The BEST Skinny Ranch Dressing (3 ingredients)
I’m so excited to share this 3 ingredient dressing! Your search is over…This is the most amazing, easy-to-make, gluten-free, skinny ranch dressing!!! It tastes just as good as any high-fat dressing but with a fraction of the fat and calories. In the past, I’ve shared my skinny ranch dressing recipe but it called for many dry ingredients. In addition, you needed xanthan gum to thicken it. I got back in the kitchen and created a new, easier, and much skinnier recipe. Each 2 tablespoons serving has just 30 calories, 2 grams of fat. So delicious as a dressing, dip, topping for potatoes, and more. The possibilities are endless. I always have some on hand in my refrigerator. It’s a must-try!!!
Why You’ll Love The BEST Skinny Ranch Dressing
With only three ingredients and minimal prep, this recipe is perfect for busy schedules. But the true magic lies in the taste. It offers the same delicious ranch flavor you know and love, minus the guilt. Each bite is light, tangy, and creamy, making it a perfect dip for veggies, a dressing for salads, or even a topping for baked potatoes.So, if you're looking for a delicious, healthy, and easy-to-make ranch dressing, this recipe is definitely worth trying. It's a guilt-free way to satisfy your ranch cravings and add a burst of flavor to your meals!Ingredients for The BEST Skinny Ranch Dressing
This recipe's beauty lies in its simplicity, but each ingredient plays a crucial role in delivering delicious, low-calorie ranch flavor. Let's explore them in detail:- 1¾ cups buttermilk:
- Key function: Adds tanginess, creaminess, and a protein boost!
- Why buttermilk? Compared to heavy cream or sour cream, buttermilk offers a lighter option with lower fat content and a subtle tang that complements the savory ranch flavor. It also contributes to the signature creamy texture.
- Nutritional benefits: Buttermilk is a good source of protein, calcium, and vitamin B12, making it a more nutritious choice than full-fat alternatives.
- ½ cup Best Foods (Hellmans) light mayonnaise:
- Key function: Lightens the texture while providing essential creaminess.
- Why light mayonnaise? Unlike regular mayonnaise, light mayo features reduced fat content, making it a guilt-free way to achieve the desired creamy texture in the dressing.
- Nutritional benefits: While still containing fat, light mayo typically uses healthier oils like soybean or canola oil compared to full-fat options.
- 1 oz package Hidden Valley Ranch Original Ranch salad dressing & seasoning mix:
- Key function: Delivers the iconic ranch flavor profile we all know and love.
- Why this specific mix? This option avoids the "buttermilk ranch" mixes, which might clash with the tanginess already provided by the buttermilk. This original mix balances savory herbs and spices to create the classic ranch taste.
- Ingredient breakdown: The mix likely contains dried onion, garlic, dill, parsley, chives, and black pepper, among other spices. This combination creates the unique and beloved ranch flavor.
How to Make The BEST Skinny Ranch Dressing
Gather your ingredients:- 1¾ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup Best Foods (Hellmans) light mayonnaise
- 1 oz package Hidden Valley Ranch Original Ranch salad dressing & seasoning mix
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Refrigerator or freezer (optional)
- Combine the magic: In your medium bowl, whisk together all three ingredients - the buttermilk, light mayonnaise, and ranch seasoning mix. Make sure everything is well combined and there are no clumps.
- Let the flavors meld: This is where patience comes in! Refrigerate the dressing for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the dressing to thicken up nicely. Trust the process, the wait will be worth it!
- Shortcut to thickness (optional): If you're short on time and need the dressing in a hurry, pop it in the freezer instead of the fridge. Set a timer for 15 minutes and then whisk it again. Boom, instant thicker dressing!
- Serve and enjoy: Once the dressing has reached your desired consistency, it's ready to add some deliciousness to your meals. Use it as a dip for veggies, a dressing for salads, or even a topping for baked potatoes. Get creative!
- Store any leftover dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for at least 2-3 weeks, but keep an eye on the expiration date of your buttermilk, as that will ultimately determine the shelf life.
- Feel free to experiment with different brands of light mayonnaise based on your preferences.
- You can adjust the ratio of buttermilk to light mayo slightly to find your perfect balance of tang and creaminess.
- This recipe is easily doubled or tripled if you need a larger batch.
- Want to add a spicy kick? Try adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to the mix.
- For a bit of sweetness, a drizzle of honey or agave nectar can do the trick.
