When someone mentions the word “ranch” my mind instantly thinks of Hidden Valley Ranch. The flavor of Hidden Valley Ranch is heaven on a carrot stick. I mean, how else would we eat our vegetables? Hidden Valley was the only kind I would buy for years because nothing else tasted the same.
So I wanted to create the mix for myself to save money (those packets are expensive…) and to eat more healthy. Hidden Valley ranch has lots of processed ingredients including MSG and I wanted a more natural recipe. After toiling for many days and force feeding experiment ranch to my husband, I was finally able to re-create the homemade Hidden Valley Ranch mix and am sharing that recipe with you today.
That’s right I said it, the Hidden Valley is Hidden no more. Go ahead. I will wait while you do your happy dance.
I had to solve the problem of the MSG. From looking at the ingredients I noticed there was MSG in the dressing – which is a huge flavor additive. One thing I knew for certain…I did NOT want to have MSG or other nasty chemical or processed items in this recipe. I’m trying to use real foods and make more things from scratch. I tried using spices and buttermilk powder but it never came out quite right. It also seemed every time I tried just adding more salt or spices, it just wasn’t the same. The depth of flavor wasn’t there.
I even called up my sister as a last resort (who is known for her copycat recipe abilities) and she said she gave up on making a copycat homemade hidden valley ranch mix a long time ago. So with great despair I almost gave up. I googled for replacements for MSG and it said there was nothing that works. Some folks mentioned random things like tomatoes, sugar, fish oil, and Mrs. Dash. Mushrooms were also mentioned in passing as something that can add a lot of depth of flavor, so I thought I would try the recipe one more time with dried mushrooms.
Hallelujah. It turned out those dried mushrooms were the secret ingredient that made this work!! And I don’t even like mushrooms. But in this recipe it is delicious and the flavor I needed.
When I perfected the recipe I compared them side by side; the homemade hidden valley ranch mix and the original mixed with sour cream. The flavors were almost exactly the same. I will say that both are pretty salty, so if you want less salt feel free not to add as much. But to get the real exact flavor you need lots of salt.
And now without further ado..here is the recipe for homemade Hidden Valley Ranch mix. May you have much joy, eat more real foods and possibly save money too while making this!
Homemade Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley for blending, 1 teaspoon reserved
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed for blending, 1/2 teaspoon reserved (I used Litehouse freeze dried dill)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried onion flakes (or dried chopped onion)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 tablespoons pieces organic portabella dried mushrooms
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Directions:
Add all the dry ingredients except the reserved teaspoon of dried parsley and the 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill to your blender. Blend until a nice powder.
Hand mix in the reserved parsley and dill – you want to see some herbs in your mix.
Store dry mix in an air-tight container or jar in your pantry for 2-3 months or in the freezer for 6 months or longer.
To make Hidden Valley Ranch Dip:
Mix 2 tablespoons of dry mix with 1/2 – 1 cup of Sour Cream. Chill for 2 hours and serve as a dip. If for some reason your sour cream isn’t very thick, and you want your dip to really set up thickly add in 1/2 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin.
To make Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing for salads n such.
Mix together
3 Tablespoons Dry Ranch Dip mix
1 cup of mayonnaise
2/3 cup buttermilk
Mix together and let sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours (gotta let those flavors deepen). Just to let you know I tried this recipe with regular milk instead of the buttermilk first and it was NOT great tasting. But using the buttermilk it tasted just like the real deal. So keep that in mind…real buttermilk is the key to the dressing.
Other ideas to use your dry ranch mix
After spreading butter on a 1/2 of a loaf of french bread, sprinkle some dry ranch powder on and bake it for a delicious ranch-y style of garlic bread.
Sprinkle some of this mix over your roasting potatoes as a seasoning.
Use 2 tablespoons of dry mix in any recipe asking for dry ranch mix.
DIY Copycat Homemade Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
Mix up your own ranch dressing mix from scratch, with no MSG.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
- 1 tbl dried parsley for blending 1 teaspoon reserved
- 1/2 tsp dried dill weed for blending 1/2 teaspoon reserved (I used Litehouse freeze dried dill)
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried onion flakes or dried chopped onion
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbl peices organic portabella dried mushrooms
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Add all the dry ingredients except the reserved teaspoon of dried parsley and the 1/2 teaspoon of dried dill to your blender. Blend until a nice powder.
- Hand mix in the reserved parsley and dill - you want to see some herbs in your mix.
- Store dry mix in an air-tight container or jar in your pantry for 2-3 months or in the freezer for 6 months or longer.
Recipe Notes
To make Hidden Valley Ranch Dip:
Mix 2 tablespoons of dry mix with 1/2 - 1 cup of Sour Cream. Chill for 2 hours and serve as a dip. If for some reason your sour cream isn't very thick, and you want your dip to really set up thickly add in 1/2 teaspoon of unflavored gelatin.
