Sarra Ina Garten’s buttermilk salad dressing is a homemade ranch made with Greek yogurt, buttermilk, mayonnaise, fresh basil, scallions, garlic, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice, all pureed smooth in a food processor. It makes 3 full cups, takes about 10 minutes of active time, and needs an hour in the fridge before serving.
This recipe appears in How Easy Is That? as the Buttermilk Ranch Dressing with Bibb Lettuce. Ina says she much prefers making ranch from scratch because packaged versions can’t compete: “it’s easy and has so much flavor from Greek yogurt, buttermilk, scallions, and fresh basil.” She serves it over halved Bibb lettuce with thick tomato slices and red onion, but also uses it for coleslaw and as a dip for crudités. “In the summer, I make large batches of this dressing and keep it in the fridge for a quick salad.”
The food processor puree of the herbs and aromatics is the step that separates this from a stirred-together ranch. Processing the scallions, basil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and olive oil into a smooth paste first means those flavors are broken down and evenly distributed before the creamy base goes in. Stir everything together by hand and you get chunks of raw garlic and basil floating in mayo, which tastes sharp and uneven instead of smooth and balanced.
Ina Garten Buttermilk Salad Dressing Recipe
Course: SaucesCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy2
servings10
minutes80
kcalIna’s homemade ranch from How Easy Is That?, built on a Greek yogurt and buttermilk base with fresh basil pureed right in. Three cups is enough for a week of salads, coleslaw, or crudité dipping. Keep a batch in the fridge all summer and a good salad is always 2 minutes away.
Ingredients
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For the Dressing:
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3 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
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1/2 cup (30g) chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
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2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
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1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
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1 tablespoon good olive oil
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2 garlic cloves, chopped
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2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
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1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1 cup (240ml) good mayonnaise
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1/2 cup (120g) Greek yogurt (such as Fage Total)
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1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk, shaken
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For Serving (optional):
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3 small heads Bibb lettuce, cut in half through the core
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2 large ripe tomatoes, thickly sliced
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1 red onion, sliced
Directions
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Puree the aromatics: Place the scallions, basil, lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree for 15 to 20 seconds until you have a smooth green paste.
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Blend in the creamy base: Add the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and buttermilk to the food processor. Blend until completely smooth and combined.
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Chill the dressing: Transfer to a container, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour so the flavors develop and meld together.
- Serve: Arrange Bibb lettuce halves, thick tomato slices, and red onion on salad plates. Drizzle generously with the dressing, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.
FAQs
Why does Ina use both Greek yogurt and mayonnaise?
Each one does a different job. The mayonnaise gives the dressing its rich, creamy body and makes it cling to lettuce leaves instead of sliding off. The Greek yogurt adds tang and cuts through that richness so the dressing tastes bright, not heavy.
Using all mayo would make it too thick and flat. Using all yogurt would make it too thin and sour. Ina’s ratio of 1 cup mayo to 1/2 cup yogurt hits the balance where the dressing is rich enough to coat Bibb lettuce but tangy enough to keep you reaching for more.
How long does homemade buttermilk dressing last?
It keeps in the fridge for up to a week in a sealed container, which is why Ina says she makes large batches in the summer. The flavor actually improves after the first day as the basil, garlic, and scallion flavors settle deeper into the creamy base.
After about 5 days the basil starts to lose its brightness and the garlic can get sharper. If the dressing thickens too much in the fridge, stir in a splash of buttermilk to loosen it back up. Don’t freeze it because the mayo and yogurt separate when thawed.
What else can you use this dressing for besides salad?
Ina mentions two other uses in the headnote: mixed with sliced cabbage for coleslaw, and as a dip for crudités. Both work perfectly because the dressing is thick enough to cling to shredded cabbage and sturdy enough to hold up on a veggie platter.
It also works as a spread on sandwiches, a drizzle over grilled chicken, or a dipping sauce for fried chicken tenders. The basil and lemon give it enough flavor to stand up to rich proteins without needing anything else. Thin it with a little extra buttermilk and it works as a drizzle for grain bowls too.
Why puree the herbs before adding the creamy ingredients?
Processing the scallions, basil, garlic, lemon juice, and mustard into a smooth paste first breaks down the cell walls and releases all the oils and flavor compounds. When the mayo, yogurt, and buttermilk go in next, that concentrated herb paste distributes evenly through the whole batch.
If you just dumped everything in at once, the food processor would blend the creamy ingredients to a uniform texture while leaving the herbs only partially broken down. You’d get visible chunks of scallion and basil in some bites and none in others, plus raw garlic bits that taste sharp and burn the back of your throat.
How is this different from Ina’s Green Goddess Dressing?
Her Basil Green Goddess Dressing from Barefoot Contessa at Home is a thinner, more herb-forward dressing made with mayonnaise, sour cream, anchovy paste, tarragon vinegar, and a big handful of basil. The anchovy gives it a savory depth that ranch doesn’t have.
This buttermilk ranch from How Easy Is That? is creamier and milder, with Greek yogurt and buttermilk as the base instead of sour cream. There’s no anchovy, so the flavor leans toward fresh and tangy rather than savory and complex. The ranch is more versatile for everyday salads and dipping, while the Green Goddess is better as a statement dressing for a dinner party.
