Parmesan Ranch Dressing is our answer to store bought dressings.

If I’m going to use a bottled dressing, some form of ranch is often high on my list of favorites. The problem is that often bottled ranch can taste chemically, overly sweet, or just not have the kind of creamy texture that I’m craving. 

This easy Parmesan Ranch Dressing has all the things we love about Ranch Dressing and a little more. It’s rich and creamy, packed with herbs and spices with a nice hint of lemon and touch of parmesan cheese.

We make our own homemade version of buttermilk using half and half and fresh lemon juice. It’s quick, easy, and adds just little fresh citrus flavor without overpowering the dressing. (Note, if you love the lemon flavor, add some lemon zest to bring that flavor forward).

The final note is a personal favorite. We add a touch of Chipotle Pepper Powder. This gives the dressing a hint of spiciness with a very mild smokiness that works really well. You can omit it as the dressing works well without it, but it’s a fun twist on the classic recipe.

This ranch dressing is great also great on slaw, or baked potatoes or used as a veggie dip or sauce for a pasta salad. It’s also perfect as a dipping sauce for wings or fries. 

Blue Cheese Dressing

This recipe easily converts to a wonderful Blue Cheese Dressing variation. Simply add 1/2 cup (58g) of blue cheese crumbles. Add half of the crumbles when blending the dressing and mix in the other half, along with additional chives or diced green onion as a final step.

If you are a fan of homemade dressing and sauces, here are a few more from our collection that you might enjoy! 

Chimichurri Salsa Verde

Bolognese Sauce Made Simple

Charred Salsa Verde

Zacusca – Romanian Eggplant and Red Pepper Spread

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Yield: 2 Cups

Parmesan Ranch Dressing

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Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing with Parmesan Cheese, Lemon and Chives

Prep Time 5 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons (42g) Cream Cheese
• 1/2 Cup (123g) Sour Cream
• 1/2 Cup (115g) Mayonnaise (such as Hellmann's - see notes*)
• 1/2 Cup (121g) Half and Half
• 5 Teaspoons (24.6ml) Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/4 Large Sweet White Onion, quartered
• 1 Teaspoon (5ml) Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 Cup (50g) Fresh Grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 Teaspoon (.5g) each of dried thyme, teaspoon oregano, garlic powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon (.25g) fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon (.25g) Chipotle Chile Powder - Optional (see notes**)
• 1 Tablespoon (3.8g) Fresh Chopped Parsley
• 1 Tablespoon (3.5g) Fresh Chopped Chives

Instructions

1. Add the lemon juice to the half and half and set aside for 5 minutes. This will result in a homemade buttermilk with a nice lemon flavor. It may form some clumps but those will resolve when the dressing is blended.
2. Place all of the ingredients (except the diced chives and parsley) in a blender. Process until smooth.
3. Add the parsley and chives and pulse a few times to combine.
4. Best served after being chilled in the refrigerator in a sealed container for one hour.

Notes

1. Some store bought mayonnaise preparations have a lot of added sugars. For this recipe I suggest using a mayonnaise that doesn't have a strong sweet flavor.

2. The chipotle powder will add a very light smoky spicy note to the dressing. If you don't have any on hand, you can substitute 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and 1/8 teaspoon of smoked paprika.

Nutrition Information

Yield

16

Serving Size

16
Amount Per Serving Calories 90Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 5gCholesterol 14mgSodium 89mgCarbohydrates 2gFiber 0gSugar 1gProtein 1g

Nutritional Values are based on 2 tablespoons and are an estimate only