I keep this made up at all times. I use it a lot in recipes, and this method was much cheaper than continuing to purchase it (even when I bought it in bulk). It also allows me to tweak the ingredients to how I like it. This is the best mix I have come up with so far.
This is the buttermilk powder I use. It’s very economical.

You’ll notice that my recipe uses MSG. The reason is that Ranch dressing powder that you purchase does have MSG in it. You can of course omit it, but it definitely tastes better with. My recipe also uses a small amount of cayenne pepper that is really barely discernible in the final product. It is added to irritate the tongue ever so slightly and adds to the flavor. The cayenne pepper I use is low heat. It can also be omitted though if you are very sensitive to hot things (my kids eat this routinely and have never said anything about it).

When making the ranch dressing, I make mine with sour cream and milk or buttermilk, about 1 cup sour cream and maybe 5 tablespoons of buttermilk. I also add some fresh minced garlic because the fresh garlic taste really adds something. Also, with this recipe, you will want to adjust the salt to your liking after the recipe is made up. I intentionally left it on the low side so that when using in recipes etc you have room for adjustments depending on what the other ingredients happen to be. If you’re making straight up ranch dressing you may need to add more. Some people prefer ranch dressing made with mayonnaise but I prefer straight sour cream. The beauty of this recipe is you can make it your way!
Homemade Ranch Dressing Powder
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk powder
- 4 tablespoons parsley
- 2 teaspoon dill
- 2 tablespoon onion powder
- 4 teaspoons onion flakes
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chives
- 1 teaspoon MSG or Accent
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Mix all together and store in a jar. To make ranch dressing add 1-3 tablespoons powder to 1 cup sour cream and about 5 tablespoons milk or buttermilk. Adjust salt to taste. Add fresh garlic if desired.
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