Jalapeno Ranch Dressing

If you love a thick and flavourful salad dressing or dip with a spicy kick, this Jalapeno Ranch Dressing is just the thing you need! Not only is this dressing easy to make, it’s delicious, and makes good use of ingredients you already have in your fridge and in your spice rack and too!

In this house, we love mayonnaise. In fact, we only ever buy Hellmann’s mayonnaise, and if you were to look in our pantry at any given time, you would find at least two jars. Plus, there’s always an open jar in the fridge. Another thing you would find quite often is sour cream. So, I combined those two things, along with a few other ingredients, to make this Jalapeno Ranch Dressing!

Most of the other ingredients I’m referring to are spices. Anyone who knows me will confirm that I am obsessed with spice racks and spice jars. John.e can attest to the fact that over the past ten years, I have updated and completely changed our spice storage system at least half a dozen times.

Initially, I had to have all of our spices in mason jars. That lasted for a year or so. Then, I found some really great glass jars with a pull-off lid. The seal was great, but again, they were quite big. Next, I used smaller bottles, and then spice bottles that I picked up from Ikea. I could go on, but I digress.

My obsession has taught me a few things about buying spices. First, keep your spices in a cabinet or at least out of direct sunlight. Secondly, buy spices in small amounts. You should never have more than three to six months’ supply. Spices lose their pungency and flavour. The only seasonings I buy in larger quantities are salt and pepper.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO PREPARE THIS RECIPE

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post. 

• Mayonnaise – You can use regular, light, or fat-free here.
• Sour Cream – Just like the mayo, you can use any sour cream you like.
• Jalapenos – I’m using fresh jalapenos, but you can use your homemade canned jalapenos or store-bought pickled jalapenos too. The flavour will be altered if you do not use fresh, so keep that in mind.
• Hot Sauce – This is completely optional. I added a few drops because I don’t think jalapenos are hot enough on their own, but also, hot sauce adds a smoky flavour to the dressing, depending on the type of hot sauce you use.
• Lime Juice – Use fresh lime juice only!
• Dried Herbs and Spices – You will need dried chives, dried dill, onion powder, dried parsley, garlic powder, and ground black pepper.
• Sugar – I know this might be a big odd, but the little bit of sugar used here really balances out the flavour.

HOW TO MAKE JALAPENO RANCH DRESSING

Measure all of the ingredients into a deep mason jar (if using a hand-held immersion blender) or into the bowl of a blender/food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are blended and combined. Transfer to a food-safe container and refrigerate for a minimum of two hours before using.

Please note that this dressing tastes best if refrigerated for at least 2 hours before use. This time will allow the ingredients a moment to marry together and become more cohesive. If you notice after a day or two that there is some water/moisture on top of the dressing, don’t worry! It just means that moisture content from the jalapenos is rising to the top. Give it a good stir and it will all come back together as a uniform dressing.

JALAPENO RANCH DRESSING SERVING SUGGESTIONS

• As a Dip for Chicken – I love to use this dressing as a dip for chicken fingers or chicken nuggets.
• Make a Sandwich – In our home, we love the combination of tuna salad with jalapenos. Use the dressing as the spread for any sandwich you like! Egg Salad Sandwiches are so good with jalapeno mayo too!
• Toss a Salad – If you like creamy salad dressings, this one will do the trick.
• Drizzle on Veggies – Try drizzling some of this mayo over a baking sheet full of piping hot roasted vegetables! What a great way to add even more flavour to an already delicious side!

STORING AND REFRIGERATION

This dressing is certainly best after it has had time to sit in the fridge for at least two hours before using. If you have any leftovers, just pop it back into the fridge. This dressing will keep for about five days. But, it’s really delicious, so you might not have it that long anyway! If you do store the dressing, be sure to stir well before serving, because the liquids and solids may have separated.

QUESTIONS?

If I have not answered all of your questions in the text above, don’t hesitate to reach out to me! You can contact me by sending me a message in the comments section further down the page. I will try my best to answer as soon as possible! You might reach me even faster by following me on Facebook and sending me a private message. Scroll down below the recipe card to find my Follow Me on Social Media box and never miss another recipe!