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RECIPE: Best Ranch type dressing ?

18 years ago

My DD's BF is VERY picky about his Ranch dressing... Since salad is the one "veggie" he will eat ( and ONLY with Ranch, mind you) I want to serve a green salad with Ranch at Christmas dinner.

Anyone have a favorite?

TIA!

Tikanas

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Comments (14)

cindy_5ny
18 years ago
Hi Tikanas!

This is the recipe that we like:

Ranch Dressing/Dip

1 cup mayonnaise (use 1/2 sour cream for dip)
1/4 cup buttermilk, (more to thin for dressing)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 tsp worchestershire
1/4 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic, minced)
1/2 tsp onion powder (or 2 T fresh minced chives or scallion)
1/4 tsp salt
1 T parsley flakes

Combine ingredients, whisk until smooth. Chill before serving.

Cindy
BeverlyAL
18 years ago
That looks really good Cindy. Copying and pasting.... Tikanas, you can always add fresh snipped dillweed too.
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Tikanas2
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks, Cindy! I will use your recipe!

Beverly, that's a great addition!

Tikanas
ltcollins1949
18 years ago
I know that you said "ranch", but one of our local restaurants serves the following dressing instead of ranch. I have found that even the most die-hard ranch lovers love this one too.

Water Street Seafood Restaurant Walnut Dressing

2 each Green Onions (chopped fine)
1 tspn Parsley (minced)
2 cloves Garlic (minced)
2 Â½ tspns Salt
Â½ tspn White Pepper
2 tspns Paprika
1 Tblspn Dried Tarragon Leaves
3 Tblspns Sugar
Â½ Cup Finely Chopped Walnuts
3 Tblspns Tarragon Vinegar
3 Â½ coups Mayonnaise
Â¾ cup Buttermilk

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in refrigerator for up to 10 days. Makes 1 quart.

Water Street Seafood Restaurant
Corpus Christi, Texas
danain
18 years ago
Ranch Dressing

1/2 cup Hellmann's real mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon minced onion
3/4 teaspoon salt (or 1 teaspoon kosher salt)
dash ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon dill weed

Stir together all ingredients and refrigerate at least two hours before serving to blend flavors.

*Try adding more fresh ground pepper and 1/4 cup finely grated fresh Parmesan cheese for Parmesan peppercorn dressing. Omit buttermilk to serve as a dip.
**This dressing will thicken as it sets in the refrigerator and you may want to add more buttermilk for your desired consistency.

Marilyn
Tikanas2
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks you guys! I am going to make all 3 and we'll have a taste test before Christmas where "the winner" will be served.

Tikanas
danain
18 years ago
Tikanas, great idea! Please report back so I will know if I need to change recipes. I rarely eat Ranch dressing but the kids in our family do so I want to be sure I make a good one to take to our Christmas gathering.

Marilyn
lindac
18 years ago
Well, knock me over with a feather!!.....
I have been avoiding "ranch" dressing for years because it used to always have a couple of teaspoons of MSG in it.....and that gives me a blinding headache.
I LOVE Ranch dressing......and will try one of the home made ones......without MSG.
Thanks!!
Linda C
BeverlyAL
18 years ago
All those recipes look really good. I love Ranch Dressing so much that I sometimes eat it by the spoonful by itself. Only homemade of of course!
Tracey_OH
18 years ago
I can vouch for Marilyn's recipe. We love it. The only change I make is to use chives instead of dill. And if I want to use it as a base for pasta salad, I just omit the buttermilk and use buttermilk powder so it will be thicker.
jleek
18 years ago
Tracey, I am not sure I understand you using the Ranch dressing on pasta. Is this a new idea that I have missed?
hablano
18 years ago
When I worked in the local high school cafeteria on the salad bar, kids would use ranch dressing to dip their french fries. I guess they use it for all kinds of things now.
User
18 years ago
I think Tracey means on a cold pasta salad, I've often herd of using ranch dressing on pasta salads.
Tracey_OH
18 years ago
You're right Sharon. I make a cold pasta salad with bacon, carrots, peas, tomatoes, cheese, artichoke hearts, and maybe some chopped hard boiled eggs. Betty Crocker makes a Ranch boxed pasta salad, which is where I got the idea.

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