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Make your own dry ranch dressing mix with better-than-packet flavor. This recipe has restaurant-style taste and is perfect for dressing, dips, or adding incredible flavor to some of your favorite dishes!
Why This is Better Than Any Other Ranch Mix
Have you *seen* how much an individual packet of ranch dressing is lately?? I was just at the store this morning and one single packet of Hidden Valley Ranch mix was $2.49! No joke. I was floored. For the price of TWO packets of ranch I can make 22 times that amount! That is a straight-up savings of almost $50! I just can’t even wrap my head around it. Plus this recipe makes ranch dressing that is a bazillion times better than anything bottled from the store. There is no good reason to not make this, like right now.
Not only do I use this dry mix for ranch dressing, I use it to season steak, chicken, pork chops, potatoes, and vegetables. I use it in my Creamy Corn Dip, Turkey Pinwheels, Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad, Crock Pot Chicken Pot Pie, and more! You can use this seasoning for literally anything. I can’t wait for you to try it!
🩷 Erica
Key Ingredients
- Fine sea salt: Make sure that it is “fine” so it incorporates into the mix how you want it to. Other salts’ crystals are too large and will separate from the other ingredients too easily and have a harder time dissolving into other ingredients when making ranch dressing.
- Accent seasoning: This gives the that classic flavor it needs to give you that good restaurant flavor. For me, it is an absolute must. Accent contains MSG but it really gives the dressing that classic flavor it needs. It is in the actual Hidden Valley Restaurant-Style Mix, which is what makes those particular ranch packets especially good. MSG has gotten a bad rap in the past but the National Institute of Health (NIH) has debunked those myths in recent articles saying “Based on a critical analysis of existing literature, we posit that many of the reported negative health effects of MSG have little relevance for chronic human exposure to low doses.” It may seem like a lot but since you are using so little in each serving, it really isn’t as much as you would think. If this is still a hard “no” for you, read below for a great alternative.
- Dried herbs and spices: A blend of parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper give it the classic restaurant ranch flavor.
- Sugar: I like adding a little big of sugar just to round everything out. If you want to cut it by half you totally can.
- Citric acid: This gives the mix just a little bit of tang that the ranch dressing needs (in my opinion), however I have left it out before (due to not having it on hand) and it still comes out just fine.
- Guar gum or corn starch: These are totally optional and don’t change the taste at all. Guar gum is used in Hidden Valley Ranch mixes to prevent clumping but it isn’t totally necessary. You can also use cornstarch to prevent clumping if you can’t find guar gum. If I leave these out I will just stir the mix with a clean spoon each time before using it.
Substitutions
Kosher Salt – Kosher salt can be used but it must be finely ground for it to work the same as sea salt. You can do this using a mortar and pestle and then measured and added. If you measure first and then grind it, you will find that you won’t have quite enough salt. Start with ⅓ cup of kosher salt, grind, and see where you are from there.
Spike Seasoning – If you are against using Accent seasoning, you can swap it out for “Spike” seasoning instead. Spike seasoning is a bit saltier to you will want to reduce the amount rather than swap at a 1:1 ratio. I have used ⅓ cup “Spike” seasoning instead of ½ cup of Accent and the taste ends up being pretty similar.
Why I Don’t Add Dried Buttermilk
I put a lot of time and research into this recipe and tested it repeatedly until it tasted just right. One thing I learned along the way is that regular Hidden Valley ranch packets (not the restaurant-style version) include dry buttermilk, mainly to bulk up the packet and add a mild “buttermilk flavor.” A lot of recipes online also include buttermilk and I think it’s a giant misstep.
The problem is, those regular packets just don’t taste as good. The restaurant-style packets are noticeably better because they don’t include dry buttermilk and do include MSG, which gives the ranch that classic restaurant flavor. They also use about half the amount of seasoning (0.4 oz), even though they cost the same (if not more) than the regular.
