This Whole30 ranch dressing recipe is creamy, garlicky, and loaded with fresh herbs. This “dump ranch” dressing is definitely the best Whole30 ranch dressing you’ll ever taste and beyond quick and easy, too.
There’s not too terribly much I think you need to start a Whole30:
You should read the books. Definitely. You’ll get a perfectly clear understanding of what the program is, what it’s for, what it’s not for (Hello, um, it’s not a diet), and why the rules are what the rules are.
You should get a bottle of coco aminos because I feel like they make everything better (especially my Whole30 ketchup recipe, which you can turn into my Whole30 In N Out burgers, or use it to lightly sweeten my Whole30 BBQ sauce. Or you can drizzle into my Whole30 egg roll in a bowl recipe or Asian Whole30 lettuce wraps recipe, too).
And yeah, you should definitely make a batch of Whole30 mayonnaise and this Whole30 ranch dressing, or “dump ranch,” as it’s affectionately known in the Whole30 circles.
You see, Whole30 ranch dressing makes almost anything into a meal. Got some Aidell’s chicken apple sausages on hand? Fry ’em up, dip ’em in some ranch, and call it lunch. Need to meal prep your lunches for the week? Throw a couple of chicken breasts in the Instant Pot with some hot sauce, shred it up, pour ranch over it, and you’ve got my Whole30 buffalo chicken ranch meal prep like that. Hungry, like, ever? You should definitely make our favorite chicken zucchini poppers from One Lovely Life and go wild dunking them in your Whole30 ranch dressing.
Why this Whole30 ranch dressing is so good:
- It comes together in just about 5 minutes, thanks to an immersion blender.
- This Whole30 ranch dressing boasts just the right balance of fresh garlic, the perfect fresh herbs, and creaminess you’ll fall in love with.
- It’s super versatile to make, too, and it goes with just about everything!
it goes with just about everything!And in my opinion, there’s no excuse to not make your own! It’s way, way easier than going to the store and shelling out six or seven bucks for a bottle of the compliant stuff: put all the ingredients (except the herbs!) in a container, blitz it up with an immersion blender, throw the herbs in, and poof… Done!
The “dump and go” concept is amazing, too. I use it for so many recipes that we make regularly, having originally been totally sold by the amazing J. Kenji López-Alt’s in-depth article about the dos and don’ts of the process. Since then I’ve made “dump” mayo, “dump” Caesar, and plenty other weird ones at home. Life changing!
Tips
- Make sure your jar is just a bit wider than the head of your immersion blender. This is key to Whole30 ranch dressing success!
- Start blending with your immersion blender touching the bottom of the jar. Slowly work your way up, making sure each layer around the immersion blender emulsifies and turns a solid white before inching your way up. A glass or otherwise clear jar is awesome for this.
- This Whole30 ranch dressing recipe is pretty foolproof, but if you have any trouble, scroll down a bit for advice on fixing a “broken” dump ranch.
- Be sure to use a light tasting olive oil, if you choose to use olive oil. Using regular olive oil will result in a bitter Whole30 ranch dressing. We love avocado oil in this recipe, and you can use fractionated, tasteless coconut oil, too!
Variations
- If you have a nut allergy, you can substitute coconut milk for the almond milk. I prefer this Whole30 ranch dressing with almond milk, but it will definitely work if you don’t have any or can’t have any!
- Swap out different herbs for the dill and parsley to change things up! Try cilantro for a Southwestern twist.
- Try different spices to liven things up, too. Chipotle pepper powder is delicious in this Whole30 dump ranch dressing.
We’ve spent the last year refining the ingredients and process to come up with our favorite Whole30 dump ranch dressing recipe, and I think you’ll absolutely fall in love with it, too. I’m as picky as it gets when it comes to ranch dressing, so ours has to be super garlicky with a ton of the right fresh herbs, a true buttermilk tang, and the perfect consistency. Try it out and let me know how much you love it!
How to make the best Whole30 ranch dressing in the immersion blender:
Dump (get it?) all ingredients, except the herbs, and only 1/4 cup almond milk into immersion blender jar or another jar that isn’t much wider than the immersion blender head. Push the head of the immersion blender into the jar all the way to the bottom then start to blend on medium speed first then increasing to high if necessary, until mixture at the bottom becomes thick and opaque.
