Gluten Free Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Gluten Free Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is creamy and tangy, made with buttermilk, mayo, and sour cream mixed with herbs and spices, ready in under 5 minutes!
Gluten-free dressings are a staple in my house, especially when they’re made with only a few simple ingredients. This ranch dressing goes particularly well when used as a dipping sauce for Crispy Oven Fried Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Potato Wedges, or Cream Cheese Sausage Balls!
Gluten Free Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is hands down the most used homemade dressing in my household. We use a combination of mayo and sour cream for a really nice creamy texture, and buttermilk for that classic ranch flavor.
You can add the herbs directly, or make a larger batch of this Homemade Ranch Seasoning, and use 2-3 tablespoons of seasoning. This is perfect for your favorite salads or as a dip, and it’s homemade so you don’t have to worry about gluten-containing ingredients. A bonus, no artificial flavors and naturally gluten free!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Mayonnaise. Mayo is one of the key ingredients to having the right flavor and texture of this creamy dressing.
Sour Cream. Sour cream adds to the flavor, and helps keep the texture creamy and thicker without having to add any kind of food starch.
You can use light sour cream for less fat and calories.
Buttermilk. Buttermilk is what gives this the classic ranch flavor. Without buttermilk, the dressing will still be good, but it won’t taste quite right.
Herbs. Chives, parsley, and dill weed make up this classic flavor profile. You can also use fresh herbs, chopped small. I like dried because I already have them in my pantry.
Spices. Onion flakes and powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. You can add kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
You can also make this spicy by adding red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper here.
How to Make Gluten Free Ranch Dressing
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and sour cream. Slowly add buttermilk, whisking until preferred texture is achieved. Add more buttermilk as needed.
- Whisk in spices until well combined. Refrigerate in an airtight container, or mason jars, until ready to use.
Jacqui’s Tip! One tablespoon of fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade ranch can be thick if the ratio of ingredients is off, or if your brand of sour cream is on the thicker side. An easy solution is to add buttermilk slowly, whisking together, until the desired consistency is reached.
Store-bought ranch dressing, like Hidden Valley, is sometimes gluten free, depending on the dressing type. Some companies use wheat products or other gluten ingredients to thicken the dressing. Or it may have cross-contamination at the factory level.
And like any packaged product, you’re at the mercy of the company when it comes to ingredients list changes, so even your favorite products might not be gluten free forever. That’s why it’s good to know how to make your favorite products at home!
Storage
Store this homemade salad dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, because it would defrost with a gritty texture.
More Gluten Free Salad Dressing From Scratch
- Greek Vinaigrette
- Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
- Orange Strawberry Salad Dressing
- Homemade Poppy Seed Dressing
Recipe Variations
There’s a lot of different ways to make gluten free ranch dressing! Here are a few of my favorites.
- Make an avocado version. Use light or nonfat sour cream, and blend an avocado with this dressing in a food processor for some healthy fats.
- Make a chipotle lime version. In a food processor add all ingredients, plus 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
- Make a spicy version. Add diced jalapeno or poblano peppers, or 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Make a dip version. Whisk all of the ingredients together, saving the buttermilk for last. Add the buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time, until the texture is still thick enough to pick up on veggies or chips, but thin enough to work with.
- More acid. If your dressing isn’t “bright” enough, you can add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lime juice to add some acidity. I usually keep a bottle of store-bought lemon juice for things like this!
Dairy Free Ranch Dressing
You can easily make this dairy free or vegan ranch with a few substitutions! A lot of the flavor comes from the seasoning, and my usual homemade ranch dressing mix is made without buttermilk powder.
- Use a non-dairy milk, like almond milk, instead of buttermilk. Make sure you’re using plain and not vanilla (or flavored).
- Replace the sour cream with a plain dairy-free yogurt, preferably unsweetened (soy or almond based).
- For the vegan version: Replace the mayo with vegan mayo (also double check to make sure it’s gluten free).
Cooking Tips
- Use gluten free ranch dressing as a classic veggie dip, or a dipping sauce for grilled chicken, potato chips, and Air Fryer French Fries!
- You can whisk all of the ingredients together, no need for a food processor for this basic version.
- I like to meal prep for the week with some mason jars of cut up carrots and celery (or other fresh veggies), with a few tablespoons of ranch on the bottom of the jar. It’s a great grab-and-go snack!
- If you don’t have dried onion, you can just add a little extra onion powder. Or leave it out altogether, for slightly less onion flavor.
- This also goes well paired with parmesan cheese as a salad topping for the perfect salad!
- You can swap the garlic powder for minced garlic clove. 1 clove garlic = 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Make a decorative vegetable tray with carrots, celery, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower with a bowl of gluten free ranch dressing as the vegetable dip in the middle.
If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!
Gluten Free Buttermilk Ranch Dressing
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, gluten free
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill weed, chopped small
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise and sour cream. Slowly add buttermilk, whisking until preferred texture is achieved. Add more buttermilk as needed.
- Whisk in spices and herbs until well combined. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
Notes
- Avocado. Blend an avocado with this dressing in a food processor.
- Chipotle lime. In a food processor add all ingredients, plus 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce and 2 tablespoons of lime juice.
- Spicy. Add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, or 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- More acid. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or lime juice to add some acidity.
- Use a plain unsweetened non-dairy milk, like almond milk, instead of buttermilk.
- Replace the sour cream with a plain unsweetened dairy-free yogurt.
- For the vegan version: Replace the mayo with vegan mayo (also double check to make sure it’s gluten free).
- You can whisk all of the ingredients together, no need for a food processor for this basic version.
- You can swap the garlic powder for minced garlic clove. 1 clove garlic = 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
- 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
Nutrition
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This was sooo delicious and my family loved it!