Ranch Dressing

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Quick Bite

A popular American, creamy, and savory condiment made from a base of buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream, blended with herbs like dill, parsley, and chives, along with garlic and onion. Created in the 1950s, it has been the best-selling U.S. salad dressing since 1992.

History

Ranch dressing was created in the early 1950s by Steve Henson, a plumber-turned-cook who developed the recipe while working in Alaska. When he and his wife later opened Hidden Valley Ranch near Santa Barbara, California, they began serving the creamy buttermilk-and-herb dressing to guests. It quickly became the ranch’s signature flavor.

Visitors loved it so much that the Hensons started selling dry seasoning packets by mail order, allowing fans to recreate the dressing at home by mixing the blend with mayonnaise and buttermilk. Demand grew rapidly throughout the 1960s.

In 1972, the brand was sold to Clorox, which mass-produced bottled ranch dressing and distributed it nationally. From there, ranch moved from a regional specialty to a supermarket staple.

By the 1990s, ranch had surpassed Italian dressing as America’s most popular salad dressing, and it expanded beyond salads into dips, chips, pizza, and even snack foods.

What started as a simple buttermilk herb dressing at a California dude ranch became one of the most recognizable condiments in the United States.

Fun Facts

• A huge percentage of ranch consumption is not on salads at all.
• Ranch is commonly used as a dip for pizza, wings, fries, and vegetables.
• From chips to popcorn to seasoning blends, “ranch flavor” has become its own snack aisle category.
• States in the Midwest consistently rank among the highest consumers of ranch dressing in the country.

Where to Try

Bob’s Big Boy Burbank, California

Prime Pizza Los Angeles, California

Goat Hill Pizza San Francisco, California

Recipe

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Ranch Dressing Servings: About 8 Prep: 10 minutes Chill: 30–60 minutes Difficulty: Very Easy Style: California / American Condiment

Ingredients

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup buttermilk, adjust for thickness
• 1 teaspoon dried dill, or 1 tablespoon fresh
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley, or 1 tablespoon fresh
• ½ teaspoon dried chives, or 1 tablespoon fresh
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 small clove finely minced
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• 1–2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, optional, for brightness

Instructions

1. Whisk the base: In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk until smooth.
2. Add seasonings: Stir in dill, parsley, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice if using.
3. Chill: Cover and refrigerate for at least 30–60 minutes to let the flavors develop.
4. Adjust consistency: Add more buttermilk for a thinner dressing, or keep it thick for dip.

Serving note: Ranch works as a salad dressing, veggie dip, pizza dip, wing sauce companion, fry dip, or a creamy base for wraps and sandwiches.

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