The Best Skinny Ranch

The Best Skinny Ranch will make all your ranch dressing dreams come true without the guilt. This healthier, homemade ranch has just 36 calories with ingredients that are natural and good for you.

I have a little bit of a love-hate relationship with ranch. Sometimes I love it and can’t get enough and sometimes, depending on the brand, I hate it and find it too sweet and fake tasting. And light and diet ranch - I pretty much never like them. That was until I came across a basic ranch recipe, made a few minor tweaks, and found a skinny ranch I LOVE.

Full of fresh herbs and lemon, it tastes great and is perfect for just about anything. The dressing is not as thick as a typical ranch, which I actually like. If you want it a little thicker, substitute 1/4 cup light mayo for 1/4 cup of the buttermilk and you will get a thicker dressing.

You can serve this in all the traditional ways. Toss it with your favorite salad, dip in some fresh cut crudites, or make some buffalo chicken and douse it with this skinny ranch. It tastes good on everything. Personally, I love having a container ready in the fridge. I find I always eat more veggies when its around.

Tips and Tricks

• This healthier ranch is on the thinner side and perfect for drizzling. However, if you want a thicker ranch, you can substitute light mayo, light sour cream, or more Greek yogurt for some of the buttermilk.
• Depending on your dietary needs, you can make a richer version by using full-fat yogurt and sour cream.
• If the garlic flavor is too strong with the raw garlic, use either roasted garlic or garlic powder instead. You can also add in some onion powder for extra flavor.
• For a spicy version, add in some chipotle peppers in adobo or Sriracha. You can also make a buffalo version by adding in some buffalo sauce.

Shortcut Three Ingredient Healthy Ranch

If you want a really quick and easy healthy ranch dressing or dip, you can take a shortcut. Here is a three-ingredient version. It doesn't have the same bright flavor you'll get from using fresh herbs and buttermilk, but it is still really delicious.

• 1 cup nonfat Greek yogurt (any fat content will work)
• 2-4 tablespoons milk or buttermilk (adjust to desired thickness)
• 1 packet dry ranch seasoning

How long can I keep homemade ranch dressing in the fridge?

Homemade ranch dressing will last in the fridge for about one week. The lemon juice will help the dressing from spoiling and buttermilk, yogurt, and sour cream all have a pretty substantial shelf-life. Make sure to keep it in a closed, airtight container and shake or stir before using.

Flavor Ideas for Healthy Ranch Dressing

Plain ranch dressing is a pretty amazing thing, but you can get creative and make some really delicious healthy ranch dressing variations. Here are some of our favorites:

• Buffalo: Add a few glugs of buffalo sauce to your ranch dressing to add a spicy kick. 
• Chipotle: Mince a canned chipotle in adobo and add it to your dressing for a smoky and spicy option.
• Barbecue: Add a couple of tablespoons of your favorite barbecue sauce to add some sweetness and smokiness.
• Garlic: Add some extra garlic flavor by grabbing a tube of garlic paste (in the produce section) and adding extra to the dressing. You could also add fresh pressed garlic, roasted garlic, or freeze-dried garlic.
• Cheesy ranch: Grab some nutritional yeast or Parmesan cheese and add it to your dressing for a cheesy flavor addition. 

Serving Ideas

There are so many ways to use this ranch dressing from classics like chopped vegetables and salads to a dipping sauce for pizza or chicken. You can even use it as a marinade for grilled chicken or pork. The buttermilk and lemon will tenderize the chicken and ensure it stays nice and moist. Here are some recipes that pair perfectly with this homemade ranch.

• Crispy Baked Pork Cutlets: These fifteen minute pork tenderloin cutlets taste so good with some ranch on the side for dipping.
• Pretzel Chicken Fingers: These call out for a creamy dipping sauce. Serve with this yogurt ranch instead of the honey mustard shared in the recipe.
• Parmesan Broccoli: If you have trouble getting your kids to eat their veggies, serve some ranch on the side for dipping. This is one you can feel good about.
• Healthy Turkey Ranch Burgers: Double up on the ranch flavors by drizzling this on these easy ranch burgers. Make some skinny fries on the side.