Make your own homemade ranch seasoning with this easy recipe. It's great to have on hand for quick dips, adding zest to a dinner recipe or snack, and it allows you to control all the ingredients! Makes the equivalent of five packets and keeps for up to 6 months!
We love homemade ranch dressing around here. In fact, it's a staple during the summer with all the fresh vegetables coming in out of the garden that I make it by the quart!
But I also wanted to be able to season other dishes with that delicious, tangy ranch flavor - so I started keeping this homemade ranch seasoning mix in my pantry!
Homemade Ranch Seasoning
Having dry ranch dressing mix in your kitchen is quite handy! It's not only great for making delicious dips and dressings, but it can also be used to add that rich ranch flavor to various dishes. You can mix it with flour when preparing chicken or fish, sprinkle it on roasted potatoes, veggies, or popcorn, and even combine it with softened butter to create a unique flavor for garlic bread.
My favorite application is to make roasted ranch nuts with almonds, cashews, and pistachios!
And not only is it great to have on hand, but it's also necessary if you want to enjoy ranch seasoning without all the fillers. In fact, when you flip that little packet of ranch seasoning mix over and read the ingredients, you'll find MSG, carboxymethylcellulose, and soy.
If you're like me and need to stay away from those things for your health, then this homemade ranch seasoning mix is just what you need!
Is Homemade Ranch Cost Effective?
Yes! Each packet of ranch seasoning at the store averages about $1.99. This recipe makes the equivalent of 5 packets ($10 in value).
However, the ingredients only cost about $6 for this homemade ranch seasoning! So you're saving money, AND getting a better finished product. Win-win!
HACK: If you don't have all the spices on hand, you can go to most grocery or health food stores and find their bulk herbs. Then you can weigh and bag just what you need for this recipe, keeping your costs low!
Ingredients
This recipe makes about 1 cup of finished ranch seasoning which is the equivalent of about 6 packets of store-bought ranch seasoning. With such a simple recipe for making ranch seasoning at home, you'll never go back to buying it again!
There is a full recipe with measurements in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
- Buttermilk Powder - This flavor profile is the backbone of ranch dressing. It's what gives it the tangy zip we are all so used to.
- Garlic Powder - We use homemade roasted garlic powder but use what you like. You can also substitute onion powder if you can't tolerate garlic.
- Dried Dill - My favorite part of the ranch flavoring! I love dill! This recipe is a little heavy-handed on the dill, so you can reduce it to taste if you prefer.
- Parsley - Mostly for color, parsley doesn't add much to the taste, but it does add those lovely green specs so common in ranch items.
- Pepper - A medium-grind black pepper works best.
- Salt - We use pink salt, but use what you have on hand.
Where Can I Buy Buttermilk Powder?
You can usually find powdered buttermilk in the grocery store. However, if you are looking for organic buttermilk powder at a good price, I would recommend ordering it from Azure Standard. This is a 16oz bag, which will make a double batch of this recipe.
Amazon also carries organic buttermilk powder if you aren't in an area with access to Azure Standard, however, note that it is only a 7oz bag which will make a single batch of this ranch seasoning.
How to Make Ranch Seasoning Mix
The process couldn't be simpler! Here's the step-by-step for making your own ranch seasoning mix.
- Mix - Combine all ingredients in a dry bowl and mix well.
- Transfer - Use a funnel and spoon to transfer the mix into a dry container. We use a glass mason jar. Make sure the container is completely dry (not recently washed and towel dried) as any moisture will cause the mix to go bad almost immediately.
- Store - Keep your mix in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.
- Enjoy - Use as you would any store-bought packet of ranch seasoning!
Uses for Homemade Ranch Seasoning
While the uses for ranch seasoning are seemingly endless, here are a few of our favorite ways to use your homemade ranch mix.
- Homemade Ranch Dip - Mix together 1/4 cup of ranch seasoning mix with 1 cup of sour cream and 2 tablespoons of milk.
- Homemade Ranch Dressing - Mix together 1/4 cup ranch seasoning with 1 1/2 cup mayo, and 1/2 cup milk.
- Ranch Chicken Fingers - When dredging chicken tenders for frying (first egg, then flour mix) add 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning mix to the flour to give that ranch pop of flavor!
- Roasted Ranch Potatoes - For 1 pound of potatoes cut into 1" cubes, and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix. Roast at 400ºF for about 30 minutes, until tender.
- Ranch Popcorn - Toss 8 cups of popcorn with 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning mix.
- Ranch Nuts - Roast 4 cups of mixed nuts of your choosing at 375°F for 15-20 minutes and then toss the warm nuts with 2 tablespoons of ranch seasoning mix.
Common Questions About Homemade Ranch Seasoning
Each store-bought packet contains about 3 tablespoons of ranch seasoning. So for any recipe calling for "a packet of ranch seasoning" you can simply use 3 tablespoons of your finished ranch mix!
When stored in an air-tight container in a cool dark place, this will last for about 6 months. Any longer and I find that the buttermilk powder starts to change in taste. This may not be a deal breaker for you though!
Yes! You can use this in any way you would a store-bought ranch seasoning packet. Use it for ranch chicken, ranch dips, ranch popcorn, and more!
No, you can substitute powdered milk for the buttermilk powder. The taste will be a bit different, but it will still be enjoyable. Just like our DIY buttermilk recipe, you can also use a bit of powdered organic apple cider vinegar in this mix (along with the powdered milk) to get that tang!
Even More Pantry Staples
Want to keep your pantry stocked with all the best versions of your favorite things? Here are a few of our favorite homemade pantry staples!
Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk powder
- 2 Tablespoon dried parsley
- 3 Tablespoon dried dill
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a dry bowl and mix well.
- Use a funnel and spoon to transfer the mix into a dry container. We use a glass mason jar. Make sure the container is completely dry (not recently washed and towel dried) as any moisture will cause the mix to go bad almost immediately.
- Keep your mix in a cool dry place for up to 6 months.
- Use as you would any store-bought packet of ranch seasoning!
Notes
Nutrition
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