Ranch dressing was created in the early 1950s by Steve Henson at his Hidden Valley Ranch near Santa Barbara, initially as a unique dressing for guests before becoming a bottled global condiment. He originally developed the recipe while working as a plumbing contractor in Alaska to entice the workers to eat their vegetables. He later brought the recipe to his California ranch and began serving it there. Guests went wild and wanted to purchase jars to take home. Eventually, a powdered mix was developed and sold to another restaurant and in stores.
Simple ranch: whisk together ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, and ¼ cup buttermilk with one minced garlic clove and a tablespoon each of chopped fresh dill, parsley, and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Thin with more buttermilk for a dressing, or keep it thick for a dip.
Sources and notes: Ranch dressing was created by Steve Henson, who served it at his Hidden Valley Ranch near Santa Barbara in the 1950s; the brand was sold to Clorox in 1972. (Wikipedia, Ranch dressing; Hidden Valley.)
Mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, herbs, and spices all went into this fantastic dressing.
There is nothing like fresh Ranch dressing over raw veggies!
Here is a very simple and delicious Ranch Dressing recipe created from scratch:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup sour cream
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 sprigs fresh dill, about 1 tablespoon chopped
1 sprig fresh parsley, about 1 tablespoon chopped
1/2 tsp Korean red pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1-1/4 tsp garlic powder
pinch sea salt
dash of Worcestershire
dash of red wine vinegar
Puree all together in a blender. Chill before serving.
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Part of the Food of California series by Judy Doherty Studio, a Southern California food, beverage and CPG photography studio. See our food photography or book a free call.
