Who doesn't love ranch sauce? Rich, creamy and delicious on the palate, it is simple to prepare and can be easily combined with almost any ingredient. All you need to get started is some mayonnaise, some buttermilk and some spice.
Ingrediants
- 480ml Mayonnaise (replaceable with 240ml yogurt + 240ml sour cream)
- 240 ml of Buttermilk
- 3/4 of a teaspoon respectively of salt, onion salt, dried parsley
- 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt
- 1/8 teaspoon of pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon of Dill (and / or Thyme)
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Classic Ranch Salsa
Step 1. Mix the mayonnaise and buttermilk until well combined
This is the creamy base of the sauce. If you don't want to use mayonnaise to keep your calorie count in check, you can replace it with 240ml of low-fat yogurt. The result will be slightly less rich, but healthier and lighter. Alternatively, you can use low-fat yogurt and sour cream in equal proportions. Experiment and choose your favorite version.
- Before incorporating the buttermilk into the mayonnaise, shake it vigorously.
- If you don't have buttermilk available, you can replace it with whole milk. If you wish, you can add the juice of half a lemon to replicate the sour taste.
Step 2. Add the spices, adjusting the quantities to taste
It is important that the mixture of aromas contains the spices indicated, but nothing prevents you from slightly modifying the quantities to fully satisfy your taste or that of your diners. Generally, you can be on the safe side by mixing:
- 3/4 teaspoon respectively of: salt, onion salt, dried parsley;
- 1/4 teaspoon of garlic salt;
- 1/8 teaspoon respectively of: pepper and dill (and / or thyme).
Step 3. Mix the ingredients carefully
Mix them with a whisk until you get the desired consistency. You will need to make sure that the spices are evenly distributed throughout the sauce.
If you don't have a whisk available, you can use a kitchen spatula. Alternatively, you can pour all the ingredients into an airtight container and then shake it vigorously until they are evenly blended
Step 4. Refrigerate the sauce for 2-3 hours for the flavors to have time to bond
Nothing stops you from serving it immediately, but the best thing to do is to let the aromas have time to blend with each other.
You can store ranch sauce in the refrigerator for about a week. Remember to put it back immediately after use
Method 2 of 3: Variants
Step 1. Make the mayonnaise yourself using an electric whisk
The sauce will have a unique, fresh and even more delicious taste. Do you want to impress your guests? Grab the hand blender, a tall, narrow container and get to work. Here are the instructions for making mayonnaise:
- Take 1 egg at room temperature, break it and pour the egg white and yolk into the container;
- Add 240ml of oil. Choose a mild-flavored oil, such as avocado or sunflower oil. It is generally believed that the strong flavor of olive oil does not make it suitable for this recipe.
- Whip the ingredients until you get a creamy and light consistency.
- Continue preparing the sauce as indicated in the previous section of the article.
Step 2. Use a combination of mayonnaise and sour cream instead of plain mayonnaise
There are several ways to get the creamy base of the recipe, the advice is to experiment with different options to find the one preferred by your palate. Each cook tends to develop his preferences in terms of ingredients and proportions. To get started, for example, try using one of the following combinations:
- 6 tablespoons of sour cream, 4-5 tablespoons of mayonnaise and 240 ml of buttermilk;
- 120 ml of sour cream, 240 ml of mayonnaise and 120-240 ml of buttermilk
- 240 ml of whole milk, 120-240 ml of sour cream, 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Step 3. Set your imagination in motion by creating different combinations of spices
As much as garlic, salt, pepper and other herbs that characterize the classic ranch sauce can make it delicious, almost every chef loves to create new combinations in the kitchen. The other spices you can try include:
- Smoked paprika;
- Cayenne pepper (to give the recipe a spicy note);
- Origan;
- Mustard powder;
- Monosodium glutamate, sometimes labeled "Umami" (available in stores selling Asian foods);
- Grated Parmesan cheese.
Step 4. Decorate the sauce with chopped fresh chives and parsley
You can also add them previously, along with the dry ingredients, to give a more pronounced flavor note to the sauce, or simply spread them over the preparation at the end. The finely chopped fresh herbs give the dish a fresh and lively flavor.
Step 5. Vary the amount of buttermilk or other liquid ingredients if you want to give the sauce a less thick consistency
For a slightly more liquid result, more like a dressing than a sauce, you can increase the dose of buttermilk or whole milk, or even add a small amount of water. The more adventurous cooks will also be able to experiment with one of the following additions:
- White wine vinegar, to give a sour and pungent note to the preparation.
- Worcestershire sauce, for an extra pinch of oomph.
- Tabasco, for all spicy lovers.
Method 3 of 3: Make Milkless Ranch Sauce
Step 1. Use milk-free mayonnaise or make your own from scratch
As explained above, with the help of an electric whisk it is very easy to make mayonnaise at home. All you have to do is whip an egg at room temperature with 240ml of a mild-tasting vegetable oil (such as avocado) in a tall, thin container. Of course, you can also decide to buy a ready-made milk-free mayonnaise (usually most of the mayonnaise on the market does not contain milk).
Step 2. Add your herb and spice blend
The result you want to achieve is a dressing very similar to the traditional ranch sauce, but nothing prevents you from slightly modifying the quantities of spices to fully satisfy your palate. Start from the following base:
- 1 teaspoon of dill and / or thyme;
- 1/4 teaspoon of mustard and garlic powder respectively;
- 2 teaspoons of dried parsley;
- Salt and pepper, to taste (1 / 4-1 / 2 teaspoon of each).
Step 3. Add 2-4 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
It will compensate for the lack of buttermilk by replicating its slightly acrid taste. Start with just 2 teaspoons, after tasting the sauce, you can gradually increase the dose according to your preferences.
Step 4. Add coconut milk if you wish to dilute the sauce
Since you don't want to use animal milk and the water may over-dull the flavors, you can use coconut milk. Its delicate sweetness will enhance the sour taste of lemon and the aromas of spices, giving rise to a delicious and well-balanced condiment.
If you want to thicken the sauce instead, use coconut cream
Step 5. Refrigerate the sauce for 2 to 3 hours to allow the flavors to blend
As explained above, this step is not mandatory, but it allows you to achieve an ideal result. Remember that you used raw egg, so you will need to eat the sauce within a few days to avoid putting your health at risk. Also, always put it back in the refrigerator immediately after use.
Advice
- Glutamate enhances flavors and acts as a preservative. Ranch sauce will last much longer if you decide to add it to the recipe.
- Use ranch dressing for salad dressing or for dipping raw vegetables in.
Warnings
- Glutamate has been linked to numerous health problems, so its use is highly discouraged.
- Remember that if you don't use glutamate, you will need to consume the sauce within a week at the latest.
- Eating a lot of mayonnaise can cause heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in Italy.
