My Whole30 Dump Ranch recipe has been one of the most popular recipes on Maria Makes for years! I decided to give it an upgrade, and for that reason, you may have been redirected to this post.
I learned how to make my own homemade mayo and ranch dressing back in 2015 when I was doing a certain elimination diet. Though I’m not into it anymore, the habit of making homemade dressings and sauces STUCK! Don’t get me wrong, I love some good ol’ store-bought ranch to dunk some pizza in every now and again, but there’s something about this homemade version that is SO GOOD!
My original recipe called for coconut milk or almond milk AND fresh herbs. But over the years, I simplified my recipe so you can make it fully with pantry staples (+ an egg). If I happen to have some fresh herbs on hand, I throw them in, but otherwise, I stick to this spice mix! I also started using water to thin it out (instead of any kind of milk) and it’s still creamy and dreamy! It also means I can avoid opening a whole can of coconut milk to use 2 Tbsp - 1/4 cup of it.
A few things to note before we dive in:
PLEASE NOTE that this ranch is made with a raw egg. I have been making it for 4 years now and have never had any issues, but if this makes you uncomfortable for any reason (health issues, pregnancy, etc.), please skip this recipe!
Though the recipe is SUPER easy, it can also be a bit finicky. Keep the following tips in mind to avoid #ranchfails:
For some reason, I have had a couple of #ranchfails when my mason jar was sitting on a cutting board. I don’t have a scientific reason for this but perhaps it introduces some extra vibration? Make sure you’re blending with your jar right on the counter.
Use a jar or container that is only slightly wider than your immersion blender. You want it to fit like a glove. I have had a few #ranchfails when using a wider container, I think because the oil gets pulled in too quickly and doesn’t emulsify!
If things just aren’t coming together and you end up with a super runny mayo, you can try to add another egg and follow the blending steps again (taking it suuuuuper slowly)… but I’ll admit I have just had to toss a few batches!
You need an immersion blender to make this recipe. If you don’t have one, you’ve come to the wrong place. I have this Kitchenaid one.
For any of my buffalo chicken recipes on the blog, you can bet that this is the ranch I’m using!
Feel free to play around with spices and mix-ins! Fresh herbs are nice if you have them. Just remember, if you’re adding liquidy flavorings (salsa, red hot, roasted red peppers), blend them in before thinning with water/milk!
ranch + Frank’s Red Hot = Red Hot Ranch
ranch + avocado = avocado ranch
ranch + salsa = salsa ranch
ranch + roasted red peppers = red pepper ranch
ranch + 1 jalapeno = jalapeno ranch
Since this recipe calls for quite a few different spices, I like to get them out one time and measure out little ranch packets to make my life a bit easier the next time I need to whip up a batch. Such a huge time saver!
I think you will LOVE this recipe because:
You make and store it in a mason jar — fewer dishes… yay!
It’s made using one egg and pantry staples, so you can easily keep everything on-hand.
It’s creamy and delicious and made with simple ingredients.
Immersion Blender Homemade Ranch Dressing and Seasoning Packets
Ingredients
1 egg
1 cup light tasting olive oil (look for light tasting, light, or extra light)
1 Tbsp rice, cider, or red wine vinegar
2 tsp dried chives
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2-4 Tbsp water or milk of your choice
Optional: Any fresh herbs you have on hand (basil and cilantro are my faves)
Instructions
STEP 1:
Add 1 egg into a wide-mouth mason jar. Add 1 cup of light or extra light tasting olive oil and vinegar of your choice.
TIP: Use the lines on the side of the jar to measure your one cup of oil! If I’ve added my egg already, I pour oil to just above the 1 cup line. A wide-mouth mason jar works best for this, but if you’re using something else, make sure it’s barely wider than your immersion blender. This is key to making it blend successfully.
STEP 2:
Hold the immersion blender directly over the egg yolk, so it is touching the bottom of the container. Start blending without moving at all, and you will see mayo start to form at the bottom.
STEP 3:
As you blend, mayo will work its way up into the oil, emulsifying the entire mixture.
VERY slowly, start to lift your immersion blender from the bottom of the cup. I'm talking at a snail's pace. By doing this, you are slowly pulling a small amount of oil into the egg/oil emulsion.
Once you reach the top, most of the oil should be blended in. At this point, you can move the immersion blender around in the cup to make sure you have blended in all of the oil.
STEP 4:
Now THIS is a very basic mayonnaise. To make it into ranch dressing, we need to 1/ add spices and 2/ thin it out.
STEP 5:
Add in all of the spices into the mixing jar along with 2 Tbsp of water or milk of your choice. Blend it all together using the immersion blender. Test consistency at this point. If you'd like it to be thinner, add some more water or milk.
TIP: My mayo usually ends up being quite thick, and I like a drippy ranch, so I add anywhere from 3 Tbsp to 1/4 cup of water. Play around until you get the consistency you like.
STEP 6:
Put the lid on the jar and store in the refrigerator for up to a week (if it makes it that long)!
And while you have all of the spices out, make sure you measure out little seasoning packets for the next few times you make this dressing. HUGE time saver.
PIN IT FOR LATER!
Immersion Blender Homemade Ranch Dressing – Maria Makes: Made right in a mason jar with pantry staples, an egg, and water! Super easy, creamy, dreamy ranch dressing. You’ll never go back to store-bought!