Does Ranch Have Dairy?

Find out if ranch dressing has dairy, what the main ingredients are, and if your favorite brands are dairy-free.

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If you love ranch dressing, you may be wondering if this condiment is dairy-free. I’ve had so many people ask me “does ranch have dairy?” So we’re going to dive into that specific topic here in this blog post.

Ranch is a super popular condiment and dressing that many people use on some of their favorite foods. In fact, I remember growing up, some kids wouldn’t eat a single bite of a vegetable without dipping it in ranch first.

Which isn’t all that surprising, I suppose. Ranch is GOOD! The tangy, creamy flavors with loads of herbs and seasonings lend itself to some delicious dipping for chicken wings, veggies, or even crackers.

Some people are obsessed with ranch and put in on just about anything and everything they can think of!

Those of us who avoid dairy often have to look at every ingredient we put into our bodies to make sure that we don’t get sick after eating something. Ranch is no exception.

In this post, we’re going to talk all about ranch dressing and get you the information you need about how it fits into a dairy-free diet. We’ll talk about what ranch dressing is, what it’s made of, and if ranch has dairy.

We’ll also answer questions about popular ranch brands and if these contain dairy products. We’ll wrap this post up with some dairy-free ranch dressing brands you can shop for plus a recipe for a dairy-free ranch you can make at home. Let’s get started!

What is ranch dressing?

Ranch dressing is a salad dressing popular in the U.S., that’s a buttermilk-based dressing with herbs and seasonings to give it a unique flavor.

It has a tangy taste and creamy texture, with a richness from the eggs, buttermilk, and oil in the dressing.

It’s often used on salads or as a dip for vegetables or crackers, but many folks use it as a marinade for meat and on wraps and sandwiches.

Read on: Gluten-free salad dressing: types & brands

What is ranch made of?

Ranch dressing is usually made with buttermilk, garlic, onion, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, and spices. You can also find ranch dressings made with a base of yogurt, mayonnaise, or sour cream.

What is dairy?

Dairy is a term used to describe any food that comes from animal milk, such as cream, cheese, yogurt, and butter.

Though dairy is the term for ANY animal milk products, most folks reference dairy in relation to cow’s milk products. Sheep’s milk or sheep’s milk cheese is a dairy product, but we don’t often think of that when discussing dairy in the U.S.

Unfortunately, most ranch dressing contains buttermilk which is fermented milk. It has a tangy flavor that lends itself to most ranch dressings you’ll find on grocery store shelves or in homemade recipes.

Since buttermilk comes from a milk product from cow’s, we can say with certainty that yes, ranch has dairy.

That said, there are some ranch dressings and dips that are dairy-free, but these are made specifically to be for people on a dairy-free diet or folks who are avoiding animal products.

These dairy-free ranch dressing options exist, but are less common and usually more expensive than a traditional ranch dressing product.

Is ranch dressing dairy-free?

Most ranch dressing is not dairy-free as most recipes use buttermilk, which is a dairy ingredient. There are some brands of dairy-free ranch that are available, which I’ll share farther down in the post.

If you follow a dairy-free diet, you’ll want to avoid all traditional ranch products, and instead opt for those that are labeled as “dairy-free” or “vegan” (which indicates no animal products are in that dressing).

Any product that has a “contains milk” label should be avoided on a dairy-free diet.You can usually find this near the ingredients list on the ranch dressing package.

You can also make your own dairy-free ranch dressing at home. My recipe is also gluten-free and egg-free, vegan-friendly and uses vegan mayo, coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, and herbs and seasonings from the pantry.

One of my little secrets is that I carry around a copy of my GFDF Take Along Cards so that I always have a point of reference when I can sneak a peek at the ingredient list of a food.

>> Get your copy of the GFDF Take-Along Cards to make this easy on you.

Does ranch have cow’s milk in it?

Yes, most ranch dressing uses buttermilk, which is fermented cow’s milk.

Do my favorite brands of ranch dressing have dairy?

There are so many brands of ranch dressing available, but I think it’s worthwhile to answer questions about popular brands and products to help get you the information you might be looking for. Find out if your favorite brand of ranch dressing is safe for a dairy-free diet.

