Where did the concept of ranch dressing come from? And what are its ingredients.

Question

It's my favorite dressing. The freshest ingredients I am familiar with is a pack of "Hidden Valley Ranch", mayo, and buttermilk. Is there a from scratch method that can match the flavor of the ready made seasoning packet.

Answer 1

Origins and Ingredients for Ranch Dressing

Ranch dressing actually originated on a ranch -- the Hidden Valley Guest Ranch near Santa Barbara, Calif. According to the Hidden Valley Web site, the owners made a dressing with herbs, spices and buttermilk in the 1950s, and the dressing caught on with their guests. The dressing was sold as a dry mix that you combined with buttermilk and mayonnaise or sour cream. Now, the Hidden Valley brand appears on several varieties of bottled ranch dressing in supermarkets.

Ingredients and Recipe for Ranch Dressing

1 c. mayonnaise

1/2 c. sour cream

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. dill weed

1/4 c. milk

1 tbsp. parsley

1 tsp. onion powder

1/4 cup buttermilk may be used instead.