To make Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing for salads and such:
Mix together
3 Tablespoons Dry Ranch Dip mix
1 cup of mayonaise
2/3 cup buttermilk
Mix together and let sit in the fridge for 1-2 hours (gotta let those flavors deepen). Just to let you know I tried this recipe with regular milk instead of the buttermilk first and it was NOT great tasting. But using the buttermilk it tasted just like the real deal. So keep that in mind...real buttermilk is the key to the dressing.
Other ideas to use your dry ranch mix
After spreading butter on a 1/2 of a loaf of french bread, sprinkle some dry ranch powder on and bake it for a delicious ranch-y style of garlic bread.
Sprinkle some of this mix over your roasting potatoes as a seasoning.
Use 2 tablespoons of dry mix in any recipe asking for dry ranch mix.
Please come back after you try this and let me know what you think.
This is great! We actually use the packets to marinate steak in, so this will save me lots of $$$ as they are spendy!! One packet for 4 steaks, plus about 2 TBS of Hidden Valley Ranch from the bottle to marinate it all in and it tastes so delicious!
I’m curious to know if you did a side by side cost comparison after figuring out the copy. I too have tried to copy it (failed!) because the packets are expensive. But I’m thinking those organic mushrooms have got to be spendy too right? I would be interested to know if the homemade is cheaper, or how much cheaper…
Hmmm..I didn’t Lisa, and thought that I should. The mushroom package was $3.59 at my local Yokes store, so not too awfully expensive. I will try to do a price comparison this week. 🙂
If it costs more, I think it’d be worth it! MSG triggers migraines for me. Paying a little extra so I can still enjoy my favorite dip and not get a migraine? Worth it! I’ll definitely have to try this soon 🙂
I agree! My hubby has an MSG allergy that triggers almost immediate vomiting. I don’t care how much it costs to give him one of his fave foods back!
There is no such things as an MSG “allergy.” MSG is an amino acid and neurotransmitter that your body is full of. The hysteria over MSG is ridiculous. If you were allergic to it, you would literally be dead. If it is a “processed chemical” then how do you survive wihout it in your body?
the mushrooms are actually a natural source of MSG. If it makes you feel better to use a natural source, go for it. But you’re still getting the same compound. Perhaps the amount is what triggers your sensitivity. Glutamates give us “umami,” that wonderful savory flavor.
Amen to that, Karrie. Even if you don’t get negative reactions from MSG, it’s worth nixing from the diet. That stuff is about as bad for health as artificial sweeteners.
I’m gonna give this recipe a try too. I had given up on DIY ranch dressing a long time ago, but now I have hope. Jamie, has your sister tried it?
I dried baby portabella mushroom slices ( it took 3 days) on a plate then used them in this recipe. Baby portabella mushrooms are the same price as regular white mushrooms at our local grocery store so they are economical since you need so little of them. The buttermilk powder was the most costly. I also used home grown and dried herbs and onions and garlic. The finished ranch powder was delicious, it was a little salty for me but my family didn’t think so. I use it in egg salad and devilled eggs.
I coould not find dried portobellos so I used dried porcinis. They were $4.99 for a 1 oz pkg. I priced all the ingredients out…figured out I could make about 5 batches of the mix. Based on the formula that 2TB mix equals 1 pkg. of the Hidden Valley mix, it came to just under $1.00 per pkg. Hidden Valley runs about $2.50 per pkg, so indeed, the value is here for making your own. AND this stuff is BETTER, IMO, that the original! That mushroom DOES provide a depth of flavor that is lacking in the original. (Hubby and I did a side by side comparison…we’re kind of anal that way). I will continue making this. THANKS for the recipe! In addition to making dressing, we’ve also made the Ranch Pretzels…1 1lb bag small pretzel twists, 3/4 C. vegetable oil, 2 Tbs. ranch dressing mix and 1 tsp. garlic pwd. Mix oil, ranch and garlic in bowl, whisk to blend, place pretzels in a gallon zip top bag, pour mixture over, seal bag and toss to coat. Let marinate in bag for 1 hour, tossing every 15 mins. DELISH!
Thank you so much!!! Glad I am not the only one that had to test it side by side. 🙂 Oh and those pretzels sound absolutely amazing!
Do you have to put the mushrooms in the recipe? My husband can’t eat them.
Also try the pretzel trick with saltines, I also grind really crispy bacon into a powder and add that to the recipe for the crackers.
Ditto – I could not locate portobello and used porcini. Assuming that is the reason it did not taste like the HVR stuff. It was tasty, mind you, just not copycat. Will try drying my own portobellos next time.
Thanks for the recipe!!! MSG does very bad things to me.
The point was it was was healthy, organic and most important no MSG. In the big picture of life, eating organically is cheaper in the long run (not eating foods processed with chemicals) to avoid ailments that you can get like eating MSG!
Hi Karrie,
The powdered buttermilk I used says to refrigerate after opening. Do you keep your blend in the refrigerator?
I doubled your recipe, but did not use a blender. My spices were pretty small.
I used it to flavor a macaroni salad in place of Hidden Valley powder. I like the flavors – it was not as salty as the Hidden Valley brand powdered mix .