Begin to raise the immersion blender a little at a time then press back down, to incorporate the remaining oil.
Once the mixture is entirely emulsified, thick, and white, remove blender and add the herbs.
Press immersion blender head down over herbs and blend, only enough to chop and incorporate herbs, moving around as needed. Add almond milk as desired to thin. Start with 1/4 cup and add more as you like, stirring with a spoon to incorporate.
Whole30 Ranch Dressing “Dump Ranch” FAQs
Can I blend the herbs with everything else?
Eh… you can, but you’ll end up with a neon green dressing and over-blended herbs. Blend everything but the herbs to start, then you can add in a bit more almond milk to thin and blitz your herbs until just chopped.
Can I use regular extra virgin olive oil?
No! Please don’t. It doesn’t matter if you think you love EVOO, it will be way, way too much in your Whole30 dump ranch dressing. Promise! Using *light-tasting* olive oil is totally critical here, but you can use avocado oil or refined fractionated coconut oil, as well. Just no standard extra virgin olive oil! Trust me on this one.
My mixture is runny. Help!
Oh no! This usually happens because you moved your immersion blender too fast after starting to blend or you use too large of a jar. If this happens, you can salvage your ingredients, though! If you have the right sized jar for the job (The mouth of the jar being not much wider than the head of the immersion blender; the jar that often comes with the blender is usually perfect), you can do this in the immersion blender. Transfer half of the “broken” ranch mixture to the properly sized jar and add in another egg. Stick the immersion blender down to the bottom of the jar and start to blend at medium speed. Once, and not before, you see the mixture turning opaque, thick, and white, you can move the head of the immersion blender up a bit at a time to incorporate and emulsify the remaining liquid. Add half of the reserved broken mixture and blend together, then add the final reserved mixture and blend until thick and smooth.
If you don’t have the right sized jar, hit up the regular blender instead. Add an egg yolk to your blender and process until it’s smooth. Then, very slowly add in the broken ranch mixture, a tiny bit at a time, until the mixture is very thickened. Once the mixture is quite thickened (This will take some time), you can add in the remaining, broken ranch by the tablespoon.
I only have a really big jar. Will this work?
Eh… It might. I urge you to use a jar that’s not much wider than the head of your immersion blender to make sure the mixture emulsifies right away. You’re almost guaranteed success with a jar like that, but if you try this in a large bowl, you’re not likely to get the emulsion the way you want, and I’d recommend you try my other Whole30 ranch dressing recipe instead.
I don’t have an immersion blender. Can I make this in the regular blender or food processor?
No! It won’t work. However, I have a fab recipe for a Whole30 ranch dressing that is made in the blender or food processor. Check it out here (but don’t try the “dump ranch” process in your blender or food processor – it will simply fail!).
How long does this Whole30 dump ranch dressing last?
The life of ours always varies in the fridge, but you should get at least a week out of this Whole30 dump ranch dressing recipe.
Does my egg need to be room temperature?
Nope! Rad, huh? Using an immersion blender for Whole30 ranch dressing, the temperature of your egg doesn’t matter at all. That’s great news for people like me who tend to uh, not plan so well.
Other recipes you’ll love:
- One Minute Whole30 Mayo (Made with Immersion Blender)
- Buffalo Chicken Ranch Whole30 Meal Prep
- Whole30 Chicken Bacon Ranch Poppers
- Whole30 Loaded Sweet Potato Fries
- Whole30 Caesar Dressing
Did you make and love this recipe? Give your review below! 👇 And make sure to share your creations by tagging me on Instagram!
Whole30 Ranch Dressing ("Dump Ranch," Paleo, Dairy-Free)
A delicious, creamy Whole30 ranch dressing that's made in the immersion blender in just a couple minutes. Affectionately known as "dump ranch," it's a fantastic Whole30 salad dressing.
