The Cowboy History of America’s Favorite Dressing—and How to Make It Yourself

According to the Association for Dressing and Sauces, ranch commands an estimated 40 percent of the market share. (Elena Elisseeva/Shutterstock)

Found at almost any classic American diner and commanding nearly a whole shelf at the supermarket with all its variations, ranch dressing permeates virtually every aspect of American cooking in one way or another.

Easily America’s favorite salad dressing, ranch commands an estimated 40 percent of the market share, according to the Association for Dressing and Sauces. Other favorites, such as Italian and Caesar, lag by a significant margin. It’s also the second most popular condiment, next to mayonnaise. The demand for ranch dressing is worth more than $100 million annually.

Beyond salad, it’s the go-to dip for cut-up vegetables and crispy fried foods from chicken wings to mozzarella sticks to pickles. Home cooks have worked it into many beloved American classics, whether it be mac and cheese, potato salad, sandwiches, or pizza. Even sweets can’t escape: In specialty markets, you might stumble upon ranch dressing ice cream or a stomach-churning ranch-flavored soda.

While ranch dressing is an industry itself these days, it’s truly a product of American ingenuity with roots that stretch back not to food industry board rooms, market watch groups, or even skilled chefs but to working men and the early years of post-World War II Alaska.

The Real Hidden Valley Ranch

Steve Henson was a Nebraska-born cowboy who, like so many of his generation, headed west to seek his fortune. Based in Anchorage, Alaska, he found work as a plumbing contractor, although many of his jobs were outside the city. In addition to working as a plumber, he doubled as a cook, feeding construction crews on job sites deep in the Alaskan bush. Naturally, he needed reliable, delicious recipes that workers enjoyed.

Around 1949, he developed a recipe that would become ranch dressing. It contained a curious concoction of mayonnaise, herbs, and spices. A generous amount of buttermilk thinned the herbed mayonnaise to a pourable consistency, making it a perfect dressing.

By the mid-1950s, Henson had made enough money to retire, and he and his wife set their eyes on California. True to his cowboy roots, they bought 120 acres in the Santa Barbara hills, which they dubbed Hidden Valley Ranch. The dude ranch, which offered overnight stays and catered parties, struggled, but one thing remained constant: Guests loved the house dressing.

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To make ends meet, the Hensons prepared packages of dry salad dressing mix and sold them locally and by mail. The blend contained dried herbs, spices, onion, garlic, salt, and monosodium glutamate (MSG), which enhanced the dressing’s flavor, providing a savory, umami-rich punch.

Soon, the packets of dressing proved more profitable than the ranch itself. Over the next few decades, demand skyrocketed, and Henson was able to sell the company to Clorox in the early 1970s for a whopping $8 million, or about $60 million today. With Clorox’s immense resources, Hidden Valley Ranch expanded and quickly became America’s most beloved condiment.

Make It Yourself

While you can find ranch dressing and its many variations in every grocery store in America (and most restaurants), it’s fun to make your own, too. Making your own allows you to adjust the recipe to suit your tastes. Favor more dill? Add some. Need to bring in a little heat? Try stirring in a little hot sauce. Want to skip the MSG or junky vegetable oils? You can when you make it yourself.

With its creamy character and punch of acidity, cultured dairy is the heart of the recipe. Buttermilk is the original choice, but plain yogurt and kefir also work well. Mayonnaise is central to the recipe, too. As an emulsification of eggs and oil, it gives the dressing body and helps all ingredients come together uniformly.

Herbs and spices come next. While dairy and mayonnaise are the foundation for the dressing, herbs and spices bring vibrant flavor. While chefs generally favor fresh herbs in their cooking, aim for dry when you make it yourself. Their flavor is more concentrated, and the dressing will last longer.

Garlic and onion powders are must-haves, while a good mix of parsley and dill is nice. Tarragon and chervil are delicious additions for unorthodox versions. Black pepper is essential, and some cooks favor adding mustard too. A splash of Worcestershire sauce is a good stand-in for MSG.

Whether you make it yourself or buy it by the packet or bottle, ranch dressing is a classic. Use it to dress your salads and dip your chicken wings—but maybe skip the soda.

Creamy and tart with plenty of herbs, this take on classic ranch dressing gets a boost of probiotic goodness, thanks to the inclusion of milk kefir. (Jennifer McGruther)

Kefir Ranch Dressing

Creamy and tart with plenty of herbs, this take on classic ranch dressing gets a boost of probiotic goodness, thanks to the inclusion of milk kefir. Milk kefir is a cultured dairy product with roots in the Caucasus Mountains at the intersection of Europe and Asia. It’s heralded for its health benefits and is traditionally considered an elixir of long life. While this recipe makes no promises of ripe old age, it does taste delicious.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

• 1 cup milk kefir
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 teaspoons dried chives
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Spoon the mayonnaise into a mixing bowl, and then whisk in the kefir, olive oil, vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce until uniformly combined.

Next, whisk in the onion and garlic powders, salt, chives, parsley, dill, and black pepper.

Taste it, and adjust seasoning as necessary to suit your preferences.