Pickled Habanero Ranch Dressing

The ranch my soul was made for 🥵 🌶️ —This Pickled Habanero Ranch Dressing is a spice lovers obsession and made with just 3 simple ingredients.

The best part of any salad is the dressing and my husband, Alex makes the perfect ranch seasoning.

My classic go-to for years was a blend of dried dill, chives, garlic salt, onion powder, parsley, and black pepper. It was as close as I could get to mimicking the ranch packets you stir into mayo and milk. Tangy, salty, and packed with herbaceous flavor, it made any salad a good salad.

But then, Alex started making dinner most nights. One night while having some BBQ tofu, the ranch was exceptionally delicious. I asked what he did differently and he said he used Italian seasoning. In the ranch. I had flashbacks to a time I was sick and asked for chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and he decided to put pumpkin pie spice on top. Just like pumpkin pie spice doesn’t belong in chocolate chip pancakes, nor does Italian seasoning belong in ranch.

Or so I thought.

The Italian seasoning gives the ranch just a bit more depth. We’ve been keeping a jar full in the refrigerator for those easy weekday salads and it’s quickly becoming a staple.

If you like spicy as much as I do, you’re going to freak over this Pickled Habanero Ranch. I adore the jarred pickled habaneros from La Costeña.

The habanero, onion, and carrot blend beautifully into some dairy-free yogurt. I typically use yogurt instead of mayo and the organic cashew yogurt from Trader Joe’s, the cashew yogurt from Forager, or the almond milk yogurt from Kite Hill are my top choices. If you can find all three, opt for the TJ’s one. It has the best texture for dressing or dip in my opinion.

If you want less spicy, just use less habanero. You can also make this ranch totally without the habanero, just add in a squeeze of lemon for some acidity if you go that route.

Ingredient Substitutions

You can substitute mayo or sour cream for the yogurt or a mixture of mayo + yogurt or sour cream. I like straight yogurt the best as it’s not as heavy and lends itself well to various uses. If you skip the pickled habanero, you’ll need to add bit of acid to the recipe. Depending on your desired flavor profile, citrus or vinegar will work well.

Variations

Don’t like spice? Skip the habanero. Or for just a little less spice, opt for serrano or jalapeño. You could also swirl in a dollop of chipotle puree for a chipotle ranch situation.

vegan, dairy-free

salad dressings, basics

Yield: 2 cups

Author: Lauren Lester

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Pickled Habanero Ranch Dressing

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dairy-free yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 (7.4-ounce) jar pickled habaneros

Instructions

1. Combine all of the dressing ingredients in a small blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

122.32

Fat

5.99 g

Sat. Fat

3.42 g

Carbs

11.36 g

Fiber

0.81 g

Net carbs

10.57 g

Sugar

8.91 g

Protein

6.54 g

Sodium

653.03 mg

Cholesterol

21.96 mg

Nutritional values are estimates only

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