Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (2024)

This homemade ranch dressing is not only crazy delicious, but also happens to be dairy free, gluten free, paleo, and Whole30 compliant. It is absolutely creamy perfection to top your salad, dip your carrots and celery, drizzle inwraps, or even as sauce for meats or potatoes. This ranch has so much flavor and might just become your new go-to recipe!

Whenyou love ranch dressing as much as me and also decide to do the Whole30, you just have to figure out something to fill the void of the favorite dairy laden condiment. I mean what is a girl supposed to top her salads with? Dip veggies in? Dunk your pizza in…. oh wait… strike that- there will be no pizza on the whole30.

It was awhile ago when I did Whole30 now but I love good food that is easy to make and I really struggled with what to eat when I did the diet. Let’s just call it what it is, I am a cheese on everything kinda girl. I didn’t plan to create my own recipes, or to even blog about it, but even though I found a few recipes that I really liked that were compliant, I definitely did not find enough variety for a whole month that were simple, practical, and delicious. So I did what I do and just started making.

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (2)

One of my absolute favorite things I created was this Whole30dry ranch mix, which is still a staple in our spice cabinet today. It is just so. stinking. good. Tons of my readers loved it too and I get lots of messages and tags on Instagram of people who have made delicious things with it. There was just one problem…. It wasn’t ranch dressing, but just a dry mix.

Naturally I got questions from many of those readers about how to make it into dressing. The thing is, I tried but I didn’t like it, so I definitely not passing it on to you. You guys only get my favorites!

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (3)

While it was absolutely scrumptious flavoring things like meat, veggies, or even this to-die-for chicken salad, I couldn’t get the right combo to make it into a creamy, delicious dressing without the dairy. So I just kept mum.

When January this year rolled around, and everyone was dieting again, the questions surged again, and I felt like I needed to give it another try because there had to be a way!

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (4)

I kind of knew the whole time that I needed coconut milk in it, but in all honestly, I just don’t like the flavor of coconut and can almost always tell when it is used as a sub in something. But I knew… I just needed to try it. So I hunted down some wholesome, non-sweetened coconut milk and gave it a whirl.

And WOW. It worked! I really didn’t think it would, but it did! So if you are like me and really don’t love coconut, please don’t be scared off by this. It thins the dressing but the flavor dissolves into the ranch and it is so negligible, I would even say that I couldn’t taste it. I wanted to hate this guys. But I loved it!

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (5)

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe- Step by Step

So if you just want the recipe, skip down to the bottom, but if you want my notes, read on for the step by step!

Ingredients:

  • 1 C homemade mayonnaise —> I like this homemade mayo recipe! If you have never made it don’t be scared. It is actually surprisingly easy. OR if you would rather buy it, Thrive Market has a Whole30 compliant mayo here already made and ready to go which I love for the convenience.
  • 1/3 C coconut milk —-> Make sure to get unsweetened. I found mine near the coconut in the making section. It was a Thai brand.
  • 1 Tbsp Whole30 dry ranch mix —-> Grab the Whole30 Ranch Recipe here
  • 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (6)

Instructions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

    The only tricky part of this is getting the coconut milk mixed. If you aren’t familiar with it, when it sits in the can waiting for you to buy it, it will separate so that the solids are on top and the liquid on the bottom. I shake the can as much as I can before I open it, then I use a little whisk to combine it as smooth as possible before measuring and adding it to the ranch. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but do your best.

  2. Top salads or use as a spread or dip.

    I pretty much put it on everything and I needed to have something to dip all the meat I was eating on Whole30 so this would be perfect. Also, I can imagine drizzling it over the top of this fajita burrito bowl for a kick of flavor, YUM!

  3. Store extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    I have never had this stuff stick around long enough to go bad, but if you need to store it after you make it, put it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I love to use mason jars because they are easy to store and easy to pour! You can use an old salad dressing bottle, or whatever works for you. I would say this will stay good at least a week, but since it has no dairy it may be good way longer than that!

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (7)

I am so glad I was able to share a really awesome Whole30 Ranch recipe with you! Whether you are on Whole30, or just have sensitivities to dairy, you definitely need ranch to still be in your life, ha! If you make this recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments or tag me in a pic on Instagram @easyfamilyrecipes! It absolutely makes my day to know people make and love my creations! Before you go, make sure to check out all of my Whole30 Recipes here for more yummy and inspired ideas.

Hungry for more family-friendly recipes? Sign up for my free recipe club to get new family-friendly recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing daily meal-time inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (8)

5 from 6 votes

Whole 30 Ranch Dressing

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes minutes

Serves:1 1/2 cup

Hover over "serves" value to reveal recipe scaler

Author:Kimber

Print Review Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

  • Top salads or use as a spread or dip.

  • Store extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

Did you make this recipe?Tag me on Instagram @thepinningmama! If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a review! It helps support my website and makes my day!

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (9) Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (10) Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (11)

Whole30 Ranch Dressing Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What gives ranch dressing its distinctive flavor? ›

“But the particular flavor of traditional ranch can only be achieved with the dry versions of all those aromatics: garlic and onion powder, dried herbs, powdered pepper and buttermilk.” That's because fresh ingredients were rare in Alaska at the time. So Henson had to make due with what was available—and he sure did.