Dried mushrooms came from the bulk spice section at my local fruit market and was able to grind them in a hand crank nut grinder. The mushrooms were almost 35.00 a pound, but being dried and lightweight a large handful was only $1.25.
Thanks for a great recipe.
SC
I store my mix in an air-tight container or jar in my pantry for 2-3 months or in the freezer for 6 months or longer. It doesn’t need to be refrigerated until you add in the liquid ingredients.
Great tip on finding the mushrooms!
I bought bulk dried portabella mushrooms at our local food coop and they were .39¢ for probably 1/2 cup of them!
Oh, I just am getting caught up and saw your week in review posting and this recipe! I can’t wait to try it….! Original ranch I gave up a long time ago too, but with the mushrooms, I love that idea. My neighbor actually just went mushroom picking yesterday and gave me a big bag of chantrells yesterday. I will stick some in my dehydrator this week to have on hand for this recipe. Thank you!
Awesome, I would love to learn how to mushroom pick, that is so cool. Let me know what you think after you make this!
Karrie!!!! You are just the most awesome person ever!!! Thank you for doing this one. I have been wanting a diy ranch mix for so long.
While living down in the states I found a huge container of dried mushrooms at Costco, thinking I would add them to soups, but now I have a new use for them… they will most likely all go into my ranch mixes. So excited!
I’ll let you know how it tastes… as soon as I can find a place that carries powdered buttermilk.
Thanks again.
You are so welcome Angela!! Yes, let me know what you think!
I just wanted to let you know that dry buttermilk can be found in the baking supplies department at many supermarkets. Walmart, Krogers, Winco, Albertsons, etc. I believe even Tartet Stores carry it. It comes in a box, or a in a round cardboard type container. I just bought mine at Walmart and it was less than $4.00. Just wanted to let you know.
I found it in my local super market in the baking Isle. It is a flour substitute.
Take that ranch powder and make ranch cauliflower. Cut up into bite size pieces, toss in olive oil and sprinkle the ranch powder on. Place I. A single layer on a baking sheet, stir half way. Bake at 350 for 20-35 minutes, depending how small you cut your pieces and how tender you would like your veggies. I like mine with some texture. You can do the same thing with homemade taco seasoning!
I am really looking forward to making the ranch cauliflower, and will probably add broccoli too. We already make roasted broccoli, and my kids are less than enthusiastic. But they love ranch- So much that my son has been asking for his own jar of ranch seasoning to use on his baked potatoes.
I just did a recipe this week found on I believe Mom’s pantry, cream of chicken soup (I had used mushroom) 1 pkg of ranch dressing and pork chops in the slow cooker. It was amazing!
This is awesome! Thank you for all your hard work!
P.S. A copycat Miracle Whip recipe would make me do back flips! 🙂
Me too! What did you all use for the mayonnaise? I still haven’t found a tasty substitute for Miracle Whip and Hellman’s. Kind of ruins this if I don’t have a mayo to use.
To get away from mayo I put cottage cheese in the blender and add milk until I get the desired consistency. Add the ranch dip powder and it is absolute heaven! Give it a try, perhaps you will like it too.
That sounds amazing! I will definitely try!!
I use a recipe from Allrecipes. It’s called “whole egg mayonnaise” by Megan karlowsky. I changed it up a bit. Per chef John, eggs can be pasturized by bringing water to a boil…enough that will cover eggs. Remove pan from heat and Put eggs in boiled water for 30 seconds. Then put in ice water to stop the cooking. I am use avocado oil instead of veg oil. I also add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. I make in a wide mouth glass jar just big enough to hold the ingredients. I put all ingredients in the jar and use my blender stix, and start blending on the bottom of the jar and as it thickens, slowly raise the stix. My husband who is a Hellman nut, says it is as close as anyone can get. Good luck and God bless. PS: read reviews for this on Allrecipes
Do you know of something I could substitute for the buttermilk powder? My son is allergic to milk so I had given up on anything with ranch flavor (one of my favorites!)
Dairy allergy here too…any suggestions? I have a daughter BEGGING to eat ranch again /:
I too have dairy allergies and am looking for a buttermilk alternative that will not harden (like the recipes with coconut oil)
This may sound kind of off the wall, but how about using almond milk and some really tangy tofu in there. That combo might just give the flavor profile of buttermilk. I’d say whip the tofu in with the almond milk when you prepare your salad dressing. I have no suggestions for subbing buttermilk powder, unless someone has the patience to dry and pulverize tofu. That would give some bulk and tang to the dry ingredients.
As long as you don’t have a problem with soy.
For dairy free, I was thinking cashew milk (raw cashews blended with water) since it’s really creamy, plus mayo. The buttermilk powder could be omitted and either subbed with lemon crystals (near tea or lemonade in stores) or with lemon juice added when mixing in liquids.
That’s what I would do since I keep cashews and lemon juice on hand; but I’ve seen ranch recipes done with tofu so it does work. Use silken.
