Homemade Ranch Seasoning
If you love everything Ranch flavored, youโll want to start keeping this Homemade Ranch Seasoning on hand.
Itโs not just for dressing! Ranch seasoning is fresh and tangy and easy to make at home. Youโll probably have most of the ingredients already, but thereโs one specialty ingredient you may have been missing out on.
Note: Below youโll find a recipe for a full 1/2 cup (4oz.) batch of ranch seasoning. In addition, in case youโre trying to make a recipe that calls for a packet of ranch seasoning and you just want to make that amount, weโve also given a recipe below that makes the exact same amount as a packet, 2 tablespoons. We hope you find this helpful!

What Is Ranch Seasoning?
Youโre probably most familiar with the dressing or the Hidden Valley packet of ranch seasoning. Homemade ranch seasoning is simple to make with just a few staples like lots of dried dill, chives, parsley, onion powder, thyme and garlic powder.
When mixed together, especially with buttermilk or sour cream, this blend of herbs and spices create a light and fresh dressing or dip. But if youโve tried making this at home before and could never get it to taste quite like Hidden Valley, you might have been missing a key ingredient: buttermilk powder.
In addition to the buttermilk powder, the predominant flavors in ranch dressing are dill, garlic, and onion. So if you donโt have the chives, parsley, or thyme, no problem! You can still make a great-tasting ranch seasoning using just the main flavors I listed.
What Is Buttermilk Powder?
Buttermilk powder is the dehydrated version of liquid buttermilk, and itโs one of the important components for making ranch seasoning taste like ranch seasoning. You can read more about buttermilk in my Buttermilk Biscuit recipe.
The dry buttermilk powder gives the ranch seasoning that tangy, slightly sweet and creamy base flavor, and while you could just mix the herbs and spices with liquid buttermilk or even sour cream, it wonโt have the same concentrated tang as the buttermilk powder.
Buttermilk powder can sometimes be found in specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods or Fresh Market, look by the powdered milk, but itโs most readily available online. Look for buttermilk powder brands that contain only buttermilk so that the true flavor shines through without additives or additional flavorings.
If you donโt have buttermilk powder, the seasoning recipe can still be made without it. It will still taste fresh and herby, but it wonโt taste like Hidden Valley.
Making a Small Batch of Ranch Seasoning
If you want a batch of Ranch Seasoning in your pantry that you can grab and use whenever, then scroll down to make the full recipe. However, if you just want a small batch to use right now in a recipe that calls for ranch seasoning or that calls for a packet of ranch seasoning, or, if you just want to know approximately how much of each ingredient to add directly to something that youโre cooking, I have the info for you here.
Here is how to make 2 tablespoons of Ranch Seasoning, which is the amount in a standard packet. Youโll find basic recipes for using 2 tablespoons to make ranch dip and salad dressing below.
To Make 2 Tablespoons of Ranch Seasoning (The Equivalent of 1 Packet), Combine: |
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โข 2 and 1/4 tsp. dried dill โข 1 and 1/2 tsp. buttermilk powder (optional, use extra of the herbs below if not using) โข 3/4 tsp. dried chives โข 3/4 tsp. dried parsley โข 3/4 tsp. onion powder โข 1/4 tsp. dried thyme โข 1/4 tsp. garlic powder โข 1/4 tsp. salt |
If you donโt want to mix up a 2 tablespoon batch but just want to add some herbs and spices directly to what youโre cooking (for instance, to season chicken breasts or veggies), here is what youโd do:
To Add Directly to the Food Youโre Cooking: Use mostly dried dill, then use half as much buttermilk powder (or skip it), then half that amount of dried chives, of dried parsley, and of onion powder. Then go in with a little bit of dried thyme, garlic powder, and salt.
Using Homemade Ranch Seasoning
My favorite way to use this seasoning is as a rub for baked chicken or fish. I also love it as a seasoning mixed into bread and biscuit dough.
The possibilities are endless though! Sprinkle some on your popcorn or French fries. Add it to the breading for chicken fingers or make Ranch Chicken Thighs in the air fryer. I want to hear about all the ways you enjoy it in the comments below.
To Make Ranch Dip: Add 2 tablespoons of the seasoning blend to 2 cups of sour cream and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving so that all of the dried herbs and spices can soften and release their flavor.
To Make Ranch Salad Dressing: Add 2 tablespoons of the seasoning blend to 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 cup of milk. Or, for a thicker dressing, use 1 cup of mayonnaise, 1/2 cup of milk, and 1/2 cup of sour cream. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving so that all the dried herbs and spices can soften and release their flavor.
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Homemade Ranch Seasoning
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: About 4 oz. (1/2 cup) 1x
- Category: Seasoning
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
DESCRIPTION
A packet of store-bought ranch seasoning is 1 oz. and is about 2 tablespoons. So, if a recipe calls for 1 packet of ranch seasoning, you can use 2 tablespoons of the below mixture. See above for making a smaller batch.
This seasoning mix fits into a standard (4-oz.) spice jar as written, can easily be doubled or tripled.
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. dried dill
- 2 Tbsp. buttermilk powder (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. dried chives
- 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
- 1 Tbsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together dill, buttermilk, chives, parsley, onion powder, thyme, garlic, and salt until well combined.
- Transfer mixture to an air-tight container. Store up to 3 months in a cool, dry, dark, place.

Christine is the founder of TheCookful and also of her blog COOKtheSTORY. Her passion is explaining the WHY behind cooking โ Why should you cook things a certain way; Will they turn out if you do it differently; What are the pros and cons of the method? Learn more about Christine, her cookbooks, and her podcast.