Make a batch of this 5 ingredient BBQ ranch dressing, and you've got a dressing/sauce that's super versatile and bursting with flavor. It'll definitely be your go-to salad dressing, chicken marinade, fry dip, and whatever else you want to eat it with. It'll definitely bump up your dressing and sauce game!
This BBQ ranch dressing is great on a simple chicken salad, but it's also fantastic to dip french fries into, is a tasty dip for this simple Instant Pot Fish if you like BBQ sauce with your fish, tossed with Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork, on the side of the easy and tasty Chicken and Bacon Sheet Pan Dinner, or on my favorite Grilled Chicken Burger.
Table of contents
How will this dressing make your life easier?
If you're a big ranch dressing fan like I am, elevate your fave salad dressing and dip with some BBQ sauce, and you've got a ranch-y tangy BBQ ranch dressing that's great on oh so many foods.
There are lots of homemade ranch dressing recipes out there, and they're good and all, but if you're anything like me, you love the traditional mix it yourself Hidden Valley ranch. The mix tastes way different than the bottle of ranch, and I think the mix tastes so much better than the pre-made dressing.
So instead of making your own ranch dressing, get yourself a packet (or a jar of the seasoning for less waste!), add your own mayo & Greek yogurt, milk, and BBQ sauce.
You may have seen a few recipes to add your barbecue ranch dressing to, but here are a couple more: dip this Black Bean and Veggie Quesadilla into it, or use your BBQ dressing as the sauce for these Crispy Instant Pot Chicken Wings.
What makes it so good?
How do I make this sauce?
Start making this small batch of BBQ ranch dressing by pouring the following ingredients into a mason jar with a tight lid: ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, 3 Tablespoons mayonnaise, ¼ cup buttermilk (or ¼ cup milk + 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar), 2 Tablespoons BBQ sauce, and 1 ½-2 teaspoons Ranch dressing mix.
Place lid on jar, and secure. Shake jar until sauce ingredients are incorporated and smooth. Whisk if any small chunks remain.
Pour over salad or onto a plate to use as a dip. You can refrigerate this ranch BBQ for 3-5 days, or just sniff it. If it smells good still, it should be safe to eat. I like using the sniff test because many foods last longer than 3-5 days and don't need to be tossed then.
Expert Tips
- I add plain Greek yogurt in this barbecue ranch recipe instead of all of the mayonnaise the recipe calls for because it adds a nice tangy flavor. But you're free to substitute the yogurt for all mayo! No problem.
- If you're not someone who has buttermilk on hand all the time, add some lemon juice or vinegar to milk to substitute it for the buttermilk. It's a really easy substitute in this BBQ ranch salad dressing recipe and tastes just as good.
- This makes a small batch of ranch BBQ sauce, which is great if you're cooking for one or a couple people. If you want to make this recipe for a bigger crowd or want more leftovers-click the slider in the recipe card to adjust the number of servings to make the amount you'll need.
FAQ
The USDA recommends keeping hot foods hot and cold foods cold. They recommend keeping hot/cold foods out at room temperature for 2 hours or less, and if it's 90 degrees or warmer, only keep food out for an hour. This will help prevent food borne illnesses. Do the same with your BBQ ranch dressing and whatever you're eating it with.
My favorite brand is Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce. It's really good in this semi-homemade BBQ ranch dressing. It's tangy, sweet, and has some nice spices in it. Delish posted an article on their favorites here.
Most ranch dressings have mayonnaise and other dairy ingredients in it. Sweet, smooth mayo is really delicious with the spices and herbs in traditional ranch dressings. My favorite brand, Hidden Valley, has a great spice packet that you can use to make your own, and that uses mayonnaise and buttermilk. Personally, I like mayo + plain Greek yogurt for some extra tang, which is great in this barbecue ranch recipe.
What is it good with?
I highly recommend making a simple chicken salad to dress with this BBQ ranch dressing. Here are a couple ingredients to include in your salad:
- Romaine lettuce
- Chicken strips or other cooked chicken
- Corn kernels
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sunflower seeds
you can also use this ranch BBQ sauce recipe with the following recipes on NNC:
- Grilled Chicken Burger
- Chicken and Bacon Sheet Pan Dinner
- Instant Pot Pulled Pork
- Instant Pot Fish
- Black Bean and Veggie Quesadilla
- Instant Pot Crispy Chicken Wings
What can I make with leftover ingredients?
- The ranch mix used in this healthy BBQ ranch dressing will last a long time, I recommend making traditional ranch dressing with it whenever you're craving it!
- Greek Yogurt: Versatile Overnight Oats, PB Yogurt Dip, Homemade Firecracker Popsicles.
- Mayo: Chicken Cranberry and Walnut Salad, or a Chicken Salad Pita.
- BBQ Sauce: Pressure Cooker Pulled Pork, Grilled Chicken Burger
Did you make this BBQ Ranch Dressing? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Semi-Homemade BBQ Ranch Dressing
Equipment
- Mason Jar with Lid
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
BBQ Ranch Dressing
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup buttermilk or milk + 1 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce I use Sweet Baby Ray's original
- 1 ½-2 teaspoons ranch dressing mix
Salad
- chicken
- lettuce
- black beans
- corn kernels
- shredded cheddar cheese
- sunflower seeds
Instructions
- Pour ¼ c plain Greek yogurt, ¼ c buttermilk (or ¼ c milk + 1 tsp lemon juice OR white vinegar), 3 T mayo, 2 T BBQ sauce, and 1 ½-2 tsp ranch dressing mix into a wide mouth mason jar.
- Screw jar lid on tight, and shake until dressing is mixed well and smooth. Whisk if you can see small chunks after shaking.
- Pour over salad with ingredients in ingredient list or use to dip chicken or fries into. You can also use this as a marinade for grilled chicken. It's really versatile!
Notes
- I substitute some of the mayonnaise in the traditional recipe with plain Greek yogurt for a tangy addition. You can replace the ¼ cup greek yogurt with more mayo if you'd like.
- This BBQ ranch dressing is great as a salad dressing, marinade, or dip for fries or other foods.
Want to get some single serving recipes and others like this BBQ Ranch Dressing delivered to your inbox? Click here to download my Single Serving Cookbook.
Recipes are great, but you’ll need a simple 3 step process to create a meal plan that make cooking easy & helps you stop wasting food. Check out this expertly developed meal planning guide to get started.
Sarah James says
Your ranch dressing looks delicious, I love the idea of adding BBQ sauce and using Greek yoghurt. Thanks for sharing.
Rebecca says
totally!
Denay says
Such a flavorful dressing! We enjoyed it as a dipping sauce for chicken fingers. It was a huge hit with the family.
Rebecca says
it's delish with chicken fingers
Liz says
I gotta say, I love me some ranch! This BBQ ranch is a fun twist on my favorite. I'm going to be using this all summer long!
Rebecca says
right?! ranch is the best, but BBQ ranch is better 😉
Lindsay says
This sounds delicious! I'm going to make this to add to a chicken bacon ranch pizza - it's one of our favorite things to order out, but I think this sauce will make my homemade one even better!
Rebecca says
ohh, how did I not even think of putting it on a pizza?!!! such a great idea
Adriana says
Love the addition of the buttermilk adds to this dressing a yummy tang. Made it yesterday, and it was a complete hit!
Rebecca says
yay! a good, tangy dressing is the best