Try using nutritional yeast in the dry mix and a little splash of lemon juice when you make the dip or dressing.
Don’t give up! I just made ‘buttermilk by adding 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar to 1/2 cup soy milk. You could use oat, or almond or whatever his allergies allow. I got my mushrooms from Costco and was wondering what to do with all of them. Now I know. Just made this and it was delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
do you know how long the ranch dressing would last in the fridge once it is made?
around 5-7 days. 🙂
This is great! Makes really good tasting ranch dressing without all of the hydrogenated oils, corn additives and preservatives in the bottled stuff. My family and I really appreciate this recipe!
What do you think of using dry Shirataki mushrooms instead of the portabellas? Do you think that would affect the taste much? I have a whole conainer or shirataki that i’m looking to use up…
I would say give it a try! I think the mushrooms just add that depth of flavor. Let me know how it goes!
I used dried shiitake mushrooms and it tasted great!
Hi, I’m new to diy meals so still trying to figure put how it all works. The ranch mix has buttermilk powder in it and u add more buttermilk liquid to it to make it into a dressing? Not water? I just want to make sure I understand it before making it. Thanks 🙂
Yep that’s right. More buttermilk to make it taste just right. 🙂
Great! I’m making this today if I can find the mushrooms. 🙂 my 4 yr old will thank u too! we can’t use store bought ranchbc she’s allergic to oregano, and we don’t know what brands have it or not. :/
It’s a good recipe, but if you’re using dill seed instead of dill weed (don’t ask, just…don’t ask) only use that half a teaspoon initially and don’t use the other half at all. Makes it really strong.
Finally! I have been looking for a “mix” recipe for a long time. We used to put a packet of ranch, packet of italian, and a packet of brown gravy (mixed with 1 c broth) into the crockpot with a big roast. It made the most wonderfully flavored roast with a gravy and the best thing is I didn’t have to do anything but put it all in the crock. But since we have been trying to get rid of extra sugar and chemicals, this recipe has been out. This was the missing key ingredient that I needed. Will try it this weekend. Thanks ~ Jen.
What do you do for the Italian and the gravy packets?
Thank you so much! I was just wondering about this this morning because I LOVE buffalo ranch and would like to make it myself but have not been successful. I never would have thought of replacing msg with mushrooms but will remember that for future recipes. Now I’m off to order some dried mushrooms.
You should get a yummy link. 🙂
I bought my dried mushrooms today and it has a very clear warning: NEVER EAT DRIED MUSHROOMS RAW
Hmmm, any thought on this? It scares me a bit to put them in the mix.
I have read that once mushrooms are cooked or dried they are safe. I don’t know why they have that on the label…maybe it’s because of the texture of it.
I dry my own mushrooms. I slice and then blanch them before putting them into the dehydrator. Unblanched, unwashed mushrooms will carry ‘ickies’ from the soil which will not die in a dehydrator due to the low temperature.
…and look at what mushrooms grow in… so it is a case of CYA in commercial products.
Thank you for this! Is there a link to click on for a “printable” version of this recipe? It’s written more like a blog post- which would take several pages to print out. Thanks!
Just added that feature Michelle, thanks and happy printing!
Thank you so much. We are also an MSG sensitive house and only recently discovered that it is in ranch dressing. We never thought to look at the salad dressing, but now we look at everything. My experience so far since going msg free has been that many of the homemade products actually taste better, so I have high hopes here.
I am happy to report that I was not disappointed at all. We were out of parsley. I left it out. I could only find dried oyster mushrooms. I used them anyway. The only thing I will do differently is use miracle whip instead of mayonnaise next time, because my hubby wanted a little more tang. The dry mix is perfect, and when I get a chance to, I’ll get some parsley and add it in. Thank you again for this wonderful recipe.
Karrie,
I am trying to find the dried onions. Can you tell me if these are with the spices, or if they are called something else specific. I am not the best with spices, but I am trying to learn.
Yes, they are usually in the dried spices section. If you can’t find them right away ask at customer service and they can pinpoint exactly where they are! 🙂
You can get all the spices @Penzeys.com or if you’re lucky they may have a store in your town. I got powdered Portobello’s on amazon.com under the brand name Hoosier Hill Farm. You can also get their buttermilk powder and lots more. I’ve never been disappointed with their products.
Love this recipe! I recently added it to cottage cheese in the blender to make a healthier, higher protein ranch dressing alternative–it was great!
Thank you so much for the recipe!! It turned out amazing. I just dried my own button mushrooms by first chopping them in the food processor and baking on parchment at 200 degrees until completely dry, then mixing to a powder in food processor. Worked perfectly!
5 Stars!
Great tip! I am glad you liked the recipe!
Great recipe! I found it just a little bit saltier and a little less sweet than the original (we buy the Light version of the salad dressing- maybe that’s why?) and I just left out the mushrooms and it was still great! Tasted them side by side. Next time I’ll up the sugar and decrease the salt by just a tiny bit. Thank you!
