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    Home » Appetizers

    Creamy Spicy Ranch Dressing

    Published: Jan 13, 2023 by Andrea Howe · This post may contain affiliate links.

    16 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Homemade spicy ranch dressing is an easy sauce with the perfect hint of spice and creaminess. It’s the perfect salad dressing and dipping sauce for a variety of appetizers and foods. It gives your dish a boost of instant flavor. This zesty homemade dip may just become your new go-to homemade ranch dressing!

    spicy ranch dressing mix in a glass bowl next to air fryer taquitos

    Homemade dressings aren’t always my favorite thing to make, especially with so many great store-bought options. But I have never found a spicy ranch sauce in a bottle that I really loved. I love the simple ingredients and subtle flavors of this recipe I created, and I think you will too! This spicy ranch dip is wonderful paired with my air fryer shredded beef taquitos! Or serve alongside fresh veggies and my epic crudite platter.

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works
    • Ingredients
    • The simple how-to
    • No buttermilk? No problem
    • Other ingredient and recipe notes
    • Homemade Spicy Ranch Dressing

    Why this recipe works

    • Made with just a few simple ingredients you likely have on hand. And since I don’t always have fresh herbs, I made this with dried herbs that are always stocked in my pantry.
    • Whips up in less than 5 minutes so you can get dipping and drizzling right away.
    • Fresh, clean flavors. Store-bought ranch is fine, but bottled can often be too tangy, sour or just overpowering. The flavor of this dressing is light and refreshing, with the perfect bit of tanginess and heat.
    • No additives or preservatives that are often found in bottled creamy dressings.
    buttermilk, sour cream, jarred jalapenos, garlic powder, salt, parsley and chives in small dishes
    buttermilk, sour cream, dried parsley and chives, salt and black pepper, jarred jalapenos

    Ingredients

    • Sour cream or low fat Greek yogurt if you want fewer calories
    • Buttermilk – but don’t worry if you don’t have buttermilk. See tip below for how to make your own buttermilk at home!
    • Dried herbs – chives and parsley, plus garlic powder
    • Pickled jalapenos – these give the dressing a nice punch of heat without getting too spicy
    • Pinch of cayenne – the jarred jalapenos lend a salty spice to the sauce, whereas the cayenne pepper gives that wonderful bit of warmth.
    • kosher salt and black pepper to taste – but chances are you won’t need to add much at all, since the jalapenos add a good amount of savoriness.

    The simple how-to

    Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor, and blend till creamy. That’s all it takes to create the most delicious ranch salad dressing with the perfect bit of spicy kick. Pour into a jar or a small bowl for serving.

    ingredients to make ranch dressing in a small handheld food processor

    This homemade fresh dip is a great everyday condiment for your favorite salad. Or use it as a dip for everything from chicken tenders to chicken wings in.

    No buttermilk? No problem

    You can make your own buttermilk in just a few minutes. Simply add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Stir and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

    wood spoon in a glass bowl filled with homemade dressing

    Other ingredient and recipe notes

    • If you happen to have buttermilk powder, you can use that in place of fresh buttermilk. Simply add ¼ cup of powder to 1 cup milk or water to make 1 cup of liquid buttermilk.
    • Swapping jarred pickled jalapenos for fresh may be a bit tricky. Jarred peppers tend to be a lot more mild and is quite salty. If you swap out for fresh, it may add too much heat without enough salt. It will take a bit of trial and error since heat levels vary with each jalapeno. You would be better off adding hot sauce instead.
    • To create this fresh dip with the delicious creamy blend of herbs, feel free to sub in fresh parsley and chives if you’d prefer.
    • Store sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
    spicy ranch dressing poured over taquitos

    Other spicy ranch mix recipes use hidden valley ranch salad dressing mix, but I much prefer the fresh flavors of this recipe than those of the seasoning mix.

    I hope you love this spicy ranch dressing recipe! So many creative ways to incorporate it into your favorite meals! The fresh, natural flavor of this zesty dip just can’t be beat! If you loved it, please consider leaving a comment and/or rating below!

    • Homemade Air Fryer Taquitos
    • overhead shot of a fancy crudite platter with lots of fruits and veggies and snacks on a marble board
      Epic Crudite Platter With Dip
    • A piece of chicken cutlet cooked in air fryer dipped in ranch dressing
      Chicken Cutlets In the Air Fryer
    • Air Fryer Chicken Bites

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or rating, letting me know how you enjoyed it! Connect with me on Instagram and Pinterest, and never miss a post by signing up for my weekly newsletter!

    wood spoon in a glass bowl filled with homemade dressing

    Homemade Spicy Ranch Dressing

    Homemade spicy ranch dressing is an easy sauce with the perfect hint of spice and creaminess. It's the perfect salad dressing and dipping sauce for a variety of appetizers and foods and gives your dish a boost of instant flavor. This zesty homemade dip may just become your new go-to homemade ranch dressing!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 8 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 8 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10 servings
    Author:Andrea

    Equipment

    • Blender or Food Processor

    Ingredients

    • ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
    • ⅓ c buttermilk see recipe note if you don't have buttermilk
    • ¼ cup jarred pickled jalapenos adjust quantity based off heat preference
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
    • ½ teaspoon dried chives
    • ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • ⅛ tsp cayenne *just a pinch
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add all ingredients to a high speed blender or food processor, and blend till well combined and creamy.

    Notes

    No buttermilk on hand? You can make your own buttermilk in just a few minutes. Simply add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Stir and let it sit for about 10 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 30kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 264IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @Howe.We.Live or tag #HoweWeLiveRecipes!

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    About Andrea Howe

    Andrea Howe is a Certified Nutrition Coach (CNC PN-L1) and the founder of Howe We Live. As a seasoned home cook of over 20 years, developing and photographing recipes is her passion. Andrea has spent over 10 years in the health & nutrition industry, writing for various publications including Babble and Disney. Her work has appeared in Real Simple, Taste of Home, Yahoo, Buzzfeed and ABC News.

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    Welcome to Howe We Live. I’m Andrea, a Certified Nutrition Coach and a passionate home cook. I’ve been writing about the health & nutrition industry for over a decade. As a mom of 3, my number one goal is to make eating well as uncomplicated as possible. Let me help you throw together a great meal at home that is both delicious, and healthy-ish. Read More

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