Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix
A creamy-tangy dry ranch seasoning made with cultured buttermilk powder, parsley, dill, garlic, onion and chives. Use it on potatoes or chicken, stir it into sour cream for veggie dip, add it to buffalo chicken dip, or use it as the seasoning base for homemade ranch dressing.
AI-generated illustration of homemade ranch seasoning. It is not a firsthand ABMH process photograph.
Ranch seasoning is one of those pantry staples that earns its place because one jar can do several jobs. This homemade version combines cultured buttermilk powder with dried parsley, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, chives, salt and black pepper for that familiar creamy-tangy ranch flavor.
Keep it on hand for potatoes, chicken, veggie dip, buffalo chicken dip, ranch dressing and other recipes that need a little ranch flavor without reaching for another packet.
A Bit More Homemade: This is the kind of homemade swap I like best—simple enough to make in a few minutes and flexible enough to use more than one way.
Why You’ll Love This Ranch Seasoning
- It takes only a few minutes. Measure the ingredients and stir them together—no cooking required.
- It is flexible. Use it dry on potatoes or chicken, or mix it into creamy recipes such as veggie dip and ranch dressing.
- It has classic ranch tang. Cultured buttermilk powder adds the dairy flavor that makes the blend especially useful for dip and dressing.
A Bit More Homemade: You do not have to replace every seasoning packet in your pantry. Start with the blends you actually use and decide whether making them yourself earns a place in your routine.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Ranch Seasoning Mix
- 1 cup cultured buttermilk powder
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons dried dill
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, or kosher salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Salt note: Salt crystal size varies. If using kosher salt, start conservatively and adjust to taste.
Equipment You’ll Need
- A small mixing bowl
- Measuring spoons
- A whisk or spoon
- A clean airtight jar or other food-safe container
How to Make Homemade Ranch Seasoning
1. Measure the ingredients.
Add the cultured buttermilk powder, dried parsley, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, dried chives, salt and black pepper to a small mixing bowl.
2. Mix until combined.
Use a whisk or spoon to stir everything together until the herbs and seasonings are evenly distributed.
Easy mixing tip: Break up any clumps in the buttermilk powder, garlic powder or onion powder as you stir so the seasoning stays evenly mixed.
3. Use it or store it.
Use the seasoning right away in a recipe, or transfer it to a clean, dry, airtight container for storage.
Ways to Use Homemade Ranch Seasoning
One of the most useful things about this blend is that it can move between dry seasoning and creamy recipes without needing a different packet for each one.
Potatoes
Use it to season roasted, baked or air-fried potatoes. Toss the seasoning with the potatoes and the oil or fat used in your recipe, starting with a small amount and adding more to taste.
Chicken
Sprinkle the blend onto chicken before cooking, or stir it into a marinade or sauce. The garlic, dill, onion, chives and pepper pair especially well with simple baked, grilled or air-fried chicken.
Sour Cream Veggie Dip
Stir the seasoning into sour cream for a quick veggie dip. Add it gradually, taste, and add more if needed. Letting the dip rest briefly before serving gives the dried herbs time to soften and the flavors time to blend.
Buffalo Chicken Dip
Use this seasoning as the ranch component in buffalo chicken dip. It adds herbs, garlic, onion, salt and pepper that work well with hot sauce and creamy ingredients.
Ranch Dressing
Use the blend as the seasoning base for homemade ranch dressing. Stir it into your preferred creamy dressing base, let the flavors blend briefly, then adjust the seasoning to taste.
Tips for the Best Homemade Ranch Seasoning
Mix Before Measuring
Dried herbs and powders can settle differently in the jar. Give the seasoning a quick stir or shake before measuring it into another recipe.
Start Small in Creamy Recipes
The salt and herb flavor can become more noticeable as the mix sits in sour cream or dressing. Add some, let it rest, taste, then add more if needed.
How to Store Homemade Ranch Seasoning
Because this ranch seasoning contains cultured buttermilk powder, store the finished mix according to the storage directions on the specific buttermilk powder you use. Keep the seasoning in a clean, dry, airtight container and always use a clean, dry measuring spoon so moisture does not get into the mix.
If your buttermilk powder label directs you to refrigerate it after opening, refrigerate the finished ranch seasoning too. Follow the ingredient package's best-by guidance rather than assigning the blend a longer shelf life.
Does This Replace One Ranch Packet?
I would not treat this blend as a universal tablespoon-for-packet substitute. Commercial ranch packets and homemade blends vary in density, salt level and ingredient ratios. Hidden Valley currently sells its Original Ranch seasoning in a 1-ounce packet, but the flavor strength of this homemade blend is not identical to a commercial packet. Use it according to the needs of the recipe you are making.
Homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix
A tangy dry ranch seasoning made with cultured buttermilk powder, parsley, dill, garlic, onion, chives, salt and black pepper for potatoes, chicken, veggie dip, buffalo chicken dip and ranch dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cultured buttermilk powder
- 2 tablespoons dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons dried dill
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried chives
- 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt, or kosher salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Combine. Add all ingredients to a bowl.
- Mix. Stir with a whisk or spoon until evenly combined.
- Use or store. Use immediately or transfer to a clean, dry, airtight container and store according to the directions on the buttermilk powder package.
Recipe source note: This recipe is adapted from the Homemade Ranch Seasoning recipe at Savor the Best. The herb, spice, salt and pepper ratios closely match that formula. Their version also includes dried tarragon; this ABMH version uses cultured buttermilk powder and leaves the tarragon out. I’m labeling this recipe Adapted rather than ABMH Original so the source is clear.
A Bit More Homemade
A pantry staple does not need to be complicated to be useful. This mix combines tangy buttermilk powder with dried herbs, garlic, onion, salt and pepper, and it can move from potatoes to chicken to veggie dip to buffalo chicken dip and dressing without needing a different packet for every recipe.
You don’t have to do everything. Just start with something—and make your home a bit more homemade one change at a time.
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