When my mama passed away in January, my dear friend Dawn brought us a feast of pizza, salad, and an entire quart of her homemade ranch dip! She is one of the most generous people you will ever meet and a fabulous cook, too!
The meal was such a gift! We slathered that thick, heavenly mixture on our salad, and I hoarded what was left in the jar for myself. I begged her for the recipe, and finally, weeks later, I made my own batch. It is simply amazing!
Combine Duke's mayonnaise, sour cream, onion powder, garlic powder, dry Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning mix, salt, and pepper in a bowl and blend the ingredients together well.
I used an immersion blender, but you can use a whisk, a food processor, a blender, or a hand mixer. Just make sure you combine the ingredients thoroughly.
This recipe makes a generous quart of thick dressing or dip; you decide how to use it!
Store it in the refrigerator in a wide-mouth mason jar for easy spooning and pouring! With careful handling, the dressing should stay fresh for two weeks or longer. Please, always refrigerate it promptly after using it!
Suppose you want to transform the dip into a dressing; you can thin it to a more pourable product by gradually adding small amounts of buttermilk or regular milk until you reach your desired thickness. Start with a tablespoon at a time and mix well, then continue adding until you're happy with the consistency.
Taste the dressing. If it needs a little more tang, add a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar. Start with just a teaspoon and adjust to taste, mixing well after each addition.
If you need to adjust the seasoning, you can add more ranch seasoning, salt, or pepper to taste. Pour it into a container and keep it refrigerated. If the ingredients separate, shake it well before using.
Ranch dip is perfect on crudite of all kinds, but don't stop there! You can use it in so many ways!
Ranch Dressing is by far the most popular salad dressing in America, with a nearly cult-like following. Ranch Dip is essentially the same recipe but thicker. It depends on how you plan to use it! Here's what’s in it; buttermilk, dill, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, chives, and parsley.
Nebraska native Steve Henson, a plumber by trade, was from the tiny village of Thayer, Nebraska. In about 1950, he worked in construction in Anchorage, Alaska. He was a part-time cook for the crew and created the recipe for them while working there.
The story goes that he and his wife, Gayle, relocated to California to operate a dude ranch. They named it "Hidden Valley Ranch" and started hosting guests and making homemade meals for them.
Steve pulled out the dressing recipe he created while working in Alaska, and it was a huge hit with their customers. Everyone who visited the ranch liked it so much that they began asking for a jar of the tasty dressing to take home.
The Hensons saw the potential of Steve's recipe, so they decided to package and sell their dry ranch dressing mix. First, they sold it in local markets, and eventually, they expanded the distribution to grocery stores.
In 1972, the Hensons sold the Hidden Valley Ranch brand and recipe to the Clorox Company, which still owns the brand. This really surprised me! Steve Henson's invention of ranch dressing has become a culinary icon, and his creation has left a lasting legacy in American cuisine.
Here is a recipe for a thick, tangy, creamy dip that is perfect for many applications. It can be thinned to make a pourable ranch dressing.
** To avoid black specks in the dip, use white pepper. White pepper also has a more earthy flavor and subtle heat than black pepper.
We've just turned the page to spring, but already, our thoughts are leap-frogging ahead to graduation parties, Mother's Day, and weekends at the lake! This dip will always be welcome on your table, and so will these wonderful recipes: Best Lemon Cake, Egg and Cheese Salad Sandwich Filling, and Yummy Pistachio Dessert!
If you liked this recipe, you are my people! Please share it on your social media accounts, such as Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter! It would sure tickle me, and I would be ever so grateful!
If you haven't already, please look for me on Facebook and Pinterest. I share easy, delicious, family-friendly recipes there every week!
Sign up for my newsletter and receive a free gift! A printable sign that would look great in your kitchen, framed above your sink, or just placed anywhere to remind us how lucky we are to have dirty dishes!
Sign up now!