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The easiest homemade ranch you’ll ever make (thick, creamy & perfect for salads or dipping!)
If your family is anything like mine, ranch goes on everything. From dipping veggies to drizzling on pizza (you’ll want to try out my homemade pizza dough and homemade pizza sauce for this recipe!), it’s a must-have in the fridge at all times. But what I don’t love? Paying $12 for a bottle at the store, especially when it’s loaded with unnecessary ingredients I can’t pronounce.
That’s why I started making our own—and it’s not only cheaper, but it’s so easy it almost feels like cheating. No whisking for days, no fancy kitchen skills needed. Just an immersion blender and a few pantry staples.
So What’s Actually in Store Bought Ranch Dressing?
Let’s take Hidden Valley Ranch, for example. A quick glance at the label shows ingredients like:
- Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
- Disodium phosphate
- Calcium disodium EDTA (a preservative)
- Natural flavors (aka… who knows?)
- Artificial colorings
- Sugar
- Soy derivatives
No thanks.
I’d rather whip up my own with ingredients I trust and can pronounce—plus it tastes even better than the store-bought kind.
Like, my jaw dropped the first time I tried it!
So next time you’re about to throw that $12 bottle in your cart, try this recipe instead. It’s easy, clean, and 100% family-approved.
How to Make Oil-Based Dressings with an Immersion Blender
What You Need:
- A tall, narrow container (like a wide-mouth mason jar or the cup that came with your blender)
- Your immersion blender (this is the one I use and LOVE)
Ingredients for your dressing, such as:
- Oil
- Acid
- Base
- Mustard/Salt/Sweetener (acts as a binder)
Step by Step Instructions for Using an Immersion Blender for Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Add all ingredients to your container and submerge the immersion blender all the way to the bottom of the container.
- Start blending at the bottom, keeping the blender still for a few seconds. You’ll see the mixture at the bottom begin to emulsify and turn creamy.
- Slowly lift the blender as the dressing thickens, allowing it to pull the oil into the emulsion layer by layer.
- Blend until fully mixed and thick… this usually takes about 30 seconds!
TIP: DO NOT MOVE THE BLENDER!!!
Why does keeping the blender still matter so much?
It’s All About Emulsification. Emulsifying is the process of blending oil and water-based ingredients into a stable mixture. These two things don’t naturally mix — oil wants to stay separate unless you slowly combine them under high-speed mixing.
Why it works:
Controlled Mixing at the Base: Holding the blender still allows the blades to start emulsifying the small amount of oil and liquid right at the bottom. That thick, creamy base is essential — it gives the rest of the oil something to “grab onto” as it mixes in.
Prevents Breaking the Emulsion: If you move the blender too early, or blend too aggressively, the oil can get sloshed around and fail to incorporate properly — which causes the dressing to separate or stay runny instead of creamy. This cannot be fixed and you will have to start over (ask me how I know)
Layer-by-Layer Pulling of Oil: As you slowly lift the blender after the bottom layer emulsifies, it pulls the rest of the oil down into the vortex gently. This gives you a stable, smooth dressing instead of a broken or oily mess.
Now For Your Ranch Dressing… Here’s What You’ll Need for the Base:
- Egg
- Avocado oil or grapeseed oil (don’t use olive oil—it’s too strong)
- Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- White vinegar
- Salt
Next: The Flavour for Homemade Ranch Dressing
I was today years old (the day I first made this) when I realized the classic flavour of ranch dressing boils down to three herbs: onion, dill, and parsley.
Onion powder adds that warm, sweet-savory flavor that gives ranch its signature cozy depth.
Dill brings a fresh, slightly tangy, almost lemony note that brightens the whole dressing. It cuts through the creaminess and adds that distinct “zing” most people instantly recognize as part of ranch.
Parsley adds a clean, green freshness that rounds everything out. It doesn’t overpower, but it gives ranch that “garden” feel.
Some people also add chives, garlic powder, or black pepper to their recipes, but onion powder, dill, and parsley are the true foundation. We prefer to keep it simple.
Now that you know about store bought ranch, immersion blenders, and oil based dressings (things I wish I knew sooner!), here is my tried and true Better than Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing.
Did I mention it’s dairy free?
Homemade Ranch Dressing (better than Hidden Valley!)
Equipment
- Immersion Blender
- Tall Narrow Jar
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 cup oil avocado or grapeseed; NOT olive (too strong)
- 1 tbsp lemon juice can substitute for apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp fresh or dried dill
- 1-2 tbsp fresh or dried parsley
Instructions
- Gently stack egg, oil, lemon juice, vinegar, and salt in jar, ensuring the egg remains at the bottom of the jar.
- Gently place the immersion blender on top of the egg and blend using proper technique.
- Add the ranch flavour: pepper, onion powder, dill, and parsley. Mix thoroughly with a spatula…. and BOOM, you've got mouth watering ranch that will keep for up to 7 days (if it even lasts that long).
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