The house ranch is the base — buttermilk, mayo, ranch seasoning, fresh dill, and red wine vinegar for the sharpness that store-bought versions miss. From here it forks: infuse kaffir lime leaves overnight for a Southeast Asian direction, fold in habanero and turmeric for the spicy chicken sandwich, or go classic with honey mustard or horseradish. All built on the same mayo backbone.
Ingredients
- 150 ml (½ cup) buttermilk
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) mayonnaise
- 1 packet ranch dressing seasoning
- 2 tsp fresh dill, chopped
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
- 2
Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.
- 3
Taste and adjust seasoning.
- 4
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Cook's Note
Let the kaffir lime ranch sit overnight if possible — the leaves need time to infuse and the flavor is completely different at 4 hours vs. 24 hours.
How to Use This
Use as a dipping sauce, salad dressing, sandwich spread, or finishing drizzle. Goes in squeeze bottles for service.
Why This Foundation Works
The ranch seasoning packet does the heavy lifting on herbs and garlic; fresh dill and red wine vinegar are what lift it above the mix-from-a-packet version. Buttermilk is what makes it tangy and keeps it from being just thick mayo.
Make It Yours
- Kaffir lime ranch: combine 480 g mayo + 500 ml buttermilk + 250 ml lime juice + 1 tbsp white soy + 60 ml honey + 9 g onion powder + 9 g dried kaffir lime leaves. Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Remove the leaves before serving — they infuse flavor, do not blend in.
- Spicy mayo (fried chicken): 475 ml mayo + 2 minced habanero chiles + 2 tsp ground turmeric. Fold together. Fruity heat and a bright golden color.
- Honey mustard: 240 ml whole grain mustard + 240 ml mayo + 240 ml honey + 2 tbsp fish sauce. The fish sauce is the secret — nobody can name it but they notice when it is gone.
- Horseradish mayo: equal parts mayo and prepared horseradish. Stir until smooth. Add lemon juice or whole grain mustard for complexity.
Leftover Strategy
Keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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