Helpful Tips About this Recipe
Food Facts
The original ranch dressing was created in the 1950s by Steve and Gayle Henson at their dude ranch near Santa Barbara, California. It was called the Hidden Valley Guest Ranch. Today ranch dressing dominates the dressing aisle of the supermarket. And it’s gluten-free! Buttermilk, in the old days, was the liquid left over after butter was churned. Today it’s nonfat or reduced-fat milk that has been treated with special bacteria which causes the milk to thicken and gain a tangy flavor.
Shopping Tips
Best Foods Light Mayonnaise (Hellmans) is the only brand I recommend. I’ve tried several different brands and Best Foods Mayonnaise is the best tasting for this recipe! Best Foods Canola Mayonnaise also tastes great for this recipe.
Healthy Benefits
This dressing contains a lot of buttermilk, which, despite its name, contains very little fat. It is loaded with bone-building calcium and has a great deal of vitamin-B, which facilitates nerve function and promotes healthy skin and good vision. Buttermilk, even if the container doesn’t say it is low fat. How Long it Keeps
This dressing will last as long as the buttermilk you buy. I always buy the longest date (longest life or best buy) when at the supermarket. Reach to the back of the row. Most buttermilk’s life is for 2-3 weeks.
*Be sure to use a package of Hidden Valley The Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix. It’s a 1 oz pkg. Do not use the Buttermilk package. It’s much smaller than 1 oz. The dressing won’t end up be thick enough or flavorful enough! I love using these reusable deli containers to store this dressing.
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 1-Blue
WW SmartPoints 1-Green
The original ranch dressing was created in the 1950s by Steve and Gayle Henson at their dude ranch near Santa Barbara, California. It was called the Hidden Valley Guest Ranch. Today ranch dressing dominates the dressing aisle of the supermarket. And it’s gluten-free! Buttermilk, in the old days, was the liquid left over after butter was churned. Today it’s nonfat or reduced-fat milk that has been treated with special bacteria which causes the milk to thicken and gain a tangy flavor.
Shopping Tips
Best Foods Light Mayonnaise (Hellmans) is the only brand I recommend. I’ve tried several different brands and Best Foods Mayonnaise is the best tasting for this recipe! Best Foods Canola Mayonnaise also tastes great for this recipe.
Healthy Benefits
This dressing contains a lot of buttermilk, which, despite its name, contains very little fat. It is loaded with bone-building calcium and has a great deal of vitamin-B, which facilitates nerve function and promotes healthy skin and good vision. Buttermilk, even if the container doesn’t say it is low fat. How Long it Keeps
This dressing will last as long as the buttermilk you buy. I always buy the longest date (longest life or best buy) when at the supermarket. Reach to the back of the row. Most buttermilk’s life is for 2-3 weeks.
*Be sure to use a package of Hidden Valley The Original Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix. It’s a 1 oz pkg. Do not use the Buttermilk package. It’s much smaller than 1 oz. The dressing won’t end up be thick enough or flavorful enough! I love using these reusable deli containers to store this dressing.
WW Freestyle SmartPoints 1-BlueWW SmartPoints 1-Green
| SKINNY FACTS: for 2 tablespoons of skinny ranch dressing 30 calories, 1.8g fat, 0.3g sat. fat, 2mg chol, 1g protein, 3g carbs, 0g fiber, 208mg sod, 1g sugar |
| FACTS: for 2 tablespoons Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing made with 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk 140 cal, 14g fat, 2g carbs, 1g protein, 0g fiber, 260 mg sodium, 1 g sugar |
The BEST Skinny Ranch Dressing (3 ingredients)
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups buttermilk
- ½ cup Best Foods (Hellmans) light mayonnaise see shopping tips
- 1 oz package Hidden Valley Ranch Original Ranch salad dressing & seasoning mix do not use buttermilk mix
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add all ingredients. Using a whisk, mix together until completely blended.
- Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to thicken, before using. To thicken quicker, place in freezer and set timer for 15 minutes. Store dressing in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 weeks. The shelf life depends on the expiration date of your buttermilk.
Nutrition
Serving: 2tablespoonsCalories: 30kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 1.8gSaturated Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 208mgSugar: 1gBlue Smart Points: 1Green Smart Points: 1Plus Points: 1
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
Can sour cream or yogurt be substituted for the mayo?
Gloria, I actually don’t love it that way, but you might. What I have done is ¼ cup Greek non-fat yogurt and ¼ cup mayo. It tastes pretty good.
My best,
Nancy
Thank you for replying, Nancy! I don’t like mayo and am always hoping to find a ranch that’s good without it.