This looks awesome. I have a grandson that is crazy for ranch dressing. I have been looking for a way of making my own without all the garbage, also hoping to cut out some of the sodium, fat and calories. I’m going to make this and see if I can fool him. I’ll let you know how it goes. Thanks.
PS, I have to say, you are only the second person in my life that has spelled their name the same as me.
Yes definitely let me know how it goes, Karrie! 🙂
I’ve tried at least six different ranch dressing recipes over the years since we stopped eating processed foods and I’ve always been disappointed. Nothing really tasted similar to the chemical-ridden packets and bottles I grew up enjoying.
I was very skeptical but decided to give it one more try using your recipe and it was a great success!! My kids and my husband all agreed as well. I’m so thrilled to have finally found something so tasty and free of junk.
The only change I made was using dried cremini mushrooms because I couldn’t locate portabella. It still tasted great.
Thanks so much for sharing!!
That is awesome!!! So happy it tasted great for you!
Karrie, you are a genius! This mix is AMAZING!!! I have tried every hidden valley ranch recipe to no avail, but this one is right on the money. The mushroom is so clever, providing that umami taste that glutamates provide, only this is done naturally. I made this with homemade mayo and it better than any pre-packaged HVR dressing I have ever made. Thank you so very much!!!
So glad you like it!
Can’t wait to make this! I keep Porcini Mushroom powder on hand…. do you have any idea the equivalent of powder to the 2 Tbsp whole mushrooms?
OH YUM! I have looked around for weeks at different recipes for this and now I finally found the perfect one! Mrs. Karrie, this is delicious thank you so much for the recipe. I really think the mushrooms give it that extra kick! -Emily
My daughter can’t have garlic. Have you ever tried it without? We love ranch, but garlic gives her migraines. I guess we’ll try it anyway. Also, do the mushrooms have to be portobello, or will just any dried kind do?
Thanks. Vicki
I haven’t made it without the garlic but give it a try and see if you like it! I think the mushrooms just add that depth of flavor so try using different ones! Let me know what you think!
Sorry- I’m going to be a ‘killjoy’ here, but dried mushrooms and dried onions (not to mention dried garlic, etc) all add ‘free glutamates’ into food to make it tasty- those free glutamates combine with sodium in your food and body to create MSG…. Better to get your ‘buds’ used to food without the MSG/Umami flavor! Adding one of these adds a little, but layering these ingredients will have the same effect on someone who is sensitive to MSG.
http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/blog/2011/07/msg-salt-mushroom-seasoning.html
http://www.driedshiitakemushrooms.com/Umami-and-Mushrooms.htm
Ha Tara! I was giggling to myself as I was reading the comments thinking EXACTLY what you posted. But for those that are sensitive to glutamates, this really is vital information to have.
Regardless, for those not sensitive to glutamates, the mushrooms definitely add a complexity (umami) that most people find lacking in “clone-type” recipes. Good post!
So you don’t eat any Japanese food period? My condolences if you have a legitimate food allergy, but being a lover of all foods I’d like to offer some alternatives.
Nobody here also seems to have mentioned the history behind msg. Originally it was discovered by a Japanese Scientist to help kids’ appetites by extracting the flavor of crystallized seaweed broth.
long story short, anything with Japanese broth (dashi) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dashi is Jam packed with Umami http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami which really is proven be only tasted by glutamate receptors.
So anything with high levels of Umami; Soy Sauce, Cheese, Green Tea, Celery, Mushrooms, Fish, Tomatoes, etc.
Hard to believe you’re allergic to all of those things? To each their own.
I hope its just the amount of processed and prepared food that is driving up the fear of MSG. Too much of anything is bad.
Fun notes: MSG is no longer extracted by seaweed broth, and glutamates have NOTHING to do with gluten: http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/FoodAdditivesIngredients/ucm328728.htm
Also MSG got a bad rap from false reports of people associating the stuff to Chinese food in the 60’s
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001126.htm
My apologies if I just went on a history rant, I get worked up when I overhear people being ignorant or inadvertently racist at food establishments. A western-centric view of the world is not the only view of the world.
To the author: I loved the recipe! The mushrooms was a more clever (and tastier) substitution than my first go-to which would have been dried concentrated hondashi.
Completely agree with you Kuro.
I did think it was ironic to see the dried mushrooms being added, when the point of avoiding MSG was raised, but I personally just like this recipe because it was homemade and can save money.
MSG is harmless unless you happen to have that rare “Anglo american allergy” to it. I’ve read many stories of people claiming to have a severe MSG allergy, where their face gets numb and they get headaches, only to be fed some home cooked (MSG laden) meals by friends with no symptoms whatsoever.
Its funny how most foods that are naturally rich in MSG are WIDELY considered to be quite healthy otherwise.
