15 Chef-Approved Ways To Add Flavor To Store-Bought Ranch Dressing

From using ranch as a dip to including it in scrambled eggs, there are many delicious ways to incorporate the condiment into your daily life. Its versatility and general affordability make it the most popular salad dressing by a long shot. Store-bought ranch may differ by brand, but it's a great and tasty option to have stocked at home to pour when needed. If your dressing is bland or you simply want to ramp up the taste for a particular meal, we have a lot of ways to add flavor to store-bought ranch dressing that don't involve much effort. 

To help us develop the best recommendations for you, we sought insight from a couple of skilled chefs, Kevin Ashton and Adonis Ouano Icalina. Ashton is a culinary advisor at Restaurantji with over 40 years of experience as a seasoned chef — he's even cooked for people like Queen Elizabeth II. Icalina is an author, chef, owner of restaurant Don's Manok, and culinary entrepreneur at Carnivore Style. Their experience in the food world can take your ranch to new heights. 

We'll cover how to give the dressing more flavor, why it works, and other relevant tidbits to make your store-bought ranch the best it can be. Thanks to these expert tips and some of our own suggestions, you'll be able to give ranch a nuanced flavor profile to pair with any type of meal or snack.

Smoked paprika, not to be confused with regular paprika, adds an earthy smokiness and a hint of dark red color to your store-bought ranch. It has a bolder taste because it's dried on wood, such as oak. Based on your particular paprika, you might find it can be sweet, spicy, or mild, which can bring a lot to your ranch. Mix the spice with the dressing in a small bowl to fully incorporate. Be sure to scrape the sides since the powder can get stuck. Try an infused smoked paprika to transform the purchased ranch into an exceptional one. Adonis Ouano Icalina suggests infusing the spice with a hint of garlic and lemon zest and then smoking it over cherrywood chips. 

These components provide a fruity but deep flavor to elevate any store-bought ranch into something that tastes not only homemade but gourmet, too. You don't need much since it's flavorful and can quickly override the ranch. "The smokiness of the paprika pairs perfectly with the herbal notes in the ranch seasoning, adding a complex flavor dimension that's both savory and slightly sweet," says Icalina. Smoked paprika ranch dressing works beautifully on a taco salad or drizzled onto meatballs.

When you're seeking versatile condiments to purchase, Worcestershire sauce makes a wonderful addition to your cabinet. It can be added to anything from soups to gravy, so it should be no surprise that this savory ingredient will take ranch to the next level. It has ingredients such as molasses, malt vinegar, tamarind extract, anchovies, and garlic powder to give it a well-rounded depth of flavor. Since it's also quite liquidy, it's a great choice when you have a thicker ranch you want to thin out. 

For a large batch of ranch, you only need ½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, if not less. Pour the ranch into a bowl and then add the sauce, stirring until thoroughly incorporated. This condiment is a simple way to boost your store-bought ranch in just a few shakes. Add the jazzed-up ranch to sandwiches, sliders, burgers, or to accompany fries. This ranch is fantastic when you want something with a can't-put-you-finger-on-it, nuanced taste beyond a creamy condiment.

Garlic and onion, whether powdered or fresh, are household staples you can utilize in numerous ways. They've been used for cooking dating back to ancient Mesopotamia and remain popular to this day. You will likely find garlic and onion powder if you check out the ingredients in your store-bought ranch, so it doesn't hurt to enhance the dressing with more of the pulverized seasonings.

"Adding garlic or onion powder will give your ranch dressing a richer, more robust flavor that complements many dishes," says Kevin Ashton. Just sprinkle it in a bowl and mix it before serving. However, you could also use fresh ingredients if that's what you have. Ashton recommends using freshly minced garlic to give store-bought ranch dressing a savory depth. This creates a bolder condiment or dip, like when you want a garlic ranch to douse broccoli in or to bring flavor to shrimp. For a sophisticated, slightly sweet taste, try bringing caramelized onions into the mix to pour over a burger or roasted asparagus.

Okay, so you might not have included lavender on your list of ways to add flavor to store-bought ranch dressing, but hear us out. It's the flowery ingredient to give your ranch new life thanks to its fragrance and floral taste. It works because it has a pine-like brightness that pairs well with the herbs and ingredients you'd often find in ranch dressing, like garlic, onion, parsley, or dill. As with any recipe that calls for lavender in food or drinks, it has to be culinary lavender, not something you picked off the side of the street on your walk. 

Not only is it safer, but culinary lavender also has a milder and more approachable taste. Don't add too much to your ranch, as it can taste soapy when added in excess. Chop the buds into small pieces, which helps with the texture and disperses the flavor better. Use this refreshed ranch as a dip for raw veggies, to dress a salad when entertaining guests, or whenever you want a more fragrant ranch. 

