As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This ranch seasoning mix is the perfect option for those watching their sodium intake. Just add the optional salt if you’re not.
Ranch Seasoning For Sodium Watchers
If you’re watching your sodium intake either for general health reasons or if medically directed to do so, your choices for store-bought seasonings are very limited.
Here’s a great alternative for you! Now you can enjoy all those “ranch-flavored” recipes you had to bypass because of sodium content!
And the added benefit is you can also use this mix to make a delicious salad dressing.
You Control The Salt
I often find that mixing too many commercial ingredients in a recipe results in the dish tasting overly salty. This is especially true for many crock pot meals where you are mixing condensed soup, gravy mixes and dressing mixes in the same recipe.
Now manufacturers are adding lower-sodium gravy mixes to their line. However, they’re not widely available so your options are limited here. So what I try to do is use salt-free or low-sodium products for the soups and dressings.
But I’d still rather control my own seasonings in things I make, and I’d rather make these soups and mixes myself if at all possible. I might add that my recipe for condensed cream soups are so delicious, I reconstitute them and eat them as soup. That’s something I’d never do with the can.
To my way of thinking, the best option is to mix this ranch seasoning mix up and omit the salt entirely. Remember, you can always add a pinch of salt in the recipe if you need it.
Inspiration!
For a long time, I’ve used Missy’s great recipe on Graceful Little Honeybee. Then I tried Brandi’s from The Country Cook. What I did was combine the best elements of each of these fantastic recipes to make one that suited my taste.
One thing I don’t do anymore is use the buttermilk powder. Since I never use the whole can, there’s always some left. It turns hard as a rock and even using a mortar and pestle to break it up is labor intensive and doesn’t work that well. I’ve taken to using plain old non-fat dry milk in place of the buttermilk powder as that does not get rock hard.
The Recipe
Low-Sodium Ranch Seasoning Mix
Ingredients
- 1 cup powdered milk
- 1/2 cup dehydrated minced onions
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 3 tsp chives
- 1 tsp dill weed
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 2-3 tsp salt optional
- all herbs are the dry kind--from the jar
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together and store in an air-tight container out of direct light.3 tablespoons of this mix equals 1 envelope of commercial dressing mix.
- To make as a dressing, mix 1 tbs of seasoning mix with 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup milk or buttermilk.
Mike says
Recipe for Ranch Salad Dressing please.
Judith Hanneman says
See you found it 🙂 Enjoy!
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way says
I better check my buttermilk powder — it’s probably concrete by now. I do like having ranch dressing powder on hand, using it as a seasoning. Sometimes it’s too salty — I’m looking forward to trying your version. Thank you, Judith.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way recently posted…Italian Easter Bread With Colored Eggs {Corona Pasquale}
Judith Hanneman says
That’s why I don’t buy it anymore!!! I tried to use a mortar & pestle on the last batch, but it really didn’t work well 🙁 The non-fat dry milk doesn’t do that and it’s cheaper too!!!
Lilliana says
Do you have any more recipes for dressings or as mixed spices. I like to make my own salad dressing as well as a combined mix to spread over chicken or steak, etc. If anyone has a recipes for any seasonings or salad dressing would be quite appreciative if you share.
Thanks
Judith Hanneman says
I have a few more for the coming weeks, but so far I’ve posted a Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning and a Mrs. Dash copycat. For any I have that actually have salt in them, you can always omit it or cut it down more. If you’re interested in making your own condensed cream soups, I have recipe for that too (and they are so good, you will also want to reconstitute them as regular soup!). I put the links below; if they’re not clickable, just copy/paste into your browser’s address bar.
http://bakeatmidnite.com/rotisserie-chicken-seasoning/
http://bakeatmidnite.com/mrs-dash-seasoning-copycat/
http://bakeatmidnite.com/homemade-condensed-cream-soups/
Kimberlee says
I love that you don’t use buttermilk powder!!! That is the only reason I haven’t tried a diy ranch mix!
Judith Hanneman says
That powder is the pits!!! Gets hard as a rock and you really can’t break it up! It’s expensive too and a total waste of $$ IMO.