Ranch Dressing Recipe Round Up
Ranch dressing makes almost everything better - kick it up a notch and try one of these new twisted ranch recipes!
Ranch dressing lovers unite - or at least 'meet me in St. Louis' in June.
That's when a new restaurant devoted entirely to ranch dressing will be opening here in St. Louis. According to their website, everything at Twisted RAnCh restaurant will be "Always Fresh, Always Delicious, and Always Twisted with Ranch." Doesn't this sound yummy:
Homemade Guacamole: Freshly made guacamole with onion, tomato, garlic, bacon and ranch.
Chicken Ranch Gyro: Slow roasted chicken served with pita bread, feta cheese, red onion and ranch tzatziki sauce.
Apparently they are featuring over 12 different flavors of homemade ranch dressing - I'm so excited.
So...why am I a Ranch Dressing Devotee? (So much so that I've even created a Ranch Dressing Devotee Pin Board) Well, the definition of Ranch Dressing says it all:
"...some combination of buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, herbs (commonly chives, parsley, and dill), and spices (commonly black pepper, paprika, and ground mustard seed), mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise....yogurt [is] sometimes used as a substitute to create a lower-fat version."
The 'foodie' in me loves the combo of all those fresh spring herbs in the homemade version. The dietitian in me loves that it's made with calcium- and protein-rich buttermilk and yogurt. But most of all, I love that ranch dressing is a wonderful vehicle for helping my kids not just eat, but enjoy their veggies.
And apparently, I'm not alone. Two other fellow dietitians and bloggers have written about how ranch dressing can be a healthy condiment:
Sally @ RealMomNutrition - In Defense Of Ranch Dressing
Katie @ MomToMomNutrition - Homemade Isn't Always Healthier
So, while the chefs at Twisted RAnCh don't know me from Adam, I thought I might help them out with posting a Ranch Dressing Round-Up in case they need a few more suggestions on ranch dressing creations. (Although I will say, their selection appears pretty extensive: Everything from spicy horseradish ranch and smoked paprika to teriyaki and Thai ranch!)
Grilled Potatoes with Vegan Ranch from Izzy @SheLikesFood
A grown-up version of French fries and ranch
Cilantro Jalapeno Ranch with Southwest Salad from Tamara @BeyondMereSustenance
Corn right off the cob + dynamite low-fat dressing with fresh lime, cilantro and jalapeno.
Avocado Ranch Dressing from Kristina @LoveAndZest
Extra creamy dressing for topping almost anything
Ranch Dressing Flavored Popcorn - Seriously, my favorite savory snack ever!
Are you a Ranch Dressing Devotee? What's your favorite ranch dressing recipe?
THANK YOU for these!!! I *just* recently started making my own salad dressings (vinaigrettes) but would love to venture into ranch territory. Right now I buy bottled Bolthouse Farms yogurt ranch, which is awesome, but I definitely want to try making my own. These are super helpful!
Very good point Elana. There are some great new versions - and healthy ones on the market now. I just tried that yogurt ranch at my mother-in-law's house and was blown away. But hope you get a chance to make one of these easy versions too! (:
I'm not big on ranch as h-must is more my style... gotta have some sweet with my savory. Ranch gets such a bad rep but it doesn't have to be unhealthy esp if you make it urself!
Sorry girl. No honey-must ever touches my salad greens. I've been burned too many times on bad versions...but bet you have a great homemade one. Do share...!
What a fun roundup. Everything does taste better with ranch dressing. I'm not a fan of the bottled ranch -- I much prefer it homemade. Pinning now!
Making ranch in a few minutes is the BEST, right?! Thanks Liz!
This collection of salad dressing recipes looks fabulous! Thanks for including mine!
Hey you inspired me Tamara!
Wow, these are some awesome ways to kick ranch dressing up a notch!
Thanks Sues. I'm counting the days til the restaurant opens so I can report back...but in the meantime, there are of course several options I still have to whip up myself.
My husband is SUCH a ranch lover!! I'm going to have to check these links out...and the flavored popcorn!? Well...I'll keep that one all for myself 🙂
Yup...I will admit that SOMEone in my house has been known to consume a whole bowl of Ranch Popcorn herself! (:
Yum!! I love ranch dressing! Well the right kind that is. I make this one all the time http://www.nutritiouseats.com/homemade-ranch-dressing/ Would love to try some of these other recipes!
A restaurant devoted just to ranch?! That is the most amazing thing ever! I used to be such a ranch addict and put it on everything! I don't eat quite as much anymore, but it Is still my guilty pleasure! Thank you for including my potatoes in this amazing roundup 🙂
Thanks for the yummy recipe ideas Izzy! Enjoy your 'guilty pleasure' this spring with all the fresh herbs popping out! (:
My kids love Ranch dressing!
So we have been open a year and are now up to 27 ranch flavors . Time for a trip to St. Louis
I'm so there Jim! Thanks for the update.