This Homemade Ranch Seasoning is quick and easy to make and ready to add incredible flavor to your food.
Say goodbye to ingredients like maltodextrin, monosodium glutamate, artificial flavor, and other chemicals and hello to dried herbs, buttermilk powder, and spices you have on hand when you make this homemade ranch seasoning. Yes, buying a packet of seasoning mix at the grocery store may seem quick and easy, but whipping it up at home from ingredients you have on hand is even better. Besides, once you make a batch, it will be ready for you whenever you want it.
How many times have you wished you had a packet of ranch seasoning on hand? I know I have when I’ve made spicy chicken wings. After all, you want something to cool down the mouth after eating those hot wings, and there’s nothing like some ranch dip to make that happen. I like it far better than blue cheese, so keeping this seasoning ready to mix into some sour cream or yogurt is ideal.
As a mom, my goal has always been to provide my family with the healthiest possible food. Making seasoning mixes from scratch is one way I’ve cut back on the amount of chemicals in meals. It never ceases to surprise me what I find when I read ingredient labels at the grocery store. I remember when my kids were little, and I would run out to get only a few items. Instead of coming back 10 minutes later, I would often be gone for over an hour. The reason was simple—I would spend too much time browsing the aisles and reading labels.
That’s when I set out to find quick, easy alternatives to products I would have previously bought, especially dips and sauces. Dips are a great way to get children to eat raw vegetables, and ranch dressing has always been a leading option in that category. Oh, and if you want a spicy version of this seasoning, add one to two teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes to the mix.
How to use homemade ranch seasoning
One of the benefits of this homemade ranch seasoning is that it uses less than you might expect to flavor your food. While many ranch seasoning packets contain about three tablespoons of mix, you only need two tablespoons for the same amount of flavor. That’s because you don’t have all those fillers that I mentioned at the start of this recipe.
You can add it to some breadcrumbs to bring delicious ranch flavor to chicken tenders, burgers, or turkey meatballs. Sprinkle it on potatoes or your favorite roast. It’s also great on salads, so mixing one-half cup each of sour cream (or yogurt) and buttermilk and one tablespoon each of this seasoning, mayonnaise, and lemon juice creates the ideal dressing. You can adjust the ingredients to taste and the desired thickness of the dressing. The options are endless.
How do I store leftovers?
You can use any dry, airtight container to store homemade ranch seasoning, but I prefer a small glass jar. Place it in a cool, dry area away from sunlight and heat, and it should remain fresh for at least 3 months. If you live in a humid area, I recommend adding a few grains of uncooked rice to the jar to absorb moisture and prevent clumping. Give the jar a good shake every few weeks, and shake it again before using it to redistribute the spices and herbs.
Serving suggestions
There’s far more to homemade ranch seasoning than using it to make salad dressing or dip, although those are certainly good uses. This mix is the perfect topping for freshly made popcorn. Add a sprinkle or two to your Scrambled Eggs With Spinach for savory flavor. Omit the Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, garlic, onion, and pepper in this recipe for Ground Chicken Burgers and add 2 tablespoons of this seasoning mix. Sprinkle the seasoning on Instant-Pot Pork Chops instead of the seasonings in the recipe. Mix some seasoning with plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, and serve it with celery and carrot sticks when you make Buffalo Wings, or drizzle it on Buffalo Chicken Pizza. You’ll always have the seasoning ready for whatever tasty dish you desire.
Homemade Ranch Seasoning
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons buttermilk powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 1/4 teaspoons dried parsley
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dill weed
- 1 1/4 teaspoons dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar optional
- 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Place the buttermilk powder, garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, dried dill weed, dried chives, sugar, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Stir well to combine evenly.
- Transfer the mixed seasoning into an airtight container. Shake well before each use. Store in a cool, dry place.
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