Buttermilk is a critical ingredient in ranch since it provides a zesty creaminess that's key to making the dressing what it is. Since the dressing can vary based on the brand, you might choose to upgrade store-bought ranch with a splash of buttermilk to change the consistency and enhance the taste. It doesn't change the flavor to make it unrecognizable; it simply makes it a better version of itself. Portion out your ranch and pour in the buttermilk. Whisk it together and taste it to see if it needs more. 

It can create a runnier sauce that's ideal for spooning onto roasted chicken or pizza, where you want something with a thinner consistency than your average dressing or dip. If you find that you added a touch too much buttermilk, thicken it back up with a pinch of cornstarch. Buttermilk has a sour, acidic taste, but you can use a buttermilk substitute if you don't have it stocked in your refrigerator. Get a similar flavor by mixing milk and vinegar, milk and lemon juice, or using cream of tartar.

Work with the tangy creaminess of ranch dressing and customize the taste by incorporating a bit of cheese. "Consider adding cheese with a strong pop of flavor, such as bleu cheese, Mexican cotija cheese, or Parmesan," says Kevin Ashton. Parmesan can be dry, nutty, and complex, while bleu cheese has a more noticeable scent and taste that can give your dressing a lively jolt. Cotija cheese is crumbly, dry, and salty, which can offer an unexpected depth to the ranch. For something more universally used, shredded cheddar cheese can also make a tasty addition while also bulking up the dressing into a thicker dip. 

If you're a cheese lover, you don't have to stop at one type of cheese. Try a duo or trio, such as cheddar, Parmesan, and pecorino Romano. To disguise the cheesy addition and allow it to be fully incorporated throughout your concoction, blend it with the ranch in a food processor for a smoother texture with fewer noticeable chunks. Grated or crumbled cheese can work well without blending as long as it's small and even. This makes a delicious spread for crackers or works as a creamy addition to grilled cheese.

Pesto is another adaptable, flavor-packed condiment because of its ingredients. Fresh pesto has garlic clove, pine nuts, lemon juice and zest, basil, olive oil, and other ingredients to create an herby, oily, nutty pile of green goodness. But you might also find varieties with Parmesan cheese, cashews, spinach, or other additions that make subtle differences in the flavor and texture. Because of the pesto's richness, you can elevate ranch dressing with a spoonful. 

A little goes a long way in transforming and livening the taste, which is the perfect way to finish off the last of your pesto when you don't have enough to make something pesto-heavy like pesto pasta. The peppery basil in fresh pesto can give ranch an herbal upgrade, but you can also get a similar effect from store-bought pesto. Try blending it in a food processor or immersion blender for a smoother version. This nutty and herbal inclusion can quickly turn the average bottle of ranch dressing into a stellar sauce to spoon onto pizza, pasta salad, or grilled veggies.

Mix ranch with tomato paste to give your dressing a pump of flavor that works with many dishes. Try it as a dip for veggies or to dunk mozzarella sticks in the tomato paste dressing rather than your average marinara or ranch. It's like a two-in-one condiment Or drizzle it over a strawberry chicken salad or a classic Cobb salad. Tomato sauce and tomato paste, while similar, aren't always interchangeable. So, for this tip, stick with tomato paste.

This combo has the creamy factor from the ranch but the added umami flavor you find in tomato paste for a savory and delicious pairing. You don't need much of the paste to get the desired flavor profile. Portion out the store-bought ranch and add a small spoonful of the paste, stir, and taste. Add more if you want a heavier tomato presence. Since the tomato paste has a vibrant red hue, the color will be noticeable in the ranch. It doesn't hurt that tomato paste has vitamin C, protein, fiber, magnesium, and other nutrients.

While there are herbed ranches available on the market, you can create your custom version with a standard ranch from your fridge. "The vibrant, fresh flavor of these herbs wonderfully cuts through the richness of the dressing," says Adonis Ouano Icalina. Luckily, there are plenty of greens you can use for this tip. Icalina likes to add a fresh pop to ranch dressing by mixing in freshly chopped parsley or chives. "We chop about a tablespoon of fresh herbs and mix them into the dressing just before serving," he explains.

Herbs can bring life to store-bought ranch dressing in more than just taste. "Herbs enhance the flavor profile of your store-bought ranch dressing with their vibrant, fresh notes, making your dressing more aromatic and appealing to the eye," Kevin Ashton says. "Opt for finely chopped chives, parsley, dill, or cilantro." This herby addition is one of the quickest and tastiest ways to add flavor to store-bought ranch dressing.

Certain store-bought ranches can contain a truffle component, so you can use that as inspiration to make your own. Add truffle oil or powder to your basic ranch to give it an earthy and musky lift. Truffle oil might thin out the ranch and give it a slight oiliness, depending on how much you add, which is a great way to mitigate a thick store-bought dressing. For both the oil and powder, start small so it doesn't completely clobber the flavor of the ranch. We want it to complement it, not overpower it.

