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I always have the ingredients for this buttermilk ranch dip on hand for potato chips, crudités, or any of my chicken wing recipes! All you need is mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt!), buttermilk, and my homemade spicy ranch seasoning. It seriously takes like 2 minutes to whip up and makes for a quick-and-easy last-minute appetizer!

A white bowl of homemade buttermilk ranch dip on a green tiled counter next to a brown bowl of potato chips, a green plate, and a brown bowl of chives.

My favorite thing to come out of the World Cup, aside from Erling Haaland, is non-Americans discovering ranch. Like y’all, we tried to tell you! But now that you’ve made it to the dark side, let me show you how easy it is to make at home.

I literally thought ranch only came out of a bottle until the first time I made it in culinary school. And now I always have the ingredients on hand, because it’s the easiest appetizer when you need a last-minute snack. Potato chips + ranch + a glass of Sauvignon Blanc? Unbelievably good.

In my ranch seasoning recipe, I add a good amount of cayenne for a little spice. It pairs so nicely with the tanginess in the buttermilk, but if you don’t like spice, feel free to leave it out! This recipe is super adaptable.

Obviously, this ranch is great with chips or veggies, but it’s also the recipe I make for sausage jalapeño poppers or my loaded cheesesteak fries. You can also mix it into slow cooker buffalo chicken dip or anywhere else you would use ranch dressing.

Homemade seasoning

A brown bowl of ranch seasoning on a white counter next to an orange linen and white plate.

The most important part of this recipe is the ranch seasoning. I always have a jar of this on hand to sprinkle over spicy ranch snack mix or popcorn. And while you can definitely make ranch without a pre-made seasoning, you’ll need it for this recipe! The seasoning has buttermilk, which is going to give the dip its signature tanginess.

I also like to use regular buttermilk in the recipe because I like the extra tanginess. But you can use regular whole milk if you want to. P.S. There’s no need to buy buttermilk! Just measure out 1/4 cup of milk, remove 3/4 teaspoon of milk, and whisk in 3/4 teaspoon of white vinegar. Whisk and let it set until it’s slightly curdled, about 5 minutes.

Make the dip

A clear bowl of mayo, sour cream, and seasoning on a white marble counter.
Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, and ranch mix in a medium bowl.
A white bowl of mayo, sour cream, seasoning, and buttermilk on a white marble table.
Stir the mixture until it’s smooth and then add the buttermilk.
A hand using a whisk to stir homemade buttermilk ranch dip in a clear bowl.
Whisk the dip until it’s nice & creamy. Cover & refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

The key to good ranch is to let the flavors meld a bit. I like to chill this dip overnight, but if you only have an hour, that’s ok too!

A hand dipping a chip into a white bowl of buttermilk ranch dip on a green tiled counter next to a brown bowl of chips, an orange and white striped linen, and a brown bowl of chives.

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Easy Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dip

Yield: 1 cup
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
If you've never tasted the difference between homemade and store-bought ranch, you need to give this homemade version a try! I love making this buttermilk ranch dip for potato chips, crudités, chicken wings, and everything in between. This recipe takes just a few minutes to whip up, so it's amazing for last-minute get-togethers!
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise I like Best Foods (100 grams)
  • 1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (60 grams)
  • 2-2 1/2 Tablespoons spicy ranch seasoning (15-20 grams)
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk or whole milk (60 milliliters)
  • Chopped fresh chives for garnish – optional
  • Potato chips, veggies, etc. for serving

Equipment

  • Medium bowl
  • Whisk

Instructions 

  • Whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, and 2 Tablespoons of spicy ranch seasoning in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk and stir until the dip is completely smooth. Taste and add another 1/2 Tablespoon of ranch seasoning, if desired. (I like adding more for extra flavor.)
  • Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dip for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight. (You can serve the dip right away, but it's much more flavorful after the dip has had time to meld.)
  • Transfer the dip to a serving bowl, and sprinkle the top with fresh chives, if using. Serve with potato chips, veggies, or anything else you like.

Notes

For a non-spicy dip, omit the cayenne in the seasoning.
You can use regular whole milk instead of buttermilk since there’s buttermilk powder in the seasoning. I just like the extra tang!
To make homemade buttermilk, measure out 1/4 cup of whole milk. Remove 3/4 teaspoon of milk and add 3/4 teaspoon of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Whisk and let it sit for 5 minutes, until it’s slightly curdled.
If you like a more drizzly ranch, use 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) of buttermilk. I use 1/4 cup for a thicker dip.
This recipe makes about 1 cup (240 milliliters) of ranch dip.
Cuisine: American
Course: Appetizer
Author: Sara Lynn Hunt Broka
Serving: 2Tablespoons, Calories: 127kcal, Carbohydrates: 3g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 11mg, Sodium: 501mg, Potassium: 22mg, Sugar: 1g, Calcium: 17mg
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