What Is Ranch Dressing?

Ranch dressing is an American salad dressing usually made from buttermilk, salt, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs, and spices mixed into a sauce based on mayonnaise or another oil emulsion. Sour cream and yogurt are sometimes used in addition to, or as a substitute for, buttermilk and mayonnaise.

What makes up ranch dressing?

What makes ranch ranch? It's a combination of creaminess (from buttermilk, sour cream, sometimes mayonnaise) and herbaceousness (often parsley, thyme, dill), plus a long pull of allium (onion and garlic) and a shot of black pepper.

Is ranch and mayonnaise the same?

In any case, both the dressing and mayonnaise are likely to contain a similar mixture of herbs and spices (which makes them "ranch"). The difference is likely to be texture. "Dressings" tend to be more runny and thin, so they can be mixed easily with other things even at the table (e.g., salads).