Yogurt Ranch Dressing

Creamy, tangy and ready in just a few minutes! That’s the best way to describe my yogurt ranch dressing.

I make it all the time! It’s great to drizzle over salads, use it as a dip or spread it on sandwiches. It’s my go-to dressing for just about everything, so you know it’s that good.

So, say goodbye to your store-bought ranch, because once you try my version, the bottles you used to buy at the grocery store will start gathering dust wondering what they did wrong!

If you’ve been with us for a while, you know I like to make everything from scratch (or try at least once…). And, let’s be real, everyone has a bottle of yogurt ranch dressing in the fridge. It pairs well with basically everything!

One day, I opened our fridge and thought, how hard could it be to just make it myself? Well, let me tell you. Not hard at all! Honestly, one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made. But, not only is it easy but it’s also so much better than any store-bought dressing in flavor and for your health! After all, this one isn’t full of ingredients you can’t even pronounce!

Rita has never been a sauce person. She skips dips and dressings altogether, even ketchup (who doesn’t like ketchup?!). To my surprise, Rita loved it! Even the first batch I tried to make (and it wasn’t this good). Now, she asks me to make it regularly and that’s saying something about this dressing.

And, if you like quick and easy recipes, you might want to take a look at my 3-Ingredient Keto Cheesecake.

What You’ll Need

You actually don’t need too many ingredients to make it, which makes this recipe even better! Plus, they’re all on the cheaper side. So, win-win! You ready?

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (130 g) – I either use full-fat or at least 2% Greek yogurt like FAGE Total 2% Plain Greek Yogurt. It’s thick, creamy and not too tangy!
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced – Fresh garlic is non-negotiable for me. If you like garlic, check my variations below, I have a tip for you!
• ½ small white onion, finely chopped – White onion has a sharper taste. Also, chop it finely or it throws off the flavors.
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice – Fresh lemons are always the best! Bottled lemon juice makes the dressing taste flat.
• 2 teaspoons fresh chives, finely chopped – It adds a subtle onion flavor without being too harsh. I also like to add some on top before serving, adds color and freshness.
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram – Adds a mild earthy flavor. Sometimes I like to swap it with dill if I’m making this to add on salmon or cucumber salads.
• Salt, to taste – I like to add just a bit at the beginning and add some more in the end if needed because the flavor deepens as the dressing chills in the fridge!

Now I want you to get ready and gather all the ingredients because you’re about to make the BEST yogurt ranch dressing!

You probably have noticed a pattern in most of my recipes and think I might have a Greek yogurt addiction. But according to Harvard Health, that’s not a bad thing at all. Because it’s packed with protein, probiotics, and has less sugar than many other yogurts, which makes it a healthy base for so many recipes like my Greek Yogurt Cookie Dough!

How to Make my Yogurt Ranch Dressing

I like to start by finely chopping the onion, chives and garlic clove.

I truly mean to chop finely, because I’ve tried this recipe with roughly chopped onion, chives and garlic and I feel like it ended up overpowering the dressing’s flavor way too much and gave it a harsh bite. It didn’t taste as balanced.

Now, I grab a small bowl and add all of the ingredients and add about a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice. I start with a teaspoon and adjust later if I want more tang.

Now, it’s time to mix! I like to use a spoon or a whisk to mix until it looks smooth and creamy.

Since I don’t always use the same yogurt brand, sometimes it’s a bit too thick, so I just whisk in a tablespoon or two of water. It helps to loosen the dressing without losing any flavor!

Also, I’ve tried to mix it in a blender instead but it was too foamy and ended up shredding the onions and chive completely, so it lost that rustic texture! But if you like a smooth, chunk-free consistency, then go for it.

Once, it’s all blended and smooth, we’re done! Taste and adjust any ingredient if you need to.

You can serve it right away but I recommend chilling it in the fridge for at least 20 to 30 minutes or for a deeper flavor, overnight!

I noticed it tastes even better and it thickens slightly after chilling, which also gives it a better consistency.

store in a jar with a tight lid and keep it in the fridge. It keeps well for about 4 days in the fridge, after that you’ll start to notice the ingredients separating too much and it starts to smell weird!

Always stir and shake well before serving to fully incorporate all the ingredients again.

Before serving I always like to top with some freshly chopped chives to add that fresh flavor and texture. It’s ready to drizzle over a salad or use as a dip. Try it with spicy jalapeño chips, trust me, it pairs so well with my yogurt ranch dressing!

Variations I’ve Tried And Loved

This recipe is like a blank canvas! Rita likes it simple but I like to experiment and match it with whatever we’re planning to eat it with. So, let me share with you some variations I’ve tried and absolutely loved!

• Switch marjoram for dill – Instead of Marjoram, I’ve added some fresh dill. It makes the dressing a bit lighter and pairs so well with cucumber salads or salmon.
• Roasting the garlic – I LOVE garlic! So, I thought why not roast it instead of adding it raw. And, let me tell you, it’s so good! It makes it more mellow and sweet without overpowering the other flavor. Rita also likes it, so that’s how you know it’s good!
• Adding olive oil – When I’m making this for sandwiches, I like to whisk in a tablespoon of olive oil. It rounds out the tangy flavor from the yogurt and gives it a smoother finish.
• Spicy twist – Unfortunately, I don’t make it as often as I’d like to because Rita isn’t the biggest fan of spicy food. But, whenever I make this to take to a family or friends dinner I like stir in a bit of cayenne pepper or just a splash of hot sauce. It pairs so well with chicken wings or roasted veggies!

See, I told you it was a blank canvas. There’s probably only a handful of things you could add to it that wouldn’t pair well with it. Also, I’d love to know some of your variations, so make sure to leave those in the comments at the end!

Mistakes To Avoid When Making My Yogurt Ranch Dressing

This recipe is so easy that I’ve never had too many problems with it. And trust me, I have the tendency to mess up most recipes, ahah! But well, you live and you learn.

• Using low-fat yogurt only – To make it a bit more healthy, I tried with fat-free yogurt but it turned out thin and watery. But 2% Greek yogurt still gave me a similar texture!
• Using bottled lemon juice – I’ve used bottled lemon juice instead and the flavor was quite flat.
• Leaving the onion too chunky – Because we like that rustic texture, I thought leaving bigger pieces of onion would be fine but it ended up overpowering the dressing’s flavor way too much.
• Not adjusting the thickness – Like I mentioned, I don’t always use the same yogurt and each brand has a different consistency. So, if it’s too thick whisk a little water and if it’s too thin, let it chill in the fridge for an extra 20 minutes or overnight before serving!
• Forgetting to taste as you go – I’m sharing with you what I like and usually add. So, make sure you always taste it at the end and adjust any ingredient to your own taste.

Luckily, most of these are easy fixes, so even if something goes wrong, you can usually save it! I’ve had that happen with some recipes and it’s so sad when you can’t save it at all. So, bonus point to this recipe for that!

It doesn’t just look good, it tastes good! If you know anyone like Rita (who doesn’t like ketchup, I’ll never get over that one…) you need to give them my yogurt ranch dressing to try and let me know how it goes!

And funny enough, she has her own favorite Greek yogurt recipes too, like her Greek Yogurt Pizza Dough! Yes, pizza dough!