Ranch dressing is a creamy, tangy condiment that is ubiquitous in the United States. It’s a refrigerator staple and a favorite for dressing salads, wings, pizza and more. Hidden Valley Ranch is one of the most popular brands of ranch dressing. But for people with dairy allergies or dietary restrictions, an important question arises: Is there dairy in Hidden Valley Ranch dressing?
The Short Answer
Yes, regular Hidden Valley Ranch dressing contains dairy ingredients. Specifically, most Hidden Valley Ranch dressings contain some combination of the following dairy ingredients:
- Buttermilk
- Sour cream
- Creamed buttermilk
- Creamed chip dip (contains sour cream)
- Creamed cottage cheese
So if you need to avoid dairy due to an allergy or dietary restriction like veganism or paleo, regular Hidden Valley Ranch is off limits for you.
Examining the Ingredients in Hidden Valley Ranch
To get a deeper understanding of the dairy content in Hidden Valley Ranch, let’s take a look at the ingredient lists for some of their most popular ranch dressings:
Hidden Valley Original Ranch
Ingredients: Vegetable oil (soybean and/or canola), buttermilk, water, egg yolks, distilled vinegar, salt, contains less than 2% of: monosodium glutamate, modified food starch, sugar, spice, dried garlic, dried onion, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, natural flavor, dried parsley, lactic acid, disodium inosinate & guanylate, sour cream, lipase, propylene glycol alginate, calcium disodium EDTA.
Hidden Valley Homestyle Ranch
Ingredients: Soybean oil, water, egg yolks, distilled vinegar, salt, contains less than 2% of: onions, potassium sorbate, propylene glycol alginate, phosphoric acid, sour cream, xanthan gum, spices, garlic powder, calcium disodium EDTA.
Hidden Valley The Original Ranch
Ingredients: Vegetable oil (soybean and/or canola), cultured nonfat buttermilk, water, egg yolks, distilled vinegar, salt, contains less than 2% of: monosodium glutamate, modified food starch, sugar, sour cream, spice, dried garlic, dried onion, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, natural flavor, dried parsley, lactic acid, disodium inosinate & guanylate, lipase, propylene glycol alginate, calcium disodium EDTA.
Hidden Valley Ranch Dips
Ingredients: Sour cream (cultured cream), skim milk, contains less than 2% of: salt, vegetable mono and diglycerides, dried chopped onion, potassium sorbate (to protect flavor), maltodextrin, dried parsley, dried dill weed, garlic powder, vegetable oil (soybean and/or canola), citric acid, dried chives, calcium disodium EDTA added to protect flavor, carob bean gum, xanthan gum.
Hidden Valley Blasted Ranch
Ingredients: Water, Soybean Oil, Corn Syrup, Buttermilk, Distilled Vinegar, Egg Yolks, Modified Food Starch, Contains Less Than 2% of: Salt, Garlic*, Onion*, Natural Flavor, Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Benzoate (Preservatives), Xanthan Gum, Propylene Glycol Alginate, Calcium Disodium EDTA To Protect Flavor.
As evidenced by these ingredient lists, the majority of Hidden Valley Ranch products contain one or more dairy ingredients like buttermilk, sour cream, or creamed dairy products. The original ranch dressings contain both buttermilk and sour cream. The ranch dips are primarily based on sour cream. And the Blasted Ranch relies on buttermilk as the primary dairy ingredient.
Why Do Ranch Dressings Contain Dairy?
Ranch dressings contain dairy ingredients for several reasons:
- Creaminess – Dairy products like buttermilk, sour cream and cream cheese provide a rich, creamy texture that ranch dressing is known for. The fat in these dairy ingredients allows ranch to coat the tongue and salad ingredients nicely.
- Tanginess – Cultured dairy products like buttermilk and sour cream provide a tangy, acidic flavor note that helps balance out the herby flavors in ranch. The lactic acid created by the culturing process gives ranch its signature zing.
- Flavor – Ingredients like buttermilk have a distinct flavor that people associate with ranch dressing. Leaving them out would compromise the classic “ranchy” taste.
- Emulsion – Dairy proteins help emulsify the oil and water in the dressing, creating a thick, creamy texture that is pourable but clings to salad leaves.
While it’s possible to make dairy-free ranch dressings, they inevitably lack some of the richness, tang and classic flavor provided by dairy ingredients. Many brands rely onPlant-based milks and oils simply can’t fully replicate the dairy experience.
Are There Any Dairy-Free Hidden Valley Ranch Products?
Hidden Valley does offer some dairy-free ranch products that may be suitable for people avoiding dairy:
Hidden Valley Vegan Ranch
Hidden Valley recently launched a vegan ranch dressing made with almond milk and coconut oil instead of dairy. Here are the ingredients:
Water, Coconut Oil, Almond Milk, Modified Food Starch, Distilled Vinegar, Sugar, Salt, Contains Less than 2% of: Olive Extract, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Natural Flavors, Potato Starch, Xanthan Gum, Yeast Extract, Parsley.
Hidden Valley Plant Power Dips
Hidden Valley also offers dairy-free “Plant Powered Dips” in ranch and blue cheese flavors. The ranch dip contains:
Water, Coconut Oil, Modified Food Starch, Potato Starch, Almond Milk, Distilled Vinegar, Onion Powder, Salt, Garlic Powder, Olive Extract, Yeast Extract, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Parsley.
Hidden Valley Avocado Ranch
For a thicker, dairy-free ranch dip, Hidden Valley suggests combining their vegan ranch dressing with avocados. The avocado ranch dip contains just two ingredients:
Hidden Valley® Plant Powered Vegan Ranch
Avocado
So while the majority of Hidden Valley’s ranch products do contain dairy, they are beginning to offer more dairy-free options made from plant-based ingredients.
How to Make Your Own Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing
If you want to avoid dairy altogether in your ranch dressing, it’s easy to whip up a homemade version with plant-based ingredients like soy milk, olive oil, vinegar and nutritional yeast. Here is a simple dairy-free ranch dressing recipe:
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsweetened soy milk or other dairy-free milk
- 1⁄4 cup olive oil or avocado oil
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Add more lemon juice for tanginess or oil for creaminess.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
You can also add fresh herbs like dill or parsley if desired. This simple dairy-free ranch will coat salad leaves and vegetables without any globs of creamy dairy. Let your creative juices flow and experiment with different additions like chipotle peppers, fermented foods for tang, or nuts for texture.
The Bottom Line
Hidden Valley Ranch dressing does contain dairy ingredients like buttermilk and sour cream. These provide the signature creamy texture and tangy flavor that people expect from classic ranch dressing. However, Hidden Valley has recently introduced dairy-free ranch dressings and dips made from plant-based ingredients like almond milk and coconut oil. You can also easily make your own customizable dairy-free ranch dressing at home by blending plant-based milks, oils, vinegar and seasonings like garlic, onion and dill. While it may not taste exactly like the traditional Hidden Valley Ranch, a homemade dairy-free ranch dressing can still add plenty of flavor to salads, wings, and more for those avoiding dairy.
