Copy-Cat Restaurant Ranch

This is a thick, creamy, restaurant-style ranch with real buttermilk flavor, balanced herbs, garlic, onion, and a cool tangy finish. It is ideal for salads, dipping vegetables, fries, wings, pizza, and chicken tenders.

This creamy, restaurant-style ranch dressing is rich, smooth, and packed with fresh herb flavor—perfect for salads, dipping, and everyday meals.

Yield

About 1 1/4 cups

Time

5 minutes, plus optional chill time

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, add the mayonnaise, sour cream, and buttermilk.

2. Whisk until completely smooth. The base should be creamy and thick, but still pourable.

3. Add the dried parsley, dill, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and white vinegar.

4. Whisk again until the herbs and seasonings are evenly incorporated and no streaks remain.

5. Taste the ranch and adjust if needed. Add a splash more buttermilk if you want a looser dressing for salads. Add a pinch more salt for a stronger restaurant-style flavor. Add a small extra squeeze of lemon if you want it brighter.

6. For the best flavor, refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes before serving. This gives the dried herbs time to soften and lets the dressing develop that classic ranch flavor.

Notes

Using both lemon juice and vinegar gives the ranch a more layered tang, which helps it taste closer to the kind served in casual restaurants and steakhouses.

If you want an even more pronounced ranch flavor, add an extra pinch of dill and a little more black pepper after chilling.

Storage

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir before serving.