Best of luck, Gloria!
This is fantastic! I doubled everything except for the chicken and the mushrooms and put in a larger baking dish to feed my family of 7. Barely anything left!
Wonderful. Thanks for sharing!
What about the purple plan
Jamie, I’m so sorry but at this point, I’m only including Blue and Green points. For all of these years, I use a different program than WW to input all of my recipes to do the nutrition facts and points.
I have hundreds of recipes and don’t have the time to input them into WW to make the calculations for the purple plan.
My best,
Nancy
Sounds delicious! Did you use low fat or regular buttermilk?
Thank you. I’m sure you’ll love it! Actually, all buttermilk is low fat even if it doesn’t say it. It usually ranges from 2.5g fat-5g fat per cup, depending on the brand you buy.
So use any brand you like.
My best,
Nancy
It was nice to have a ranch I don’t have to worry about. Tasted pretty good. Thanka for the recipe!
I’m happy you enjoyed it. Thanks Tana!
My best,
Nancy
I was wondering if I could freeze half of it? I’m the only one who likes ranch at my house.
Mary, I don’t think you can freeze this. You could easily cut this recipe in half. I would measure the entire Hidden Valley packet, then use half of it and cut the other 2 ingredients in half.
Enjoy!
My best,
Nancy
I just made low calorie ranch dressing from scratch but the dried dill and parsley made it bitter. Can’t wait to make this
This one is sooo good and comes out great every time. I hope you love it too, Jackie.
My best,
Nancy
Fantastic ranch dressing! Husband approved. Can’t wait to try the others. Thank You
Yay…I’m thrilled to hear you and your husband love it, Tracy!
Have fun with the other dressings.
My best,
Nancy
Looked a little too simple so I was skeptical, but it’s fantastic. Thank you!
Funny, that’s what so many people say until they try it. I’m thrilled you love this!
Thanks, Josh!
All the best,
Nancy
How long is the dressing good for?
Jinna, this dressing will last as long as the buttermilk you use. I always buy the longest date when at the supermarket. Reach to the back of the row. Most buttermilk’s life is for 2-3 weeks.
My best,
Nancy
We love this recipe for Ranch Dressing. We have it in the refrigerator all the time and use it for salads, dipping sauce and tuna, chicken or egg salads. It’s great in mashed potatoes or mashed cauliflower. Love this versatile recipe. Thank you, Nancy!
I’m absolutely thrilled to hear it, Barb! Thanks so much for sharing all the ways you are enjoying this ranch dressing. I pretty much do the same.
Wishing you all the very best,
Nancy
Hi Nancy,
Does this taste anything like Nancy’s Healthy Kitchen Ranch that you used make and sell at Gelsons? That was hands down THE BEST Ranch dressing ever!
Hi Janet,
It’s completely different since my line of salad dressings was made from scratch. That said, this 3 ingredients skinny ranch that I created for home use is amazing! It actually tastes better than the one sold at Gelson’s. You will love it!
With my very best wishes,
Nancy
This is a wonderful recipe! I have it my refrigerator all the time. Use it in many ways, it also makes a great base for a Caesar dressing.
Thank you, for this Nancy
Of course, I modified to my preferences. However, this is a fantastic recipe! I just added more ranch mix, granulated garlic, and pepper. My preferences, so the base recipe works very well. My recommendation is to add whatever you like and taste as you go.
Thank you so much for the awesome starting point!
I’m so glad you loved my ranch dressing recipe. And yes, you can easily modify it to your liking. I use it as a base to several wonderful recipes that don’t taste like ranch. Here’s the link.
Have fun with these!
My best,
Nancy
How about recipe for the dressing from scratch. I can’t use the mix. I’m lactose intolerant and it has dairy in the ingredients.
I do have a scratch recipe for the ranch seasoning. Here is the recipe: https://www.skinnykitchen.com/recipes/nancys-skinny-ranch-dressing/#more-421
You could use a dairy-free alternative for the buttermilk. Best of luck to you, Rosa! Nancy
How many points would it be for 2 tablespoons?
Susan I only have the green and blue points from the old program-WW Freestyle SmartPoints 1-Blue
WW SmartPoints 1-Green.
WW changes every 2 years. It has been a huge task for me to update my recipes for their new problem. After years of doing it, I finally gave up. I’m sorry!
All the best,
Nancy
How much is a serving? 1 tablespoon or 2?
Michelle, Each serving is 2 tablespoons, just 30 calories and 2 grams of fat.
I hope you love it!
My very best,
Nancy