How can I thicken my homemade ranch dressing? ›

To thicken the dressing you can add a teaspoon of cornstarch. Just be just you whisk it in really well and refrigerate for a few hours before it's ready to serve. The dressing will thicken up as it sits.

How do you spruce up store bought ranch dressing? ›

This might seem obvious, but you can add a lot of flavor to ranch dressing by adding more of what's already in it. I love adding lots of fresh herbs, extra garlic, or even lemon zest.

Are bananas okay on Whole30? ›

What about bananas? Yes, both pickles and bananas are allowed on Whole30. Yet if they are a potential trigger food for you (for instance, the sweetness of bananas sets off a craving for other treats or makes you want to binge on the fruit), then you may consider including them on your “don't eat” list.

What is the one bite rule on Whole30? ›

One bite of pizza, one spoonful of ice cream, one sip of beer within the 30-day period and you've broken the 'reset'—and have to start over again on Day 1,” Whole30 instructs.

Is there a difference between ranch and ranch dressing? ›

Ranch dressing is usually based with mayonnaise, with sufficient water added that it will pour to cover the salad. Ranch dip is usually based with sour cream, or sometimes yogurt, and is not thinned so that it will stick to chips or vegetable slices.

What is the ranch dressing that restaurants use? ›

Most restaurants don't buy pre packaged ranch. They buy hidden valley seasoning and mix it themselves with ingredients they already have.

What makes Hidden Valley Ranch taste better? ›

The ranch packet has a fresher taste, because you add your own mayo and milk. Even though all the herbs and spices in the mix are dried, they rehydrate quickly and leave you with a product that feels homemade. This version of Hidden Valley Ranch is more flavorful than the bottled version and much, much thicker.

What is the emulsifier in ranch dressing? ›

Xanthan gum is another popular emulsifier that can improve viscosity, suspension, and texture. It is used in dressings such as Ranch, Thousand Island, and Honey Mustard. Polysorbate 80 is a clean-label emulsifier that enhances the stability and shelf life of dressings.

Why is my homemade ranch so thick? ›

I find that the type of mayonnaise can affect this. Using Best Foods Mayo (original) works the best. If your ranch is too thick, add more buttermilk.

How long does homemade ranch last? ›

Stored in a well-sealed container in the fridge (assuming you began with fresh sour cream and buttermilk) your buttermilk ranch dressing should keep for up to two weeks. Help it stay fresh by not dipping anything directly into the container that you're storing it in—for example, a half-bitten carrot.

How do restaurants make ranch so good? ›

Even when a restaurant does start with premade ranch, they will often fold in extra fresh herbs, and maybe even more buttermilk, to lighten and bring in some brighter flavors that can be lost in shelf-stable bottling.

How to jazz up ranch? ›

If you want to use store bought ranch dressing, like Hidden Valley Ranch, you can make spicy ranch by adding hot sauce or cayenne pepper to your ranch dressing. I think it's better with cayenne than with hot sauce, because the vinegar in the hot sauce combined with the buttermilk flavor can lean a little too acidic.

How do you enhance store bought salad dressing? ›

Adding freshly ground black pepper can often be an easy way to up your dressing game, but also freshening up any ingredient listed on the bottle can be useful. An extra dollop of mustard in your Dijon vinaigrette, or pinch of oregano in your Italian dressing can make a world of difference.

Is balsamic vinegar Whole30 approved? ›

Vinegar. Nearly all forms of vinegar, including white, red wine, balsamic, apple cider, and rice, are allowed during Whole30 program. Added sugar, real or artificial. No maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut sugar, date syrup, stevia, Splenda, Equal, Nutrasweet, xylitol, etc.

Is Chipotle vinaigrette Whole30 compliant? ›

When you order the bowl in the Chipotle app, the tomato salsa is automatically added. But if you're ordering in store, you can add the salsa of your choice. Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette is not compatible because it's made with Rice Bran Oil and contains honey.

Is mustard Whole30 approved? ›

Mustard is a fine choice, just read your labels carefully. French's Yellow is compatible, but beware your Dijon—it often contains white wine, which rules it out during your Whole30. Look to our Whole30 Approved partners for spicy, yellow, and even Dijon options in line with the Whole30 program rules.

Is all vinegar Whole30 compliant? ›

Most vinegar (including white, red wine, balsamic, apple cider, and rice) and alcohol-based botanical extracts (like vanilla, lemon, or lavender) are allowed during your Whole30 program. (Just not malt-based vinegar or extracts, which will be clearly labeled as such, as they contain gluten.)

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Pres. Lawanda Wiegand

Last Updated:

Views: 5918

Rating: 4 / 5 (51 voted)

Reviews: 82% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Pres. Lawanda Wiegand

Birthday: 1993-01-10

Address: Suite 391 6963 Ullrich Shore, Bellefort, WI 01350-7893

Phone: +6806610432415

Job: Dynamic Manufacturing Assistant

Hobby: amateur radio, Taekwondo, Wood carving, Parkour, Skateboarding, Running, Rafting

Introduction: My name is Pres. Lawanda Wiegand, I am a inquisitive, helpful, glamorous, cheerful, open, clever, innocent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.