Homemade Whole30 Ranch Dressing

This Whole30 ranch dressing recipe is like no ranch you have ever tasted. With simple ingredients, this delicious recipe will ensure you'll never use store bought ranch again!

I created this homemade Whole30 ranch dressing recipe because I use ranch a lot (and I'm a firm believer that sauce can transform food!) Not only is it a staple ingredient in one of my most popular recipes of all time, Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole, it's the perfect salad dressing, dip, or sauce for so many things.

What goes in Whole30 ranch dressing

To keep this ranch dressing Whole30 friendly, we have to keep it dairy free. We're going to start with a mayonnaise base. I use my homemade mayo recipe, which is made out of avocado oil, raw eggs, lemon juice, salt, and mustard powder. I love that I can keep it super clean, and it tastes waaaay better than anything you'll ever get in the store.

Some people do use olive oil and a food processor (instead of an immersion blender) to make their mayonnaise - you can read why I recommend against that in this post all about making homemade mayonnaise.)

All that said, if you don't have the time or the patience to make your own mayonnaise (or maybe don't have an immersion blender), you can use a store-bought Whole30 friendly mayonnaise like Primal Kitchen mayo or Chosen Foods mayo. You want to make sure it doesn't contain any added sugar and just has clean ingredients that are all Whole30 friendly.

Once you've got your mayo base, we are going to add some red wine vinegar, coconut milk or almond milk, and some spices and herbs. I prefer not to use fresh herbs and stick with dried herbs because they blend in better. The one exception to that might be for fresh dill - I use dried dill regularly, but fresh dill can bring a big punch of flavor to the table!

The vinegar you use is flexible too. I use a red wine vinegar, but others like using apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or even a white wine vinegar. Try some different options and see what you like best!

Onion powder can have a clumping tendency if you live in a high humidity environment, so you may need to shake it up to break it up before you use it.

We're also going to use a bit of full-fat coconut milk to thin it out and make it more of a dressing or sauce consistency. You could also use unsweetened almond milk if you prefer, but you may need to cut the amount down a bit as it tends to be thinner than coconut milk.

How to make homemade ranch dressing

You don't need any special tools to make the ranch. However, if you're going to make your own mayo to start with, you'll need an immersion blender.

There's lots of them out there; this is my favorite immersion blender and the one I use almost daily. Once you've got your mayo base, you just stir in the rest of the ingredients! 

If you do make your own mayo with the immersion blender, I wouldn't recommend using the immersion blender a second time for the ranch, as it may "break" the mayonnaise, and then you've got a big mess to deal with. Bye bye creamy ranch, hello soup.

Is this Whole30 compliant ranch

Yes, it is! Because you start with your own homemade mayonnaise, or use a Whole30 compliant mayo and turn it into ranch, you are in the clear. And, it's automatically paleo ranch dressing, because anything that's Whole30 is also paleo. #winning

(Remember, the inverse is not true. Paleo does NOT equal Whole30, but Whole30 does equal paleo.)

What can I put homemade ranch dressing on

Ranch dressing is one of the most versatile sauces out there. From common uses like a dunk for chicken wings, to a substitute for ketchup with some sweet potato fries, your creativity is the only limit.

This recipe for Buffalo Chicken Casserole is greatly complimented by a slather of ranch dressing on top. It's the perfect combo of cool and spicy . You can also put it on your salad, dip your veggies in it, or whatever strikes your fancy.

If you like it a little spicy, add cayenne pepper a little bit at a time until it's the right amount for you. Just remember - proceed with caution - you can always put more in, but you can't take it out!

How to store Whole30 ranch dressing

You can store this ranch in an airtight container in the fridge for usually up to about two weeks. I typically just use a wide mouth mason jar, as it allows me the space to put the immersion blender in, make the mayo, then stir in the spices to make ranch.

I've seen others store sauces like these in weck jars, which get you an airtight seal.

Using a store-bought mayo as the base will make the ranch last a little longer - because their mayo is designed to be shelf stable, and your homemade mayo is not.

Whether you're making this dairy-free ranch dressing for the first time or the 30th, we promise with it's fresh ingredients it is sure to be the best ranch you have ever had!

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