Makes about 2 cups.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups light-tasting olive oil avocado oil, or fractionated “tasteless” coconut oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. mustard powder
- 2 cloves garlic peeled and smashed
- Lots of fresh ground pepper
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. vinegar white or apple cider, plus more to taste
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley
- 2-3 Tbsp. fresh dill
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. paprika
- 1/4-3/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp. salt
Equipment Needed
Instructions
-
Dump all ingredients but herbs and almond milk into immersion blender jar or another jar that isn’t much wider than the immersion blender head. Push immersion blender into the jar all the way to the bottom then start to blend, on medium speed first then increasing to high if necessary, until mixture at the bottom becomes thick and opaque. Begin to raise the immersion blender a little at a time then press back down, to incorporate the remaining oil.
-
Once the mixture is entirely emulsified, remove blender and add herbs. Press immersion blender head down over herbs and blend, only enough to chop and incorporate herbs, moving around as needed. Add almond milk as desired to thin. Start with 1/4 cup and add more as you like, stirring with a spoon to incorporate.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
Make sure you start blending with the head of the immersion blender all the way down at the bottom of the jar.
Use a jar not much wider than the head of your immersion blender.
Your eggs do not have to be room temperature.
Blend the herbs after emulsifying the main ingredients, so your ranch stays white with green herb flecks, not all light green.
Do not use regular olive oil, only "light tasting" olive oil or avocado oil.
Keep in an airtight container about 7-10 days.
This recipe was originally published March 2018 but was updated with new photos, video, tips, and step by step directions August 2018.
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I love this SO MUCH. I was a bit nervous about the raw egg, but I saw the other comments about that along with your replies with info and articles and that eased my mind. This turned out perfectly for me on my first try and it tastes amazing. I love ranch, so I was going in with *opinions* about how this was going to go, but I was completely wrong.
Will be making this over and over and over…
YAY! I’m so so happy you liked it!
I love your recipes, every one I have tried has been delicious, but I am concerned with some of your calorie counts. Here you say that a serving (2 tablespoons) is 29 calories. How can that be, when it is basically mayonnaise with herbs and a little almond milk in it?
I don’t personally calculate the macros; they are done by a recipe database based off the amounts listed in the recipe. You are absolutely welcome to calculate your own macros, but the database we use has been very accurate!
I just made this and it is absolutely delicious! I’m a paleo newbie and I HAD to find a ranch dressing….this is perfect. I followed your directions exactly and the texture is great! Thank you so much for this recipe.
OMG I think I just fell in love. This is delicious – like lick the spoon good! Made last night for the first time and was afraid I was going to screw it up, have had a few broken mayos when made in a regular blender, but this was simple! I thought for sure I had too much liquid in the jar, but no spillage at all. Also awesome that you can thin out to desired consistency, or keep thick for more of a ranch dip rather than dressing. Two birds… one dump!
What a genius idea to use a hand blender. Seriously amazing! Thank you for sharing 🙂
You are so so welcome!! I’m so happy you loved it. <3
I made this tonight and have to say it’s scrumptious! Way better than any I have ever had at the store! I didn’t have fresh dill so I used dried (quarter tsp)
It’s so good I could drink it 🙂
Great substitution! I’m with you – so good I could drink it!!
If we could give this recipe more than 5 stars we would! It is absolutely delicious!
That makes me so happy to hear!!
OMG this is so good, I don’t know if I will ever go back to buying commercial ranch dressing, whether on Whole30 or not!
Yum.
Yay! I love hearing that!
Can I use canola oil instead of olive oil?
How long will this last in the fridge?
At least 1 week
Hey there… I already started the process with a normal blender before seeing the post with a different recipe for a normal blender (I guess I don’t understand the difference.. yikes) the liquid is very thin after step 1. Any way to save this?
This is so good! I love dipping sweet potato fries in it. With some grated cucumber, you could use it for tzatziki sauce.
Hi Cheryl, can you post the original article from Kenji Lopez about the whole “dump and go” concept??
Would love to read it too.
Thanks!
Yes! Here you go!
https://www.seriouseats.com/2016/08/video-food-lab-foolproof-homemade-mayonnaise.html
I’m nervous about using raw egg, any tips or secrets to help ease my fear?
