Buttermilk Ranch Dressing & Dip

A few years back, I attended a Hood to Coast meeting with the team I was going to be running with that year. We slid pizzas off the outdoor grill and ate dinner on the deck, while the veterans swapped stories and shared advice with us rookies.

I should have been asking important questions like, “What do I pack?” or “How do you train in the final week?” You know, stuff that would actually be helpful when running in the world’s largest relay race on very little sleep for two days with a van full of sweaty people I just met.

Instead, all I could ask was, “Where did you get the recipe for this Buttermilk Ranch Dressing?!” Because, seriously, it was that good. As in, one of the top-5 things I ate that summer.

The answer was no surprise: Ina Garten. The Barefoot Contessa strikes again.

Once you try this recipe, I am confident you will never want to visit the Hidden Valley again. I waited all of three days before making the recipe myself.

By using a food processor, the ingredients come together quickly and cleanly. Not only does it feature basil, which is exploding from my garden right now, but it goes beautifully with all of the other summer vegetables that are abundant in the coming months of summer.

If you want to create Ranch dip instead of dressing, increase the Greek yogurt called for in the recipe until it reaches the desired consistency. So grab some vegetables, make some dressing/dip, and enjoy the warmer weather.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe

Ingredients

3 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
2 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. olive oil 2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 t. kosher salt or 1/4 t. table salt
1 t. black pepper
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. plain Greek-style yogurt
1/2 c. buttermilk

Place the green onions, basil, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for 15 to 20 seconds to make a smooth mixture.
Add the mayonnaise, yogurt, and buttermilk; blend until smooth. Add pepper and more salt, if desired. Transfer the dressing to a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Use as a dip or dressing.

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If you don’t have a food processor in your kitchen yet, this Hamilton Beach 10-Cup Food Processor gets great reviews and is an affordable option! Grate or shred cheese, puree or mix just about anything, chop nuts, pulse bread for bread crumbs and SO MUCH MORE.

Looking for more delicious dip recipes?