People who get migraines from msg do not always get a migraine from msg every time they eat it. However, if you are a person who is sensitive to msg because it can trigger a migraine, you try to avoid as many sources of msg as possible. It’s not an allergy, it is a sensitivity. If you had ever had a migraine in your life, you would understand the necessity to avoid as many triggers as possible. I am one of those people. I never drink beer. I never eat chocolate. I eat low amounts of cheese, avoid sausages, hot dogs, and bratwurst, don’t use canned soups, etc. because when I get a migraine, I’m in so much pain, I want to die. I’m not being culturally insensitive or disingenuous about my sensitivity to foods because I sometimes eat foods that might trigger a migraine. I’m weighing the odds and taking a chance because I’m hungry, or I’m being polite at someone’s house, or I indulge once in a while because I like and miss the food. A sensitivity is NOT an allergy. It means sometimes you can eat a trigger food and it causes no problems. I hope that I have helped you understand the difference.
I love this recipe! I live in Europe, and can’t ever find those packets here. I can find all the ingredients except for buttermilk powder, and I’m struggling a little bit with what to use in place. Any ideas? I could also use wet ingredients if there is no dry substitute for the buttermilk powder. Thanks!
I found this information for substitutes for buttermilk powder. Hope this helps!
Substitute 1 cup fresh buttermilk for 1/4 cup powder + 1 cup water. Or use 1 cup sour cream or for baking use 1 cup milk + 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar.
Equivalents
12 oz. can buttermilk powder = 3 3/4 cups powder, 3 3/4 quarts prepared
http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/ingredients/detail/buttermilk-powder
You cannot substitute powdered buttermilk but tastewise you could attempt to mimic it with yogurt powder or milk powder and lemon zest.
It would also take a lot of time and money to try to powderize liquids with powdered cellulose, food dryers, or maltodextrin.
I have a question regarding the measurement of dried mushroom pieces. Do you break up the pieces of dried mushrooms or bust them up to be able to measure 2 tablespoons? Hope this isn’t a dumb question but I have never used dried mushrooms before and I have tried MANY recipe variations for Hidden Valley Ranch dressing with no success. Any help would be great. Thank you.
Not a dumb question at all! I did break them into smaller pieces so I could measure them before adding them into the Vitamix with the other dry ingredients.
It would be helpful to know t he weight of the mushrooms! ( I have not prepared this dressing yet !
If you didn’t want to use buttermilk powder, could you use powdered milk instead?
It would probably change the flavor a little bit but if that doesn’t bother you then try it and see if you like it!
So, Karrie, did you do the cost comparison? I might have missed it.
This makes the BEST spinach dip!!! I used it in place of my usual packaged dip choice. Wonderful!! Thank you!
Great idea! I’ll try that!
Another favorite use for this dried mix-one sleeve of finely crushed saltines mixed with 2 tablespoons of mix. Dip fresh fish in beaten eggs, then breading mix. Fry in oil. Really good! This ranch mix is outstanding!
I simply don’t get why you need buttermilk powder if you are going to add the mix to buttermilk for the dressing anyway. Couldn’t you just adjust the amount of buttermilk or sour cream or mayonnaise to taste? When I use the actual Hidden Valley Ranch mix, I usually adjust it to taste anyway and I use the above three ingredients according to what I have available and depending on whether I want dressing or dip.
I think the buttermilk powder adds a lot of flavor especially for the dips where you don’t add any buttermilk. You could definitely try it and see if you like it better without it! 🙂
Absolutely, 100% NAILED IT!! 🙂
I just purchased all the ingredients to make this. However, I just noticed that my mushroom package states that the mushrooms must be cooked. Is this something everyone has encountered, or are mine the wrong type?
This was addressed earlier in the discussion – go back towards the beginning of the comments and you will see where someone answered that question.
I am not able to find the answer to this quests. Mine say do not use raw also? Did you use?
I used them as dried mushrooms, and did not cook them.
I was wondering what the difference is between your recipe and hidden valley ranch buttermilk version. I notice in the store that the buttermilk version the packets are smaller than the dip packets. I would like to make this for salads so if you call for adding 2/3C buttermilk do I need to add dry buttermilk in the dry mix?
This recipe is incredible and NO MSG!!!!! Finally!! It actually tastes better than the packets you buy 🙂 Thank you so much!
Mushrooms have naturally occurring MSG. 🙁
I was looking for this recipe! Thanks. I have a fabulous dip recipe I’ve made for years. It’s simple, but I ALWAYS get raves and I get requests for the recipe.
1 Cup Mayo
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 pkg (or 2 TBS of this dry dressing mix) HVRD Mix
Fresh lemon juice to taste (~ juice of 1/2 lemon)
Garlic Powder to taste (~ 1/8 tsp)
1 can of quartered artichoke hearts, drained (not marinated)
-Combine all ingredients. Stir vigorously to breakup the artichokes a bit
-Store in Fridge at least 2 hrs, but overnight is best. Serve with crackers or something equally sturdy that will stand up to the artichoke bits in the dip.
Yum! Sounds good!
