Easy Southwest Ranch Dressing
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A little creamy, a hint of spicy, and 100% delicious, this homemade southwest ranch dressing takes minutes to throw together and is super versatile.
The key to creating restaurant-quality food is often in the sauces. This southwest version of homemade Ranch dressing (or sauce) adds cool creaminess, a hint of citrus and lime, a bit of spice from the cayenne, and complexity from the cilantro and other seasonings. It’s far more interesting and tasty than any store-bought dressing or dip.
A Healthier Ranch Dressing
Not only is this homemade dressing delicious but it’s far healthier than ones at the store. Have you ever looked closely at the ingredients in a bottle of Ranch dressing or a packet of Ranch dressing mix? It’s jam-packed with additives, preservatives, MSG, high-fructose corn syrup, and many other mystery ingredients. Yuck!
When time allows, you’ll find that making your own condiments at home, like BBQ sauce, salad dressings, and pesto, is not only better for you, but they also taste fresher and more complex. This proves true with our Southwest Ranch Dressing!
Salad Dressing Cheat Sheet
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What’s in Southwest Ranch Dressing?
This dressing (Or is it a sauce? Or is it a dip?) boasts of just a handful of recognizable ingredients. You may have most of these at home already.
- Salsa (look for an all-natural brand or use the fresh stuff from the deli section)
- Sour cream (or plain, full-fat Greek yogurt)
- Freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
- Fresh cilantro or parsley (or dried parsley)
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper
How to Store Homemade Ranch Dressing
After combining all the ingredients, store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Do not freeze (the sour cream will separate in the freezer.) This dressing tastes better the longer it sits.
How to Use This Sauce/Dressing
Use this tasty sauce for a variety of dishes, including these ideas:
- Drizzle it on our Southwest Chicken and Bacon Wraps. Sooo good!
- Serve as a dip with fresh veggies like cucumber, celery, carrots, broccoli, and bell peppers.
- Pair it with our Crispy Parmesan Potato Wedges as an appetizer!
- Use it as a dressing on a leafy green salad. Topping ideas include our Southwest Chicken Tenders, fresh corn kernels, black beans, tortilla strips, feta or cotija cheese, and cherry tomatoes.
More Homemade Salad Dressings You’ll Love
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Creamy Southwest Ranch Dressing
This fresh-tasting, creamy Southwest Ranch Sauce has a little heat and a lot of flavor! Use as a dip for veggies, a sauce on a wrap or taco, or dressing on top of salad.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salsa (look for an all-natural brand or use the fresh stuff from the deli section)
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or plain, full-fat Greek yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro or parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried parsley)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
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Instructions
In a small bowl, stir together all the ingredients until combined. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Do not freeze.
Why is it that this recipe cannot be stored in the freezer?
Great question. When you freeze a sauce like this that has dairy in it, it will separate and get watery when it thaws. Something like a soup that has sour cream in it (i.e. potato soup) does ok freezing because after thawing you warm it up and stir it around. But for a cold sauce like this, it just doesn’t turn out great after freezing. I hope that helps!
I was curious how spicy this recipe is? I attempted another recipie and was way to hot for me. Thank you
The spice level is mainly dependent on what salsa you use. If you don’t like spicy foods, I would use a mild salsa and omit the pinch of cayenne pepper. You can always stir in cayenne or a little hot sauce at the end if you want it spicier. I hope that helps!