Best on Earth!
“I don’t believe in bottled salad dressing…why should you have it bottled? It’s so easy to make. And they never use very good oil.”Julia Child
Ranch dressing is uniquely American. In a 2017 poll to determine our favorite salad dressing (sponsored by the Association for Dressing and Sauces) it received 40% of the vote nationwide (followed by Italian in second place with just 10%). Since 1992 ranch dressing has been the best-selling salad dressing in the United States. Ranch is good stuff. And if you enjoy ranch dressing as much as I do, then this column is for you.
In search of healthy salad dressing options, hoping to avoid unhealthy seed oils, I recently fell down the rabbit hole of online food tutorials. What I discovered is thrilling – healthy homemade ranch dressing that is unbelievably good! This may be the best ranch dressing on planet Earth!
Ranch dressing has an interesting history. In Texas, recipes for buttermilk dressing date back to the 1930s. It is believed that since buttermilk was more available than vegetable oils out on ranches, it became a popular base and ranch dressing was born. However, a cowboy from Nebraska named Steve Henson is credited with creating ranch dressing in 1949.
While working as a contract plumber in Alaska and cooking for his coworkers, Mr. Henson perfected his buttermilk dressing recipe. In 1954 he and his wife bought a ranch near Santa Barbara, California. They called their new home Hidden Valley Ranch and began serving their buttermilk dressing to guests. Their dressing was so popular they were soon selling it to ranch visitors and local supermarkets. In 1972 the couple sold their name and recipe to Clorox (yes, the bleach people) for $8 million and retired. Today ranch dressing is popular not only for salads, but it is a favorite for dipping everything from French fries to pizza and more. As Americans, we love ranch dressing.
For the health conscious, the only problem with commercial ranch dressing is that it is made using harmful seed oils. Ranch dressing that you buy in the store is made with Soybean and/ or Canola oil (both are toxic seed oils linked to cancer, heart disease, and more – do your own research on this). Along with seed oils, store-bought ranch is full of chemical preservatives. The good news is that you can easily and quickly make your own homemade ranch dressing that is free from bad seed oils and harmful preservatives. Your family will love this stuff.
Health concerns aside, perhaps the best reason for making your own homemade ranch dressing is because of the amazing taste difference. Your homemade dressing will taste a hundred times better than anything you buy. The primary reason for this I believe is simply that you can make it fresh. Like freshly baked bread, fresh roasted coffee, or garden tomatoes fresh out of the sun, fresh tastes better. Your freshly made dressing will delight and amaze your family and friends. Here is the recipe that I have been using. Note – you can add to or alter this recipe in any way. Consider this a basic recipe and adjust as you like.Ingredients needed:
*1 cup mayonnaise (I use mayo made with avocado oil – Primal Kitchen brand is best tasting and has no bad seed oils – regular mayo is made with soybean or canola oil – read labels).
*1/2 cup buttermilk (amount may vary – add this last and make dressing as thick or thin as you like).
*1/2 cup sour cream (I like the Daisy brand – pure and natural with no additives).
*2 tsp. lemon juice (fresh)
*2 tsp. dried parsley
*1 tsp. dried chives
*1 tsp. dried dill
*1/2 tsp. garlic powder
*1/2 tsp. onion powder
*1/2 tsp. sea salt
*1/4 tsp. black pepper
*optional – Worcestershire sauce
(few dashes – try with/without)
Whisk all ingredients in a large bowl. As I mentioned before, it is best to add buttermilk last to make dressing as thick or thin as you like. Dressing can be used immediately, or chill in fridge for 3-4 hours (keep refrigerated).
Now enjoy your homemade ranch dressing. Bon Appétit!© 2024 Jody Dyer
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