Ditch the prepackaged Ranch dressing and make your own at home! This low sodium Ranch seasoning is made with tangy herbs and powdered milk, giving it a fresh, herbaceous flavor perfect for making a rich Ranch dip, creamy salad dressing, or for seasoning countless recipes. Plus, this homemade version is shelf-stable and low in sodium, making it a better option for the whole family!
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Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix
Those Ranch seasoning packets from the grocery store taste so good, but have you ever checked out the ingredients list? They tend to be highly processed, including many ingredients health-conscious families try to limit, like MSG, maltodextrin, different gums, preservatives, and more. But since they are so versatile, many busy families rely on them to season poultry, make dressing for a fresh salad, throw together a creamy dip for fresh veggies, and more.
Fortunately, you can make your own low sodium Ranch seasoning mix at home to control the quality of ingredients without sacrificing flavor one bit. It’s the best of both worlds – easy, delicious, versatile, and way less processed. You’ll never go back!
For more homemade seasoning mixes, try this healthy homemade taco seasoning and dry rub for chicken wings!
Why We Love This Dry Ranch Mix
- Completely homemade using simple ingredients you can pronounce
- Skip the MSG, maltodextrin, guar gum, citric acid, and preservatives in the storebought packets
- Designed by a Registered Dietitian to be low in sodium, calories, and fat
- Relies on mostly pantry staples (with one special ingredient)
- Easy way to reduce your sodium intake and great for people following a low-sodium diet
- Extremely versatile and can be used in many different ways
- Kid-friendly seasoning blend to make any recipe more flavorful
Ingredient Notes
- Skim milk powder: This is the only unusual ingredient in this recipe, but it’s essential! Ranch dressing is made with powdered milk, which gives it that tangy, creamy flavor. You can easily order it online or find it in the baking aisle in most grocery stores, and it will last a long time!
- Dried herbs and spices: Dried parsley, onion powder, dried chives and dried dill provide that classic ranch flavor.
- Salt & black pepper: Add salt to taste to reduce the sodium content. You can also make it without any added salt or use a salt substitute, if needed.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Mix together all of the seasonings in a bowl or jar. Use the seasoning to make dressing, dip or on chicken, fish, or vegetables.
To make creamy Ranch dip: Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of the seasoning with 1 cup blended 2% cottage cheese or sour cream. Feel free to add a bit of lemon juice too if desired.
To make Ranch dressing: Mix 3 tablespoons with 1 cup olive oil or avocado oil mayo and 1/2-3/4 cup milk, depending on how thick you like your dressing. Give it a good shake before serving.
Scroll to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
Expert Tips
- Instead of powdered skim milk, you can also use powdered buttermilk for a tangier flavor.
- If you can add a few fresh herbs to your dressings or dips, the flavor will pop even more.
Recipe FAQs
Whether you use my homemade seasoning mix or a store-bought packet, you need to give it time to hydrate. The dried herbs have tons of flavor, but they need to absorb moisture before they release their flavor. For the best flavor, let your dip, dressing, or sauce rest for at least 30 minutes to an hour (but ideally longer).
To make this a low-fat dip, I recommend using skim powdered milk, which is easy to order online. But if you are making this for kids or babies who need more fat, powdered whole milk works well, too.
One 1 ounce packet of Hidden Valley ranch seasoning contains 36 servings, each with 60 mg of sodium. Since most of us use an entire packet in a recipe, that means one packet contains 2,160 mg of sodium. That’s nearly an entire day’s worth of sodium! Of course, you likely would not eat an entire packet on your own, but even a smaller serving is too much sodium for most people. I highly recommend making your own and adding salt to taste. It’s so simple and has a much fresher flavor, too.
Storage Guidelines
Since this mixture uses shelf-stable ingredients, it can be stored in your pantry just like the store-bought seasoning packets and has a long shelf life. Keep it in an airtight container, like a mason jar.
If you live in a place with a lot of humidity, you may want to pop a food-safe silica gel packet in the jar to keep it from clumping up.
How to Use Ranch Seasoning
This is the fun part! Once you have your homemade Ranch dressing seasoning mix, you can add it to anything. Here are some examples:
- Make a creamy dip for fresh vegetables with cottage cheese, sour cream, or Greek yogurt
- Mix with mayo and milk to make Ranch dressing for salads, chicken wings, and more
- Season roasted Ranch baby carrots and over veggies
- Sprinkle over pork chops or chicken breast for a rich flavor
- Toss over homemade potato chips, French fries, or popcorn for extra tanginess
- Coat bread cubes for the best croutons
- Add to pasta and potato salads
Recipe Variations
- Change the spices: Be sure to keep the basic spices the same, but then you can add a little garlic powder, red pepper flakes, or even cayenne pepper for extra flavor and heat.
- Sneak in some add-ins: After you make your fresh-made Ranch dressing or dip, add in some lemon juice, pickle juice, chopped pickles, or even minced jalapenos for a totally different flavor profile.
- Adjust the batch size: You can make small batches and use them right away or make a big batch to keep in your spice cupboard at all times. It’s up to you!
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Cottage Cheese Ranch Dressing
- Homemade Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes
- Healthy Chick Fil A Sauce
- Healthy Caesar Salad Dressing
- Healthy Tzatziki Sauce
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Low Sodium Ranch Seasoning
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup skim milk powder
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Mix together all of the seasonings in a bowl or jar. Use the seasoning to make dressing, dip or on chicken, fish, or vegetables.
- Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of the seasoning with 1 cup blended 2% cottage cheese or sour cream. Feel free to add a bit of lemon juice too if desired.
- Mix 3 tablespoons with 1 cup olive oil or avocado oil mayo and 1/2-3/4 cup milk. Give it a good shake before serving.
Notes
- Instead of powdered skim milk, you can also use powdered buttermilk for a tangier flavor.
- If you can add a few fresh herbs to your dressings or dips, the flavor will pop even more.
- The nutritional information is based on about 1 teaspoon of seasoning.
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