Jalapeño Ranch is perfect as a dressing, dip or sauce. It’s creamy with a distinct herby flavor but its subtle spicy kick is what keeps you coming back for more!
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Looking for more bold sauces to try? You’ll love these Alabama White BBQ Sauce, Jalapeno Sesame Salsa, and Aji Amarillo Sauce recipes as well.
What’s better than ranch dressing? Nothing, but this jalapeno ranch recipe is a close second! It’s addictively bold and spicy but just as creamy, savory, and herb-forward as the classic.
Why you’ll love it
Regular ranch dressing is for everyone but jalapeno ranch dressing is for the true flavor lovers. Its bold flavors will jazz up your salads, pizzas, and burgers in an instant!
A short list of simple ingredients gives this jalapeno ranch dip its addictively savory and spicy flavors. Just like my Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip, it’s made with light and tangy Greek yogurt to temper any overwhelming heat from the jalapeno. A spritz of lime is used for balance while a blend of dried herbs adds the signature savory and herbaceous flavors that make this a true ranch dressing recipe.
It’s completely foolproof to make, too. Just throw the ingredients in a food processor or blender, blend until smooth, and enjoy!
You can use your ranch dip anywhere you like a little creaminess and spice. It’s perfect for drizzling over tacos, as a dip for pizza, tossed in a salad, and so much more.
Ingredients
- Greek yogurt – Most ranch dressing recipes are made with mayonnaise but I like Greek yogurt better. It’s much lighter and adds a distinct tangy flavor that pairs so well with the rest of the ingredients. If you don’t have Greek yogurt at home, sour cream is the next best option.
- Lime juice
- Buttermilk – Hello, flavor! I love using low fat buttermilk in ranch dressing because it increases the tang, makes it feel rich, and thins the consistency. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make it yourself with regular milk and lemon juice/vinegar or use regular milk as a substitute. You can also freeze leftover buttermilk!
- Jalapeno – The star of this dip! Blending one jalapeno pepper into the ranch won’t make it overwhelmingly spicy. Instead, you’ll notice a smoky undertone and just the right amount of heat. If you’re serving this to picky eaters, make sure you scoop out the seeds and veins from the pepper before blending.
- Dried herbs – A mix of dried dill, parsley, and chives gives the dressing its signature herby flavor.
- Garlic powder and onion powder
- Salt and pepper
How to make it
Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy.
Either use the dressing right away or store it in the fridge for later. Enjoy!
Variations
- Substituting fresh herbs for the dried herbs will give it a more vibrant, fresher flavor.
- Keep the seeds and veins intact or blend in one extra jalapeno to make an extra spicy jalapeno ranch.
- For a thicker ranch dressing, only use 2 tablespoons of buttermilk.
- Add chopped fresh cilantro to make a cilantro-lime ranch dressing.
- Save a ton of time by swapping the dried herbs and spices for a packet of Hidden Valley ranch seasoning!
Serving suggestions
The hardest part of this recipe is deciding how to use it! Luckily, this dressing pairs well with everything, so you’ll never run out of serving options. These ideas will help get you started:
- Salad dressing – Drizzle it over Southwest chicken salads, taco salads, cheeseburger salads, or any salad you like!
- Tacos – Its spicy flavors pair perfectly with these Salmon Tacos and Chipotle Sweet Potato Tacos.
- Dipping sauce – Surround a bowl of dressing with mozzarella sticks, zucchini fries, french fries, tater tots, potato wedges, quesadillas, buffalo cauliflower bites, chicken wings, or tortilla chips for dipping.
- Sandwich and burger spread – It’s a perfect match for these Green Chile Cheeseburgers and Veggie Burgers.
- Finishing sauce – Take your loaded baked potatoes, smashed potatoes, grain bowls, bowls of chili, nachos, or pizza up a notch with a finishing drizzle of jalapeno ranch.
Storing
Transfer the dressing to an airtight container or sealed jar and store it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
More creamy sauces and dressings
- Green Goddess Dressing
- Blue Cheese Dressing
- Vegan Caesar Dressing
- Pesto Salad Dressing
- Peruvian Green Sauce
- Poppyseed Dressing
- Chipotle Crema
- Southwest Salad Dressing
Did you make this homemade jalapeno ranch dip?
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PS – Have leftover buttermilk? Learn about how to freeze it here!
Jalapeño Ranch
Ingredients
- 1 cup full fat greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1 Tablespoon lime juice
- 1/4 cup low fat buttermilk ( or regular milk, plus more as needed for desired consistency)
- 1 jalapeno (seeded and rough chopped)
- 1 teaspoon dried dill (or 3 tsp fresh)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 1/2 tsp fresh)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chives (or 1 1/2 tsp fresh)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove)
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Blend all the ingredients together in a small blender or food processor until smooth and creamy.
great idea to add some more flavor to basic ranch! Love it and thank you!