Restaurant Style Ranch (Best Dressing Recipe) (2024)

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It has taken years of failed recipes, but thanks to TikTok, I present to you the perfect Restaurant Style Ranch dressing recipe you can make at home! The secret to this recipe is having the right brand of mayonnaise and the correct flavor of Hidden Valley Ranch powder. I would have never thought it made such a difference but this is the recipe you’ve been searching for my friends! So, grab that blender and let’s change your ranch dressing life forever.

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Why I Love This Recipe

As a mom of six kids, ranch dressing could easily be its own food category in our house. Seriously, sometimes I wonder if my kids are drinking it directly from the bottle because we go through it so quickly. And while over the years, we’ve enjoyed many quality ranch dressings from the store and I have tried SO MANY recipes for homemade ranch that were good, none of them have been what I’ve been looking for. I wanted that restaurant ranch that has that very unique flavor that you could drink straight from the bottle.

All over my TikTok for you page the past few weeks has been this recipe for restaurant style ranch dressing so I gave it a try. And oh my goodness was this hands-down the best ranch I’ve ever had. As soon as I tasted it, I hopped on my Walmart app and put enough supplies to make it for the next few months. We ate the first container in less than 24 hours, mainly because we were sharing it with so many people who wanted to taste it for themselves. Plus, now that I’m mastering so many amazing air fryer recipes, every one of them needs the perfect ranch dip to go with them!

What is Restaurant Style Ranch

Restaurant style ranch is a very specific flavor of ranch dressing that you cannot find in the bottle at your local grocery store. This type of ranch tends to be served on the side as a dip for french fries, chicken nuggets, and other fried foods. It is usually a little on the loose side when it comes to thickness and has a very specific, and strong flavor to it. Once you’ve had restaurant style ranch, you’ll want to learn how to make it at home.

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Restaurant Style Ranch Ingredients & Tools

McCormick Mayonesa
Restaurant Style Hidden Valley Ranch powder
Fresh buttermilk
Blender bottle or a bowl and whisk
Air tight container for storage in the fridge

How to Make Restaurant Style Ranch

Not only is this recipe life-changing, it is extremely simple to make since the secret lies in the proper ingredients.

Time needed:5 minutes

How to Make Restaurant Style Ranch

Purchase the proper brand name supplies
While recipes usually allow for substitutions of similar or generic brand names, the secret to this recipe is having these specific brands of ingredients. Substitutions will result in a different flavor profile completely. You must use McCormick Mayonesa and Restaurant Style Hidden Valley Ranch powder, no other flavors or brands of either. And, don’t substitute regular milk for the buttermilk. It is also essential.
Blend the three ingredients together
You can use either a bowl and whisk, or if you have a blender bottle, that makes it very easy to mix it all together and then that bottle can serve as your dressing container in the fridge as well.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving
This last step allows the dressing to thicken up. While not necessary, it does help in the end result being thicker.
See Also
Frequently Asked Questions | Hidden Valley® Ranch 5 Minute Healthy Ranch Dressing Homemade Ranch Seasoning (Dressing Mix)This Homemade Ranch Dressing Is Totally Worth It

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Recipe FAQs

What is the secret to restaurant ranch?

The secret to restaurant style ranch dressing are the ingredients. You can’t use just any type or brand of mayonnaise or any type or brand of ranch powder. You have to use McCormick Mayonesa and Restaurant Style Hidden Valley Ranch powder. And, do not use regular milk. It must be buttermilk. While make substitutions will still result in a good ranch dressing, it won’t be the restaurant style that you are looking to make at home.

Why does restaurant ranch taste different than store ranch?

Restaurant style ranch tasted different because it is made fresh with very specific ingredients. Store ranch has to include certain preservatives and stabilizers so it has a long shelf life both before it is purchased, as well as after you open it at home.

Can I use regular Hidden Valley ranch powder?

You can, but the end result will be very different in the flavor profile. If you want the restaurant style ranch flavor, you have to use the Restaurant Style Hidden Valley Ranch powder. If you don’t have any on hand, wait to make this recipe until you can get a package. They sell it on Amazon and it is linked in the recipe card below.

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Can I use a different mayonnaise?

As with the ranch powder, you can use other mayos but the finished dressing will not be the flavor profile you are looking for. Source out the proper brand name ingredients, in this case McCormick Mayonesa, and get the full experience. If you cannot find it at your local grocery store, it is sold on Amazon and I have it linked in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Can I use milk instead of buttermilk in restaurant style ranch?

You can but the finished dressing will not be the same. It will be runny and not have the proper restaurant style ranch flavor. If all you have on hand is milk, wait to make it until you can get to the store for a small container of buttermilk. Also, don’t use buttermilk powder as a substitute. It won’t turn out the same.

How long is homemade ranch dressing good for?

This restaurant ranch will last for 10 days if you keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. I don’t think you will have it around that long because it is so good, but it can easily last that long.

Looking for More Great Salad Dressing Recipes?

If you were as obsessed with this restaurant style ranch dressing as I am, then I know you will love each of these other three dressing recipes as well. And, don’t scroll by and say you’ll come back later to grab them because you’ll forget!