Does Bolthouse Farms ranch have dairy?

According to the Bolthouse Farms website, this brand of ranch dressing contains buttermilk, yogurt, and whey protein concentrate. All of these are dairy ingredients, so this product should be avoided on a dairy-free diet.

Does Great Value ranch dressing have dairy?

Great Value ranch dressing lists buttermilk as one of the ingredients in the ingredient list of their classic ranch dressing and dip product. This product contains dairy and is not a good option for a dairy-free diet.

Does Hidden Valley ranch have dairy?

Most varieties of Hidden Valley ranch dressing, including their dressings, dips, and flavors contain buttermilk, which is a dairy product.

This brand does offer a “plant powered” dairy-free ranch dressing, which is good news for folks on a dairy-free diet.

Read on: Is Hidden Valley Ranch gluten-free?

Does Ken’s Steak House ranch dressing have dairy?

Ken’s Steak House ranch very clearly shows that milk is an allergen on their products. This brand of ranch has buttermilk solids, whey, buttermilk, milk, and sour cream powder, which are all ingredients you’ll want to avoid on a dairy-free diet.

Does Kraft ranch dressing have dairy?

Kraft ranch dressing contains buttermilk, a dairy ingredient that you’ll want to avoid on a gluten-free diet.

Does Litehouse ranch have dairy?

Litehouse ranch has non fat buttermilk in their dressing. It haslo has a “contains milk” label on the packaging to help you make sure to avoid it if you’re following a dairy-free diet.

Does Marie’s ranch have dairy?

Marie’s ranch has cultured nonfat buttermilk, which is a dairy product. Avoid this brand if you’re trying to keep dairy out of your diet.

Does Primal Kitchen ranch have dairy?

Primal Kitchen brand uses the following ingredients in their ranch:

“Avocado Oil, Water, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Egg Yolks, Sea Salt, Organic Distilled Vinegar, Organic Gum Acacia, Organic Guar Gum, Cream of Tartar, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Garlic Powder, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate*, Nutritional Yeast, Organic Parsley, Organic Chives, Organic Dill, Organic Black Pepper, Organic Rosemary Extract.”

This ranch dressing contains eggs, but is dairy-free! Feel free to enjoy this brand of ranch on your dairy-free diet.

Read on: Is cream of tartar gluten-free?

Does Wish-Bone ranch have dairy?

Wish-Bone ranch contains buttermilk in their dressing, making this not a good option for folks trying to stick with a dairy-free diet.

Does ranch have eggs?

Most ranch does contain eggs. You may find some brands that are egg-free, but for the most part eggs are a common ingredient in most store-bought ranch. If you don’t see the term “eggs” in your ranch dressing, you can also look for “mayonnaise” which does contain eggs.

Eggs are not a dairy product and do not need to be avoided if you are following a dairy-free diet.

Read on: Are eggs dairy?

Dairy-free Ranch Dressing Brands

There are a few dairy-free ranch options and I’ve even rounded up my 5 favorite dairy-free ranch dressing brands in detail in a blog post already.

But If you’re looking for a few more ideas, here are some options for you to look for next time you’re shopping for ranch – and still want to stick with staying course on your dairy-free diet.

Daiya
Field and Farmer
Follow Your Heart
Foods Alive
Hidden Valley Dairy-free
Kite Hill
La Tourangelle
Let Thy Food
Mill It
Organicville
Plant Perfect
Primal Kitchen
Sir Kensington’s
Tessemae’s
Trader Joe’s
Wayfare
365 Whole Foods

Find out what other gluten and dairy-free condiments I use to stock my kitchen by clicking the image below.

If you follow a dairy-free diet and have been wondering if ranch dressing or ranch dips can fit into your diet, I hope this information has been useful to you.

Most ranch contains dairy ingredients, but some brands offer options that use other ingredients to make up for the creaminess that the dairy usually provides.

Find a dairy-free brand or make your own dairy-free ranch at home using just a few staples from your fridge and pantry!

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