How to Make Buttermilk Ranch Dressing from Scratch

Grab a mixing bowl and spoon in a half cup of sour cream and a half cup of mayonnaise. Equal parts of each is the base of the whole dressing. Chef Tom uses Hellmann's here, but if you're in the South, Duke's is a great call too.

Don't whisk these together yet. You're going to add all the herbs and aromatics first, then mix everything at once. For now, just get both into the bowl and set it aside while you work on the herbs.

First herb in is chives. Trim off the gnarly ends, then run your knife through them until you've got about a tablespoon of minced chives. Chives bring a mild onion flavor that gives ranch its signature savory backbone.

Keep the pieces small so they spread evenly through the dressing. Once they're minced, add them straight into the bowl with the sour cream and mayo.

Next up is baby dill. Where the chives gave you that onion note, dill brings a fresh aromatic pop. If you've ever smelled a pickle, that's the aroma headed into your ranch. Mince down about a tablespoon and add it to the bowl.

Dill has a real punch, so a tablespoon is plenty. You can always taste at the end and add more, but it's hard to pull it back out once it's in there.

The last herb is Italian flat-leaf parsley. It doesn't pack the same punch as the dill or chives, so you can use more of it. Mince down about a quarter cup and add it in with the rest.

Parsley is the herb that gives ranch its color and that fresh, green, garden-y taste without overpowering anything. Flat-leaf has more flavor than the curly kind, so reach for that if you have the choice.

Now for the garlic. Take a single clove and grate it super fine over a microplane, right into the bowl. You're aiming for something between minced and a paste, fine enough that it melts straight into the dressing with no sharp bits.

Fresh garlic has a serious kick, so one clove is all you need. The microplane breaks it down so completely that you get garlic flavor all the way through without ever biting into a chunk.

Before you mix, add a teaspoon of fresh lemon juice for a little extra tang. Now whisk everything together by hand until the herbs, garlic, and lemon are worked all the way through the sour cream and mayo.

Doing this by hand instead of in a blender is a real choice. A blender breaks the herbs down and turns the whole batch bright green. Whisking keeps that creamy white base with green flecks running through it, and gives the dressing a bit more texture.

Here's where buttermilk earns its spot in the name. Pour it in a little at a time, whisking as you go, until the dressing loosens to the thickness you like. Chef Tom uses close to equal parts buttermilk with the sour cream and mayo, but go by feel.

For a dip you'd use, keep it on the thicker side. For a pourable salad dressing, add a touch more. You're looking for something with body that still has flecks of herb suspended in it, not too runny and not too stiff.

All that's left is seasoning. Add a little salt and whisk for about thirty seconds so it dissolves all the way in. Chef Tom uses hickory smoked flake salt for a touch of smokiness, which is a nice twist, but regular salt works too. A bit of black pepper on top is optional but good.

Now taste it. You're after lots of herb flavor, a clear garlic kick, and just the right amount of salt. Adjust anything that needs it before you call it done.

Your ranch is ready. Pour it into a serving bowl and set out a platter of carrots, peppers, and whatever else you've got for dipping. It's a great way to get the kids to crush a few veggies before dinner.

This stuff is not just for veggies. Spoon it onto burgers and sandwiches, use it as a salad dressing, or drizzle it over pizza. Keep leftovers in a sealed jar in the fridge, and know that the flavor only gets better after a few hours of chilling.