I just found this blog and happened to check out this recipe! I too have tried many versions of a DYI ranch dressing recipe with no success. Most are either just a simple dill dressing and some just did not taste like the real deal. But I am sold on this one. I had everything in my pantry to make this so I set to work. And was so pleased with the results. The dried mushrooms did the trick! This is the best recipe and the taste and consistency is perfect. I will never buy those small expensive envelopes of HVRD again. No MSG (which makes me congested and my nose runs for at least an hour after consuming) is AWESOME! I have made it my New Year’s resolution to eat healthier and cut out chemicals as much as possible from my diet. I am a new fan to your blog and will visit often!
Glad you like it and that you found the site!
You can find buttermilk powder and mushroom powder on Amazon. Also Honeyville grain carries all sorts of freeze dried veggies, meats, and powders, with NO additives of any kind. my grand daughter is a “Buttermilk Ranch” fanatic…she literally will dip just about anything in Ranch dressing. I am making this today, and will let you know what she thinks.
I saw a recipe a while ago for making bulk homemade ranch dressing, but I didn’t save it and couldn’t remember where to find it, so I did a in Internet search. I came across your site (along with others) and I made the base today – yours looked like the best. I still have some of the packet stuff I made in the fridge. When that runs out, I will make this one. I had most of the ingredients, but am fortunate enough to have an amazing grocery store (similar to Whole Foods) 1 mile from my house. They carry a wide variety of dried mushrooms, including the portabellas. I can’t wait to try this.
Let me know what you think! 🙂
This is so close!! I goofed up – even with the recipe in front of my face – bought porcini by mistake (Whole foods, loose bins, eyeballed it, ~4T was $5.00, $99/lb price). They also had the buttermilk piwder, $7.25 – probably 2 cups total in the package. I think the porcinis are more shroomy than portabella … Guessing my next batch will be closer with the portabellas as they aren’t as earthy tasting (in my opinion). Thanks!!!
My review was for 4 stars!!!!!!!! My finger went to press 4 stars & i hit post comment instead (big thimb small iphone)!!
I really like the taste of this recipe, but I am having trouble with the consistency. The first day it is nice and thick, but after that it turns thin and watery. Any ideas of how to keep it thick?
After a night in the fridge I always give it a swift beat with a fork that I feel like gets everything equally distributed. If this is a consistent problem you could add 1/2 tsp unfalvored gelatin when you make up the dressing. Also, I usually add in a little less buttermilk when I make the dressing and then if it is too thick add in more. Try these things and see if it helps!
LOL, so the secret ingredient is just dried mushrooms that are naturally high in MSG. Doh!
If you want to really make this recipe sing, try swapping the dried portabella for dried shiitake mushrooms, because they have an even higher MSG content.
I would take the naturally occurring MSG over the science project MSG that manufacturers add to a majority of products any day of the week! You can be sure that what they put in is nowhere near naturally occurring. The fake junk tends to be what have people going into anaphylactic shock in restaurants.
Thank you so much for this recipe! It tastes great and I feel better giving my 6 year old son this instead of the bottled dressing full of preservatives.
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve been on a quest to eliminate certain things but just wanted to see of my taste buds were right and that I was tasting dill and that the green was parsley. Anyway, just wanted to share that and what MAG is (that its naturally in foods that I’m sure people aren’t aware of) : tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, and some cheese, and other veggies and fruits. Naturally there. So, if you’re allergic to MSG stay away from those as well.
I have been searching for a good Ranch Dressing that tastes like Hidden Valley minus the chemicals for years. The search is over. Thank you so much. This is delicious!
Where can i find Buttermilk powder? Do i have to use it?
I think it is pretty essential to creating the perfect Ranch. You can find buttermilk powder in some stores–try the bulk spices!–but you can also find it at Amazon at this link.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014UH6UM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B0014UH6UM&linkCode=as2&tag=fistofcoup-20
Love homemade foods that you can leave out all the “junk”. We have a MSG allergy in our family . Great recipe but mushrooms have MSG naturally occurring in them. It may not affect people with mild reactions. Please be cautious with mushrooms if you have an MSG allergy
Blessings to all
Thank you, we do too and I was wondering if anyone else realizes that mushrooms have naturally occurring MSG. Do you just make it it without adding the mushrooms? Does it taste okay?
I’m vegan so I tweaked this a little and thought I’d share in case anyone else is plant based.. I didn’t add the buttermilk powder but I think you could easily use soy milk pwder if you wanted to. I just didn’t use anything for that. I used dried shiitake (that I blended into a powder) that I got from Amazon.com. I mixed it with Just Mayo brand vegan mayo and unsweetened soy milk and I added a pinch of citric acid to give it a tangy flavor. It worked well.
Well I was looking for a hidden valley copycat and this one nails it. Well, I have to confess I did use MSG since it really does not affect me and I keep it on hand in our house and use sparingly in some dishes especially stir fry. So, I didnt use mushrooms followed everything and added a touch of msg in place of mushroom. This was perfect! Funny how using the packets or even this recipe tastes so much better than hidden valley sold in a bottle. And this recipe tastes even better than the packets… Thank you for this recipe, its very good so could I could chug it out of the 32oz mason jar I make it in!
