Spicy Ranch Dip

It just might be the case that you are looking for a good dip in the very near future, either for the football game this weekend or just to snack on while you watch Olympians get disqualified for no reason. Well, good news! This Spicy Ranch Dip will fulfill all your dip needs!

This dip is chunky and packed with herbs and spice. It’s worlds better than a store-bought ranch dressing and is versatile enough to be served with veggies, chicken wings, on burgers or wraps, or just chips for dipping! 

One batch makes a big bowl, but you could double it and use it throughout the week as salad dressing, and whatever else your ranch-loving heart desires. 

What is ranch dip?

Ranch dip or ranch dressing is a pretty all-purpose dip in the United States. I know some people who eat ranch with pretty much every meal. Ranch dressings usually have a nice tang to them thanks to a base of sour cream and buttermilk and are full of herbs like parsley, dill, garlic, and chives. 

While there are some standard ranch dressings available at the store, when you are making a homemade version, you can customize to your liking so I like to spice mine up with some big flavors. 

What seasonings are in ranch dressing?

The basic spices that give ranch dip or ranch dressing its unique taste is a mix of dill, chives, parsley, and garlic powder. You would be hard-pressed to find a worthwhile ranch dip without these ingredients. 

I’ve made ranch dips like this with fresh herbs and you can absolutely do that. If you do use fresh garlic, fresh parsley, and chives, then just know that you should eat the dip relatively quickly, within a few days, for best results.

For longer storage and more consistent taste, it’s sometimes nice to use dried herbs. For the version in this post, I actually used ALL dried herbs which is nice because the flavors will be consistent and it’ll store a little longer in the fridge. 

How to make spicy ranch dip?

This isn’t a rocket science recipe. You basically stir the ingredients together and you’re done. Some people will blend the ingredients, but I don’t really find that a necessary step. Usually a spoon will get the job done.

The trick to making this recipe good is the buttermilk. It gives a really nice tang to the dip and is the ingredient you can add more of if you want a thinner dip. 

If I’m using this dip as a dip, then I like it thick, which is how the below recipe is written. But, if I’m using this as a salad dressing, I’ll thin it out further with a few extra tablespoons of buttermilk. 

To give the dip a spicy kick, I like to add chipotle peppers in Adobe sauce, some of the sauce, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. That usually gives it a pretty good kick, but obviously, you could add more of any of those ingredients for even spicier versions.

How do you spice up store-bought ranch dressing?

In a pinch, if you just wanted to buy the storebought ranch and spice it up, I prefer chipotle peppers over jalapeno peppers, although both will work. I like the smokiness of the chipotle peppers and stirring in a few spoonfuls of the adobe sauce is a pro tip that will make your spicy ranch dressing taste homemade even if you start with store-bought ranch.

Alternative ideas for ranch dip

Here are a few alternative ideas for this ranch dip.

• ​Sub out the mayo with yogurt if you aren’t a mayo fan.
• Use minced jalapeno instead of chipotle for a less smoky dip that has a fresh, spicy crunch
• Use fresh herbs rather than dried herbs.

Once you have the dip made, it keeps fine in the fridge for a week or two and is great with all kinds of appetizers.

Check out the Macheesmo chicken wings archive for some good ideas or make these Cacio e Pepe Chicken Wings that I used in the photos for this dip from Simply Recipes!

Love spicy dips? Try this Spicy Salmon Poke Dip!

Here are a few other great recipes to try!

• Jalapeno Ranch Dressing
• Red Onion Strings
• Homemade Spicy Potato Chips