I’m a huge fan of homemade dressings and sauces. They are such an easy way to add some spice to meals and are so easy to whip up. This jalapeno ranch dressing is creamy, tangy, and spicy, and goes with just about anything.
To be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of ranch growing up. My mom doesn’t like it, so she never bought it, and the bottled kind was (and still is) just meh in my opinion. I wasn’t introduced to jalapeño ranch dressing until moving down to Texas. It is popular here at Tex-Mex and Mexican restaurants, with Chuy’s being known for it.
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I love anything spicy, and the addition of the jalapenos to classic ranch made me love it. My version is made with greek yogurt to lighten it up a little, sour cream, lots of fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon. To make it, you simply blend it up until it is smooth and creamy.
I like keeping a batch in the refrigerator to have on hand for salads, on power bowls, to drizzle on top of different proteins, or just as a dip for some chips or vegetables. It adds the perfect kick to just about anything!
Why you’ll love this jalapeno ranch recipe
- ready in 10 minutes – all you need to do is blend everything up.
- creamy, spicy, and tangy
- super versatile – use it as a salad dressing, on tacos or taco bowls, as a dipping sauce, and more!
What is ranch dressing?
Ranch dressing is a popular dressing traditionally made with sour cream or mayonnaise, buttermilk, lemon juice, and fresh herbs. The result is creamy and tangy. It is popular in America to use as a salad dressing, as a dip, and more.
Is ranch dressing healthy?
Classic ranch dressing is made with buttermilk or mayonnaise (or a combo of them both), making it higher in fat and calories. In addition, store-bought varieties can have added preservatives or fillers.
When making it at home, you have full control over the quality of the ingredients. To lighten it up, we are using greek yogurt instead of mayo, which will cut down on calories and fat and increase protein. And it’s gluten-free.
Is ranch gluten-free?
While most ranch is gluten-free, it’s also best to check the ingredients as some, especially store-bought, can contain gluten-containing thickeners or additives.
Ingredients
- full-fat greek yogurt – I like using full-fat for more flavor.
- sour cream
- parsley
- dill
- chives
- jalapenos – remove or leave the seeds depending on how spicy you want it.
- garlic
- lemon juice
- salt and pepper
How to make jalapeno ranch dressing
- Make your jalapeno sauce. Add yogurt, sour cream. parsley, dill, chives, jalapeno, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a Vitamix, high-powered blender, or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, or to your desired consistency, about 15-20 seconds (you still want to see some of the herbs). Adjust according to taste.
- Enjoy! Use it as a dip, a sauce, a spread, or however you please!
What to use jalapeno ranch dip with
- as a salad dressing
- with tacos, taco bowls, taco salads, burrito bowls, or quesadillas
- as a dressing in pasta salad – try it on this bacon chicken ranch pasta salad!
- overtop chicken or steak
- as a dip for veggies
- with tortilla chips
How long is ranch dressing good for?
Store in a tightly sealed glass jar or an airtight container in the fridge. It will last for 2 weeks in the fridge. As it sits, it might separate a little bit. Simply give it a stir before using again.
Can you freeze ranch dressing?
While you can freeze ranch, I do not recommend freezing this recipe due to the yogurt and fresh herbs, as the consistency and texture will change.
Substitutions and additions
- plain greek yogurt – I like using full-fat yogurt, but any fat percentage will work. You will need to use plain yogurt. If you don’t want to use yogurt, mayonnaise will work, but this will add more fat to the recipe and decrease the protein.
- sour cream – mayonnaise or more greek yogurt will work. This will change the flavor of the recipe, though.
- fresh herbs – feel free to adjust the amount or add more if desired.
- fresh garlic – garlic powder will work instead. Use 1/2 teaspoon.
- lemon juice – lime juice will work the same.
Here are some additions you can add:
- onion powder
- fresh cilantro
More healthy dressing recipes
- creamy salsa dressing
- healthy caesar dressing with greek yogurt
- orange vinaigrette
- healthy coleslaw dressing
- greek yogurt blue cheese dressing
If you love quick and easy meals and want to learn how to build a balanced plate, check out our FREE How to Build a Balanced Plate Guide!
Jalapeno Ranch
equipment
ingredients
- 1/2 cup full-fat plain greek yogurt (4 ounces)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup parsley
- 1/4 cup dill
- 2 tablespoons roughly chopped chives
- 2 large jalapeno peppers, roughly chopped (remove seeds for less spice)
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
instructions
- Make your jalapeno sauce. Add yogurt, sour cream. parsley, dill, chives, jalapeno, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to a Vitamix, high-powered blender, or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy, or to your desired consistency, about 15-20 seconds (you still want to see some of the herbs). Adjust according to taste.
- Enjoy! Use it as a dip, a sauce, a spread, or however you please! As it sits in the fridge, it will thicken up.
nutrition
Recipe by Kelly Nardo, Eat the Gains | Photography by Sierra Inn
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