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A spoon holds creamy, greenish Jalapeno Ranch Dressing above a glass jar filled with the same sauce, sitting on a white napkin with a dark textured background.
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Jalapeno Ranch Recipe

This creamy jalapeno ranch is made with a buttermilk, sour cream and mayo base blended with fresh jalapenos, cilantro and lime. Ready in 5 minutes, thick for dipping or thinned out for a dressing.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Chill Time2 hours
Course: Condiment, Salad
Cuisine: American, Tex Mex
Keyword: jalapeno ranch, jalapeno ranch dip, jalapeno ranch dressing, spicy ranch
Servings: 16 tablespoons
Calories: 90kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist

Ingredients

  • 2 jalapeno peppers stemmed and roughly chopped (about 2 ounces)
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro loosely packed
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk plus more to thin
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives minced
  • 1 small garlic clove grated
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Add the jalapeno peppers, cilantro and buttermilk to a blender or small food processor. Blend until smooth and green.
  • Whisk the mayonnaise and sour cream together in a medium bowl until completely smooth.
  • Whisk in the jalapeno puree, then add the dill, chives, grated garlic, onion powder, garlic powder, lime juice, vinegar, salt and black pepper. Whisk until evenly combined.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.
  • Taste and adjust the salt before serving. For a thinner dressing, whisk in more buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time.

Notes

  • Heat Factor: Medium. Use 3 jalapenos for spicier. For milder, scrape out the seeds and ribs first, or use a single pepper.
  • Want it hotter? Swap the jalapenos for serrano peppers for more kick and similar flavor. Add habanero for even more heat, but fruity notes.
  • Yes, garlic is used twice. Fresh garlic for the big flavor pop plus garlic powder for background notes. You will notice.
  • No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk and let it sit 10 minutes.
  • Dried herbs. Use 1 teaspoon each of dried dill and chives in place of the fresh tablespoons.
  • Don't skip the chill. The raw jalapeno mellows as the flavors mingle.
  • No cilantro? Use flat leaf parsley instead.
  • Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container about 5 days, up to 10 days with dried herbs. I don't recommend freezing.
Makes about 2 cups.

Nutrition

Calories: 90kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 26mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 104IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.1mg