I shared some really interesting info above, so I’m copying and pasting it here for you too 🙂
The fear of salmonella from raw eggs was founded in the past, but with today’s standards, is very VERY (very) unlikely. This article is interesting:
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2014/03/salmonella_and_raw_eggs_how_i_ve_eaten_tons_of_cookie_dough_and_never_gotten.html
Especially this paragraph:
“in Pennsylvania only 0.012 percent of eggs from *salmonella-infected flocks* are contaminated. That in and of itself probably explains why I’ve never gotten salmonella from raw eggs. (The fear that eggshells might be infected with salmonella even if the inside of the eggs isn’t is unfounded: The FDA requires rigorous egg cleaning, which means that any salmonella that might be on the shell of an egg—from infected hens’ fecal matter, for instance—is killed before the egg reaches a consumer.)”
The inclusion of the culinary acid also helps “cook” the egg, and you will keep it in the fridge – a temperate at which salmonella cannot even grow. If you’re especially concerned, you can pasteurize (though most eggs are already pasteurized) your eggs to take it a step further:
https://www.wikihow.com/Pasteurize-Eggs
What is the nutritional info for this?
I’ve updated with a label! <3
Raw egg? Isn’t that not good for you, how would this be safe to eat?
The fear of salmonella from raw eggs was founded in the past, but with today’s standards, is very VERY (very) unlikely. This article is interesting:
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2014/03/salmonella_and_raw_eggs_how_i_ve_eaten_tons_of_cookie_dough_and_never_gotten.html
Especially this paragraph:
“in Pennsylvania only 0.012 percent of eggs from *salmonella-infected flocks* are contaminated. That in and of itself probably explains why I’ve never gotten salmonella from raw eggs. (The fear that eggshells might be infected with salmonella even if the inside of the eggs isn’t is unfounded: The FDA requires rigorous egg cleaning, which means that any salmonella that might be on the shell of an egg—from infected hens’ fecal matter, for instance—is killed before the egg reaches a consumer.)”
The inclusion of the culinary acid also helps “cook” the egg, and you will keep it in the fridge – a temperate at which salmonella cannot even grow. If you’re especially concerned, you can pasteurize (though most eggs are already pasteurized) your eggs to take it a step further:
https://www.wikihow.com/Pasteurize-Eggs
I am a single person. I don’t use that much salad dressing. Can I make half of this recipe and still have it work.
Yes you can!
I thought the carrageenan made almond milk non-compliant? Or did you use homemade?
There are many compliant brands! This list is very helpful:
http://www.oliveyouwhole.com/whole30/whole30-approved-almond-milk-brands/
Can coconut milk be subbed if I have a nut allergy?
Absolutely!
Can you use coconut Milk instead of Almond Milk?
Yes! I prefer the use almond or cashew milk instead of coconut, because I feel you can taste the coconut milk in this recipe but if you have a nut allergy, coconut is fine!
Made this today. Very yummy! After tasting the recipe as is, I decided to add an extra tablespoon of each lemon juice and ACV. Perfect for me! Thanks!
Yum!! I love how versatile it is 🙂 I always change mine up to taste each batch!
Hi,
What is an immersion blender and what can I use as a substitute for it?
I’ve got a normal blender.
Thank you 🙂
An immersion blender makes this easier than ever! It’s a great appliance to have on hand. Check this one out!
http://amzn.to/2vlyj97
If you need to make this with a regular blender, try this recipe:
https://40aprons.com/best-whole30-ranch-dressing-whole30-garlic-mayonnaise/
Will it still end up the same if I half the recipe?
Yep! As long as you don’t cut the recipe down below 1 full egg, you should be good to go 🙂
What if you can’t eat eggs? Any way to adapt this recipe?
Unfortunately there isn’t. The emulsification can’t happen without the egg. If you’re on a Whole30 and can’t eat eggs, you might have to skip the mayo. If you aren’t on a Whole30, try something like:
https://mommyshomecooking.com/how-to-make-mayonnaise-without-eggs/
Or my
https://40aprons.com/tofu-mayonnaise-vegan/