I did test adding dry buttermilk to this mix, and I honestly didn’t like it at all. It gave the ranch an off flavor and wasn’t necessary. When I make ranch dressing, I use real buttermilk instead of regular milk, and the flavor is so much better. Leaving out dry buttermilk also extends the shelf life of the mix, since dairy shortens how long it keeps. For flavor, freshness, and storage, it just makes more sense to leave it out completely.
How to Make Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
- Measure out all ingredients and place them in a mixing bowl.
- Stir until well combined. If you want to make it more of a powder so it incorporates better into a dressing, you can place everything in a food processor and pulse until powdery. You can also grind the mix using a mortar and pestle.
- Place in an airtight jar with a lid and store for up to 2 years.
- To make ranch dressing combine 1 2/3 cups mayonnaise, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1 ½ tablespoons ranch mix in a blender and pulse until smooth.
Expert Tips and Suggestions
Make it into a powder – For the best flavor and even distribution, use a mortar and pestle to grind the seasoning into a powder. You can also pulse the seasoning in a spice grinder or small food processor until finely ground. I have also This helps the herbs blend smoothly into dressings, dips, and sauces and prevents clumps.
Substituting in recipes that call for ranch mix – Use 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of this homemade mix in place of one 1 oz. packet of ranch seasoning. For recipes that call for the 0.4 oz. restaurant-style packet, 1 – 1 ½ tablespoons is usually a closer match. Remember this is a more potent mix because I don’t “water it down” with dried buttermilk so when you are using it in recipes, taste as you go and adjust accordingly.
Storage tips – Store the seasoning in an airtight jar in a cool, dry place. If kept dry, it will stay fresh for up to 2 years. It may stay fine longer than that, just the flavor intensity might start to decline after that. Always use a clean, dry spoon, when scooping and if the mix ever smells dull or looks clumpy from moisture, it’s time to replace it.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. In fact, I prefer it without! Buttermilk powder mainly adds bulk and mild flavor. I prefer to use real buttermilk when making dressing because it tastes so much better!
Most recipes can substitute 2 tablespoons of homemade ranch mix for one standard store-bought packet. However, my homemade mix is more concentrated (due to not using dry buttermilk), so start with a little less and adjust to taste.
YES! It is 100% gluten-free.
Clumping usually happens when moisture gets into the jar. To prevent this, store the mix in an airtight container and keep it away from steam or humidity. Adding a small amount of cornstarch and/or guar gum can help prevent clumping.
More Incredible Seasoning Mix Recipes
Have you tried this Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix? I’d love to hear what you think! Drop a comment below and let me know how you liked it! And don’t forget to take a pic and tag us on Instagram @favoritefamilyrecipes! 📸🥗
Ranch Dressing Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fine sea salt, if using Kosher salt, it needs to be finely ground. The salt crystals are too large in regular Kosher salt.
- 1/4 cup garlic, powder
- ¼ cup onion powder
- ½ cup Ac'cent seasoning, alternatively you can use "Spike" seasoning (see notes above)
- 1/2 cup dried parsley
- 3 tablespoons dried dill weed
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons citric acid
- 1/8 teaspoon guar gum, optional, prevents clumping (you can also use 1 tablespoon of cornstarch instead)
Instructions
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine all ingredients until well mixed. Note: If you plan on storing for a while I recommend making it into more of a powder so it doesn't separate as much when it settles. To do this, combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until it reaches a powdery consistency. It doesn't have to be perfectly fine, you still want flecks of parsley and dill to come through. You can also use a mortar and pestle for this.
- Place mixture in an airtight container (I usually just use a jar) and store in a cool, dark, dry place for up to 2 years. Yields appx. 2 cups of dry seasoning mix.Tip: Give the mix a good stir to re-incorporate the ingredients if you feel the ingredients are starting to separate after being on the shelf for a while.
- 1 ½ tablespoons ranch dressing mix = 1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning (see notes above). This recipe makes the same as 22 packets of seasoning.
- To make ranch dressing: combine 1 2/3 cups mayonnaise, 1 cup buttermilk, and 1 ½ tablespoons ranch dressing mix in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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