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Stop Buying Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning (Make This Recipe Instead!)

I recently shared my recipe for homemade taco seasoning – and since then you’ve been asking for a Ranch Seasoning recipe to replace those packets of Hidden Valley Ranch (which is full of MSG and other nasties). Without further ado, I went to work in the kitchen and figured out how to make an easy ranch seasoning mix with real food ingredients that you can use to make delicious ranch dressing, ranch dip, or in other recipes.

The ingredients in those little packets of Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning are atrocious…

MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE (MSG): A flavor-enhancer and excitotoxin that excites brain cells to death, increases food cravings, and makes you eat more than you should.

ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS: Chemical mixtures produced by fractional distillation and chemical manipulation of various chemicals like crude oil or coal tar. Artificial flavors are much cheaper than using real food and make fake food taste irresistible.

NATURAL FLAVORS: Proprietary mixtures that make food taste irresistible so that you keep coming back for more.

CARBOXYMETHYLCELLULOSE: This thickener usually made from wood because it’s cheap. Research links consumption of this additive (not naturally occurring when found in whole food) to weight gain, inflammation and digestive problems.

To make a batch of ranch seasoning at home, you need 8 basic ingredients. You probably have most of these in your spice rack already!

How to choose the best ingredients to make homemade ranch seasoning: 

It’s always best to buy organic herbs and spices, because virtually all conventional brands sold in the U.S. are fumigated and irradiated. These practices leave a finished product with decreased levels of vitamins and natural enzymes – and all that processing changes the chemical composition of a spice, potentially creating toxic, carcinogenic by-products. Organic spices are not irradiated and cannot have genetically engineered ingredients (GMOs), artificial colors, preservatives, and other synthetic anti-caking agents. Some of my favorite spice companies include –  Simply OrganicFrontier, and various store-brands that are organic.

I also choose an organic buttermilk powder instead of conventional brands. That’s because organic regulations prohibit the use of synthetic hormones, antibiotics, and GMO feed – and I don’t want residues of any of that in my food. You can find organic buttermilk powder in most natural food grocery stores and online

How to make homemade ranch dressing:

To make ranch dressing with this seasoning, mix 3 tablespoons of the mix with 1 cup mayo and 1 cup milk. I like to use organic grass-fed milk or nut milk, and mayo that is made with olive oil or avocado oil, such as Chosen Foods brand.  Beware that almost every brand of mayo (even organic!) are made with unhealthy soybean oil or canola oil. You’ll find that the majority that say they are “Made with Olive Oil” are actually mostly sunflower oil or other inferior oils. This is why it pays to be careful and read the ingredient list to see what you are really buying. Don’t get swindled into buying Olive Oil Mayo made with mostly soybean oil! 

How to make homemade ranch dip: 

To make ranch dip with this seasoning, mix 3 tablespoons of the mix with 2 cups sour cream. You can use an organic pasture-raised sour cream (such as Organic Valley brand) or a vegan sour “cream” (like Forager Project brand). Feel free to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice too, if desired.

Food Babe's "Hidden Valley" Ranch Seasoning
 
Prep time
Total time
 
Author:
Serves: 2 servings
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup buttermilk powder
  • 1 tablespoon dried parsley
  • ½ tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried chives
  • ½ teaspoon dried dill
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
  1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine. Store in a glass container in the refrigerator until needed.
  2. Use 2½ tablespoons of the mix for 1 Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning packet.
Notes
**Use all organic ingredients if possible**

To make Ranch dressing: Mix 3 tablespoons of the mix with 1 cup mayo and 1 cup milk.

To make Ranch dip: Mix 3 tablespoons of the mix with 2 cups sour cream. Feel free to add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice too, if desired.

 

Please share this ranch seasoning recipe with your ranch-loving friends. There’s no reason to keep buying those expensive packets of Hidden Valley Ranch full of questionable ingredients! 

Xo,

Vani

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17 responses to “Stop Buying Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning (Make This Recipe Instead!)

  1. You should not tell anyone to use mayonnaise in this recipe to make Hidden Valley Ranch dressing as it is full of seed oils. I am surprised that you don’t already know that or maybe you have mentioned that to people and have suggested they make their own mayonnaise or use avocado oil mayonnaise. I have yet to find a recipe or a mayonnaise that I like as much as Best Foods. I just don’t use it anymore, though.

  2. Is there a dairy free alternative to the buttermilk powder or would it work to just leave it out?

  3. I’m I blind or what? I’m not seeing the measurements for each spice/herb anywhere in this blog.

    1. You’ll find the precise recipe in the yellow box near the end of the blog post (above the comment section). Here are the measurements of the spices:
      ¼ cup buttermilk powder
      1 tablespoon dried parsley
      ½ tablespoon onion powder
      1 teaspoon garlic powder
      1 teaspoon dried chives
      ½ teaspoon dried dill
      ½ teaspoon sea salt
      ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

      1. Why does this need to be refrigerated if it is all spices from the pantry?

  4. I made this, and I love the flavor, but not the consistency. Is it supposed to be this runny? Also, all the herbs, particularly the chives, seem to float to the top of the jar. Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Cat! You can use less milk when you mix it into a dressing if you’d like it thicker. Since it is homemade you will need to shake or stir before each use. I’m glad you love the flavor and hope these tips help!

  5. I love the fiesta ranch flavor, what can I add to this mix to give it that same flavor?

  6. I was wondering about what ingredients to use to make it similar to the Spicy Ranch Seasoning packet. Any suggestions?

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