Ranch dressing, a beloved condiment in America, has found its way onto everything from pizza to chicken wings. But for those following a ketogenic diet, the question arises: Is ranch keto-friendly? The answer, like many things in the world of keto, isn't a straightforward yes or no. It depends on the ingredients.
The Problem with Traditional Ranch Dressing
Traditional ranch dressing, whether homemade or store-bought, typically contains a combination of buttermilk, sour cream, and mayonnaise. While these ingredients themselves aren't inherently problematic for keto, many commercially available ranch dressings include added sugars, unhealthy vegetable oils, preservatives, and other artificial ingredients that can derail your ketogenic efforts. Most generic brands contain added sugar and buttermilk, which add tons of carbs.
Problematic Fats
Most of the bottled or jarred ranch dressings you find at the grocery store are filled with unhealthy vegetable oils like canola oil. These oils can be inflammatory. Ranch dressings that contain dangerous oils are a big no on a keto diet.
Navigating Store-Bought Ranch: What to Look For
If you opt for store-bought ranch, meticulously reading the label is crucial. Look for products that prioritize high-quality fats and avoid unnecessary additives.
Ingredients to Seek Out
- Avocado Mayo: To avoid vegetable oil-based dressings, select avocado mayo as your base.
- Mayonnaise: Full-fat, whole-egg mayonnaise with no added sugar is a good base. Although all mayo is high-fat and low-carb, avoid brands that add cheap vegetable oils.
- Sour Cream: Adds to the base of the ranch dressing.
- Herbs: Fresh or dried dill and parsley contribute to the classic ranch flavor. Fresh herbs have a stronger, more pronounced flavor.
Ingredients to Avoid
- Added Sugars: Many brands add sugars or high fructose corn syrup for flavor.
- Vegetable Oils: Canola oil and other vegetable oils can be inflammatory.
- Harmful Additives: Canola oil, monosodium glutamate, disodium phosphate, and calcium disodium are best avoided.
The Keto-Friendly Ranch Alternative: Homemade Ranch Dressing
The best way to ensure your ranch dressing aligns with your keto goals is to make it yourself. Homemade keto ranch dressing is easy to make. It tastes way better than the bottled ranch you find at the store. When you're keto, try to make your favorite sauces and dips from scratch. Luckily, our keto-friendly ranch dressing recipe tastes similar to store-bought products. You also don’t have to worry about vegetable oils and toxic preservatives. The beauty is that you most likely have all these ingredients in your pantry and fridge right now.
Read also: Creamy Keto Ranch Chicken Recipe
Benefits of Homemade Keto Ranch
- Control over Ingredients: You have complete control over the ingredients, ensuring only keto-friendly components are used.
- Avoidance of Unhealthy Additives: You can steer clear of added sugars, unhealthy oils, and artificial preservatives.
- Customization: You can tailor the flavor to your liking, adjusting the herbs, spices, and level of tanginess.
Basic Keto Ranch Dressing Recipe
Here's a basic recipe for a creamy, tangy, and delicious keto ranch dressing:
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mayonnaise (full-fat, sugar-free)
- ½ cup heavy cream (or more for a thinner consistency)
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar (or white wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced)
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley (or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl or mason jar, combine the mayonnaise, heavy cream, and white vinegar.
- Add the garlic powder, onion powder, dill, parsley, salt, and pepper.
- Whisk or shake well until all ingredients are combined and the dressing is smooth.
- Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
Variations and Customizations
- Dairy-Free Ranch: Instead of sour cream, either add all mayonnaise or substitute with dairy-free yogurt or coconut cream. If you prefer a vegan keto ranch dressing then replace the mayonnaise with vegan mayonnaise.
- Spicy Ranch: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce.
- Extra Herbs: Experiment with other herbs like chives, cilantro, or basil.
- Dill Pickle Ranch: Use dill pickle juice, chopped pickles, and extra dill for a tangy, salty flavor.
- Thinning the Dressing: Use nut milk for a thinner, pourable dressing.
- Thickening for Dip: Omit the heavy cream or only add heavy cream and not a nut milk to make a ranch dip. For keto ranch dip, use only heavy cream. To lower the carbs, use all mayo instead of sour cream.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Prepare the Homemade Ranch Seasoning or gather your individual spices.
- Pour your base ingredients like mayo, sour cream, vinegar and heavy cream into a mason jar.
- Add all your herbs on top, put your lid on and start shaking.
- Simply mix all the salad dressing ingredients together in a large bowl.
- Transfer the mixture into a glass jar and shake well, until fluffy and silky.
- Transfer to an airtight jar.
- Adjust the seasonings. Give the sauce a taste, and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Using Keto Ranch Dressing
Keto ranch dressing is incredibly versatile. Aside from using ranch as a simple salad dressing, use it in baking, casseroles, and sauces.
Serving Suggestions
- Salad Dressing: Drizzle over your favorite keto-friendly salads.
- Dip: Serve with vegetables, chicken wings, or keto-friendly crackers. My family love this to dunk chicken wings, but it can be thinned out for a salad dressing too.
- Sauce: Use as a sauce for grilled chicken, fish, or vegetables.
- Marinade: Marinate chicken or fish in ranch dressing for added flavor.
- Casseroles: In The Healthy Family Keto Cookbook, I used it as part of the creamy sauce in the Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole.
- Egg Wash Substitute: In place of an egg wash in the Garlic Parmesan Tenders.
Nutritional Information and Macros
One serving of ranch contains two grams of net carbs, making it a good dressing for keto dieters. It has less than one gram of carb per serving and 20 calories, helping you lose weight. It has one gram of net carb per serving and the fat content is also high, clocking in at 20 grams.
Storage Tips
Store your ranch dressing in an airtight container or mason jar in the refrigerator for up to a week. This dressing does not freeze well. You sure can. Simply place it in an airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight and stir before using.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is ranch dressing keto?
Ranch dressing is generally low in carbs, so it is keto generally speaking; however, many bottled dressings use vegetable oils and add sugars that some following a strict keto diet may be avoiding.
Read also: Healthy Keto Ranch Dressing
How many carbs are in ranch dressing?
In 2 tablespoons of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing, there are 5.9 grams of carbohydrates. According to the USDA, one tablespoon of store-bought ranch dressing contains about 1 gram of carbs.
How much sugar is in ranch dressing?
According to the USDA, one tablespoon of store-bought ranch dressing contains about 0.4 grams of sugar.
How to thicken ranch dressing?
If you want to make ranch dip, simply omit the heavy cream or only add heavy cream and not a nut milk.
Does ranch dressing have eggs?
Technically yes, ranch dressing contains eggs because the mayonnaise is made from eggs.
Read also: Wingstop Ranch calories and macros