A truffle ranch is a luxurious addition to a grazing platter for a party where ranch alone doesn't fit the bill. It makes a delightful addition to burgers, sandwiches, pizza, or to dunk chicken wings into. But it also takes something as simple as celery sticks into a new flavor territory. People may have strong feelings about truffles because of the potent scent, so this tip might not be to everyone's taste. But if you like ranch dressing and truffles, you can drizzle or dip this in just about any savory dish. 

Spicy and creamy make a delightful pairing as far as condiments go. Richard Blais' sri-rancha is a great place to start if you need inspiration on how to approach it. The recipe calls for store-bought ranch, sriracha, and lemon juice. It yields 2 cups, making it perfect if you're prepping a larger amount of food for a party. Of course, sri-rancha is a spicy condiment, so while it might not suit everyone's taste, it makes a punchy addition to salads and sandwiches.

Kevin Ashton says integrating something spicy is one of his favorite ways to amp up the flavor of store-bought ranch dressing. "Add some Mexican-style hot sauce, sriracha, or a spoonful of Moroccan harissa paste," he suggests. "This is the easiest thing to do because no prep work is involved, and most of us have something spicy in our condiment collection." You could even use salsa to give your ranch dressing a spicy twist. Just note that most of these spicy flavorings will change the color of the dressing to a pinkish tint. We love dipping chicken wings in spicy ranch, but you could also spoon it onto tacos, onion rings, hamburgers, and more.

You might have seen bacon ranches available at the store, and you can efficiently recreate them with your standard bottled dressing. Fry or bake your bacon until crispy, and then chop or break it into small pieces to stir into the ranch. But if you're pressed for time, use bacon bits for a quick fix. Doing so still provides the flavor profile and crispness of freshly cooked bacon. This creates a salty, smoky combination that works beautifully in sandwiches and burgers in which you might already include bacon and ranch. 

Slather it onto a chicken bacon ranch wrap for a speedy meal that's a scrumptious alternative to your standard BLT. But it's equally as delicious on a salad of any kind, whether it's a wedge, pasta, or potato salad. Bacon offers a crispy element as a contrast to the creaminess of the dressing, so it's essential to allow the meat to reach its full crunch potential (even if you prefer soft bacon). This makes a satisfying condiment that can upgrade whatever you put it on.

Consider providing a briny punch as one of the ways to add flavor to store-bought ranch dressing. Pickles can add some much-needed tanginess to ranch by offering layers of tart flavor thanks to the vinegar, salt, herbs, and spices it sits in. Dice the pickles and mix them into the ranch for a slight crunch. You can opt for different flavors and sizes, whether you choose whole, spears, chips, herby dill pickles, hot pickles for heat, or bread and butter ones for a tinge of sweetness. They all bring something to the table.

"In my restaurant, we add a tangy kick to our ranch dressing by mixing in some freshly chopped dill pickles that have been soaked in a spicy Korean chili flake brine, giving it a bold umami flavor," says Adonis Ouano Icalina. To make it, he recommends adding the pickles into a food processor until they turn into a paste-like consistency. Then, incorporate them into the ranch, taste as you go, and adjust as needed. "The acidity and subtle sweetness of the pickles balance out the richness of the dressing perfectly, and the spicy kick adds a nice surprise."

You might not have considered including citrus in your ranch dressing, but it pairs perfectly with the piquant notes in the buttermilk. Since the creaminess of the dressing might feel heavy, something like Meyer lemon can be an effective way to give it a pick-me-up. "Adding a teaspoon of lime zest or lemon along with a squeeze of juice can lighten up your dressing and make it more vibrant," says Kevin Ashton. He suggests trying this citrusy ranch with seafood or summer salads. 

Consider trying this with orange, too. Different types of orange can provide subtle tasting notes, like Seville orange for sourness or blood orange for a sweet-and-sour combination. You don't want a clump of zest in one bite, so stir the juice and zest until they're evenly dispersed throughout the dressing. The zest, while colorful, won't be too noticeable as far as changing the look of the ranch, but it will give it an aromatic enhancement. You could also add a hint of salt, pepper, and fresh herbs to complete this refreshed alternative for chicken wings or as a dip for veggies.

Here's what you need to know about miso: It's a salty, umami, fermented paste usually made from soybeans and grains. It's the savory ingredient store-bought ranch needs. This inclusion works because salt brings out the flavor of the ranch and offers a creamy consistency once it's incorporated. But since this paste is concentrated, don't use it excessively, or you'll risk oversalting the dressing. 

Gather your ranch and umami, mixing a small amount of miso until you get your desired taste. Make sure to thoroughly whisk it in because the miso can be sticky and might stay as a clump. This provides a complex ranch dressing with a flavorful boost you can utilize in many foods, particularly where it lacks salt. The miso ranch makes a delicious addition, for example, when mixed into a salad, slathered on a burger, spread onto a sandwich, or used as a marinade for meat. This combination can quickly jazz up a lackluster store-bought dressing into something rich with flavor.