If you are a fan of grilled meats or summer salads, then you might already be aware of the wonders of ranch dressing. This is a classic American seasoning that comes with onions, garlic, herbs, and spices and really adds richness to your dish.
Just looking at the list of ingredients for ranch dressing, it is easy to see why people won’t have a kitchen without it. It contains garlic, lemon, onion, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs.
You can also add it to mayo and sour cream to create a dip. This has a really sour kick to it, so you’ll only want to apply it sparingly.
But what happens if you find yourself without ranch seasoning? What other sauces are there that bear a close resemblance to ranch dressing?
Where can you buy them from? Well, we have a guide to some of the best ranch dressing alternatives that you can find.
Best Ranch Seasoning Substitutes
Home Ranch Seasoning (29g)
- Calories: 79
- Total Fat: 0.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 1.6mg
- Sodium: 2227mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 15g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.3g
- Sugars: 4.9g
- Protein: 5.5g
- Substitute ratio: 1:1
Italian Seasoning (5.5g)
- Calories: 15
- Total Fat: 0.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 2.4mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 3.4g
- Dietary Fiber: 2.1g
- Sugars: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.6g
- Substitute ratio: 2:1
Blue Cheese Dressing (15g)
- Calories: 73
- Total Fat: 7.7g
- Saturated Fat: 1.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.2g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.1g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 2g
- Cholesterol: 4.7mg
- Sodium: 96mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 0.7g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.1g
- Sugars: 0.5g
- Protein: 0.2g
Cajun Seasoning (12g)
- Calories: 11
- Total Fat: 0.3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 3267mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 2.4g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.8g
- Sugars: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Substitute ratio: 1:1
Creole Seasoning (12g)
- Calories: 11
- Total Fat: 0.3g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 3267mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 2.4g
- Dietary Fiber: 0.8g
- Sugars: 0.2g
- Protein: 0.5g
- Substitute ratio: 1:1
Ranch Seasoning Nutrition (29g)
- Calories: 79
- Total Fat: 0.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g
- Monounsaturated Fat: 0g
- Cholesterol: 1.6mg
- Sodium: 2227mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 15g
- Dietary Fiber: 1.3g
- Sugars: 4.9g
- Protein: 5.5g
What Does Ranch Seasoning Taste Like?
You won’t forget the flavor of this seasoning in a hurry. Garlic and onion are the core ingredients of this seasoning, so you can be sure it will pack a punch and linger on the tongue for a while after you have consumed it.
You can also mix this one in with mayonnaise and buttermilk to create a spicy dressing that you can have on the side of beef, fish, or a selection of cooked vegetables. We can vouch for the fact that broccoli tastes simply amazing when dipped in ranch dressing.
This has a unique flavor profile, as can be described as earthy and zesty. However, sometimes ranch seasoning is not always available at the store, or you simply might not have time to go out and get some.
Ranch Seasoning Substitutes
1. Home Ranch Seasoning
Why go to the store to get ranch seasoning when you can whip up some of your own with ingredients that you have in the kitchen? The ingredients of ranch seasoning are very common, including garlic, onion, salt, and pepper.
All you need to do is take ingredients like onion flakes, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and lemon zest, mix them all together in a bowl, and put them in an airtight jar. You can use this immediately or make enough for future use.
If you make this seasoning yourself, then you won’t have to worry about any artificial ingredients or additives that might trigger an allergic reaction.
2. Italian Seasoning
This is a seasoning mix that has the same piquancy as ranch-style dressing. This features the same ingredients as ranch dressing, including onions and garlic, although this time there are ingredients such as oregano, basil, peppers, sugar, and paprika.
You can sprinkle this seasoning over boiled or roasted potatoes, or you can mix it in with buttermilk to create your own delicious Italian-style ranch dressing. This goes great as a spread on sandwiches or as a side for cooked meats.
Italian seasoning is slightly stronger than Ranch dressing, so you’ll want to use around the half the amount of ranch dressing that you would normally use.
3. Blue Cheese Dressing
This is another great sauce that you can incorporate into any number of dishes that will add sourness to complement earthy meats like fish or beef.
This is made from only a few ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, and crumbled blue cheese. Add to that some garlic and onion seasoning and you will have a sauce that really leaps off the plate.
All you need to do is mix these ingredients in a bowl until they are completely blended. You can taste it as you mix it and add some more seasonings to get your desired flavor profile.
4. Cajun Seasoning
Now this is a much more spicy seasoning that includes peppers, herbs, and garlic salt. If you want a strong and spicy taste to add to your Mexican rice or seafood dish, then Cajun seasoning is the perfect choice.
In fact, Cajun seasoning can add a lot more spice than ranch seasoning. This is because it contains lots more paprika and a hint of oregano, which adds a more earthy aroma to the final mix.
As with a lot of the other seasoning mixes, all you need to do is mix all of these spices in a bowl until they are well blended and then store them in an airtight container.
Altogether you’ll need Cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and oregano. You can also add onion powder and thyme.
5. Creole Seasoning
This is a favorite from the state of Louisiana and is the perfect addition to a lot of seafood dishes such as shrimp, lobster, and prawn. This is a very bold and flavorful seasoning that packs a lot more of a punch than ranch dressing.
You can buy this seasoning from your local supermarket, or you can make your own at home. Creole seasoning contains a lot of the ingredients that we have mentioned above, including garlic powder, onion powder, bell peppers, and paprika.
Popular Recipes That Call For Ranch Dressing
1. Chicken Ranch Mac And Cheese
This is a large dish that comes with the spicy smokiness that you get when you add ranch dressing. The cheese is very creamy and paired with the salty meat, you can’t go wrong.
2. Ranch And Bacon Corn On The Cob
This is a great summer dish that you can incorporate into your summer buffet. It comes with lashings of flavor, including ranch dressing, dill, and garlic. Along with the crunchy corn, this is a great stomach-filler.
Conclusion
Ranch dressing is delicious, and you might be worried that it can’t be replicated, but as you have seen from some of the recipes that we’ve listed above, it really can.
The great thing about making your own seasoning is that you can add and subtract ingredients in accordance with your own personal taste.
You can make a lot of these dressings with herbs and spices that can be found in most households. The combination of these various ingredients will also help you to make more seasoning mix that you can keep for the future.