I have made this about 1000 times and my husband and i are sold on it. I leave out the mushrooms and it turns out ok. We are retired and can’t afford them so we don’t add them. The MSG is such a small amount, that it doesn’t bother us at all. Thanks for sharing this recipe it is a keeper. God bless you and keep the great recipes coming.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I have a soy allergy, and finding a good quality ranch recipe without soy or msg had me so frustrated I actually gave up. Then, while looking for different recipes I stumbled upon this one. The ingredients were relatively easy to find once I called a couple places, and I actually had most of the spices on hand. I doubled the batch so I won’t have to make more if we like it. Needless to say, I have a batch in the fridge right now. I can’t wait to try it, thank you!
It is so hard to find good recipes that work with allergies. I hope you like this ranch as much as I do!
Does it matter what kind of dried mushrooms I use? My grocery didn’t have portobello so I got shiitake, do you think this will be okay?
I’m coming back to this after making this recipe. I love it! This is a definite keeper. If you are thinking of trying it, go for it. I keep the powder around now , make my own ranch dressing, and I also sprinkle this on potato chips to make ranch chips. I found the buttermilk powder in the baking aisle of my grocery store. And, I dehydrated some regular mushrooms in my dehydrator.
I love this recipe, thank you for posting. I used porcini powder instead of dried portobellos (because that’s what I had on hand and it worked just fine). This makes an awesome ranch dip, it’s now my go-to recipe for parties.
This looks awesome! Do you know of a way to make a dup of the Hidden Valley Fiesta Ranch dry dip mix?
Thanks so much for this recipe. I have been trying to make an MSG-free version for years. I’m going to try this. How interesting that the mushrooms were a key ingredient. Here is an interesting piece of info: Chaim Gur-Arieh, is the inventor of the Hidden Valley Ranch flavor/dressing (as well as the Power Bar). I think he is a chemist. He now owns an award-winning winery here in Amador County (CA) called C. G. Arie. He and his wife are lovely people. Here’s his blog: http://www.cgdiarie.com/blog/
Mushrooms have naturally occurring monosodium glutamate (MSG), so this copycat may taste similar, but it will also have MSG in it. My daughter gets migraines from MSG so we are looking for a substitute without MSG. Any other recipes without natural MSG from the mushrooms?
My family’s favorite recipe for ranch mix (outside of dressing of course) is to mix it with cottage cheese and a little mayo. We eat this dip with Frito corn chips. So yummy!! Glad to have a diy recipe for our dip. Thank you.
How much powder about do you think the mushroom pieces make? I am starting with powder and am wondering how much I should use.
I love hidden valley ranch packets (dressing, not dip). it’s the only ranch I like and i’m obsessed with it! But I hate how unhealthy it is. i usually mix the packet with 1 cup dukes mayo, 1 cup whole milk. I don’t like buttermilk ranch dressings, so is the buttermilk powder really necessary in this recipe if i’m using dukes and whole milk with the seasonings? love the mushroom idea! will have to pick some up.
A+++ Absolutely Delicious!!
Thank you SOOO much for this recipe, I can make my own organic version without preservatives and it tastes excellent.
Much gratitude!!
Thank you!!!
Nothing wrong with MSG. That myth has been blown to pieces ages ago. It is just another form of sodium seasoning. Yes, some people are sensitive to it. But that goes for many ingredients.
I am extremely sensitive to caffeine. Too much caffeine or withdrawal from caffeine will give me a migraine headache. MSG adds great flavor, just use it in small quantities.
Regarding the dressing, all bottled ranch dressings have vinegar in them. Vinegar is a natural preservative.
You should do some research on msg, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using it. Flawed studies decades ago have caused years of fud. It’s no worse for you than salt, but because of the glutamate adds a flavor profile that’s hard to beat.
Your recipe says 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed for blending 1/2 teaspoon reserved…should it be t tablespoon dried dill weed for blending 1/2 teaspoon reserved?
I came across this recipe while doing a general survey of ranch dressing recipes. Despite the age of this post, I feel obligated to tell both Ms. Karrie and her readers that the reason dried mushrooms make a good substitute for MSG is because it’s not a substitute, at all. Dried mushrooms contain about 1%, by weight, of naturally occurring glutamates, which are perfectly safe to eat. Your body needs glutamic acid to make protein, so these compounds are certainly not toxic. Most of the hype around MSG just doesn’t have any scientific basis. If you’ve tried eating MSG in food that otherwise doesn’t bother you, and you have a reaction to it, that’s one thing. But avoiding it out of fear doesn’t make a lot of sense, particularly given that it occurs naturally in many healthy foods (like broccoli, mushrooms, and parmesan cheese).
Thanks so much Karrie for sharing this. It sure is a great read and so easy to follow through. The recipes are amazing, especially that on salad dressing, and gave excellent results. My vegetables now taste way better than they ever did and i have you to thank. Great job.