot more ranch at our house since our kids have discovered carrot sticks. I love being able to offer them a healthy snack option with a little ranch on the side. It makes us all happy! I'm going to pin this recipe since it would save us some money!

    Reply

  16. Missy

    I just made my second batch, I will never buy ranch again. It will now be a passed down family recipe, thanks!!

    Reply

  17. Hilary

    Oooo, I LOVE this! Especially the dry mix. I'll have to try! Going to share on my social media.

    Reply

  18. Stephanie

    The way we go through ranch at my house this is perfect!! Thank you so much for linking up at Tasty Tuesday! Your recipe has been pinned to the Tasty Tuesday Pinterest board! Please join us again this week!

    Reply

  19. Helene

    I have been making mine with fresh garlic and onion and dill but winter is around the corner up here in the mountains and I'll be keeping this in mind!

    Reply

  20. Brittany

    My daughter LOVES ranch dressing...on everything. So we go through it pretty quickly. This looks pretty simple, so I think I might give it a try. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

    • Katie

      I would love to hear what you think of it Brittany!

      Reply

  21. Debi @ Adorned From Above

    Looks great. Thanks for sharing with Adorned From Above's Link Party. Have a great week.
    Debi @ Adorned From Above

    Reply

  22. RaY-Ray

    Thank you SO much for sharing both Large and small batch recipes. The small batch is perfect for my family but the large is perfect for parties! We are trying to weed out preservatives , but who doesn't like a good ranch? Now we can have the best of both worlds! Making a batch as soon as I submit this for our veggie tray for dinner tonight! Can't wait ! Also, I did use the dry seasoning mix on some homemade French fries that I made for a friend....RAVE reviews about how yummy they were!!! I just mixed the dry mix into some olive oil and tossed my raw fries in them. So delicious and smelled great ! Found you on Pinterest and sooooo happy I did 🙂

    Reply

  23. lulu

    If a recipe calls for 1 packet of a ranch and I substitute your ranch recipe would I use just 1 tbsp or all 6 that this makes?

    Reply

    • Katie

      A store bought package has about 3 tbsp. Great question, thank you!

      Reply

  24. Susan Z

    Did you use the coarse or fine grind sea salt?

    Reply

    • Katie

      I used the fine.

      Reply

  25. Alisa

    I often use the Hidden Valley Original Ranch Dips Mix (the one that you just mix with sour cream)
    Is this similar to that? If I wanted to make a dip instead of dressing would I just mix this with only sour cream or do you recommend adding buttermilk as well?

    Reply

    • Katie

      I have never tried using this ranch recipe as a dip, but now I must! I should work just the same as the packaged stuff so 16 oz sour cream - or substitute that with Greek Yogurt and 2 Tablespoons of the Dry Ranch Mix.

      Reply

  26. Brittany King

    Could I substitute extra garlic powder instead of garlic salt? My son has kidney disease and I try to limit his sodium.

    Reply

    • Katie

      Yes, Brittany, I think that would be just fine.

      Reply

  27. Janet

    I got to this page from a link someone shared on a recipe,
    we don't get ranch here, but I have had it in the US and love it, my question is the shop bought ranch in the recipe looked like it may have some dried milk/Mayo or other dairy as it appeared a lot whiter than your mix, so if adding this mix to a recipe should I add some dairy.
    Are there ranch mixes there that just add liquid it looked a bit like that.
    Maybe I could make a big batch of it up and freeze dry for instant ranch.

    Reply

    • Katie

      Hi Janet! No ranch where you live? WHAT!! LOL!

      To make the ranch dressing from the mix, the recipe does call for buttermilk and sour cream which are all dairy products, as well as mayo and lemon juice. I have never worked with Powdered mayo but I assume it would work fine. Buttermilk is a much thicker and creamier product than regular milk, and is what helps give the ranch that thick creamy texture. I suggest experimenting and finding what works best. Sorry I'm not more help with this one.

      Reply

      • KAtie

        I have been living in New Zealand for the past 4 years and have found the ranch sold here not nearly as good as in the US, so I thought I would try your recipe. THIS IS THE BEST RANCH BOTH MY FIANCE AND I HAVE EVER TASTED!!!! (even though I didn't have buttermilk and used regular milk to make the dressing instead). I also couldn't find Garlic salt here so used garlic powder plus a bit extra salt. This is seriously so good!!! Thank you so much! I'm never buying store bought ranch again, even when we move back to the states!

        Reply

        • Katie

          Thank you so much Katie!! I am so glad that you like it and you made it work for what you had available.

          Reply

  28. Cathie

    What kind of mayo do you use to make the dressing? I tried miracle whip. My husband hates it and refuses to eat.

    Reply

    • Katie

      Miracle Whip and Mayo are actually different and have a completely different taste. Try the recipe made with mayonnaise. I usually use the generic brand and it tastes great!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

The Best Homemade Ranch: Small Batch Recipe - The Crafty Blog Stalker (2024)

FAQs

How do you make off brand ranch taste better? ›

If you don't have time or inclination to make your dressing from scratch, but you want that elevated restaurant-style ranch, think about zhuzhing up the bottled version with things like finely chopped shallot or scallion, a clove of minced fresh garlic, a splash of buttermilk or dollop of sour cream if you have them ...

How does ranch get its flavor? ›

Ranch dressing is a savory, creamy American salad dressing usually made from buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs (commonly chives, parsley and dill), and spices (commonly pepper, paprika and ground mustard seed) mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil emulsion.

How do restaurants make their ranch so good? ›

Originally Answered: Why does ranch dressing taste so much better in a restaurant than at home? Freshness. They mix it up every day or two, from the seasoning mix, buttermilk, and mayonnaise, and go through it very fast.

What kind of ranch dressing do most restaurants use? ›

Most restaurants don't buy pre packaged ranch. They buy hidden valley seasoning and mix it themselves with ingredients they already have.

How to jazz up bottled ranch dressing? ›

Start with bottled ranch dressing and blend it with chopped jalapeño, avocado, and a squeeze of lime to make a creamy jalapeño ranch dressing. Thin it out with lemon and olive oil for a creamy ranch vinaigrette. And make pasta salads with ranch dressing instead of mayonnaise or vinaigrette.

How do you make store bought dressing taste better? ›

A squeeze of citrus juice, lemon in a poppyseed or orange in French, can brighten things up. Heat is a good balance for sweet, so a dash of hot sauce, a pinch of red pepper flakes or a squirt of sriracha can also be a welcome addition to make these dressings a bit more balanced.

How do you dilute ranch flavor? ›

Milk or cream would work. If you don't like how they change the flavor, you can instead blend in a neutral oil (vegetable, soy, canola, avocado) to thin it out to the desired consistency.

How do you make ranch taste less sour? ›

If you find you've made it too tangy (maybe too much butter milk or sour cream) then add more sweetness with the Worcestershire sauce. If you find you've made it too sweet, add more salt, or spice like the paprika or mustard. You can make your perfect ranch dressing.

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