Following a low carb diet like Keto doesn’t mean you have to settle for another boring salad.
Bring your salad to the next level by pouring on some cool and creamy ranch dressing. Not only is this dressing low in carbs, it’s rich and zesty flavour truly brings any salad up a notch.
No ranch in your refrigerator? No problem! I’ve included a tasty recipe for Easy Keto Ranch Dressing. It’s all natural and you just need to whisk together a few basic ingredients… It can’t get any easier than that!
But ranch isn’t just for salads… It goes with pretty much anything! You can add a little ranch to many dishes for a little extra zip. Keep reading to discover all the ways you can incorporate this delicious condiment into your Ketogenic lifestyle.
How Many Carbs are in Ranch Dressing?
One tablespoon of ranch dressing contains only 1 gram of carbs.
How Many Calories are in Ranch Dressing?
There are 73 calories in a tablespoon of ranch dressing.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon of Ranch Dressing (15 grams) | |
| Calories 73 | |
| Total Fat 8 grams | 12% |
| Saturated fat 1.2 grams | 6% |
| Polyunsaturated fat 4.2 grams | |
| Monounsaturated fat 1.7 grams | |
| Cholesterol 5 milligrams | 1% |
| Sodium 164.1 milligrams | 6% |
| Potassium 9.3 milligrams | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 1 grams | 0% |
| Dietary fiber 0.1 grams | 0% |
| Sugar 0.4 grams | |
| Protein 0.2 grams | 0% |
| Vitamin A | 0% | Vitamin C | 0% |
| Calcium | 0% | Iron | 0% |
| Vitamin D | 0% | Vitamin B-6 | 0% |
| Cobalamin | 0% | Magnesium | 0% |
Popular Ranch Dressing Brands
- Kraft Cool and Creamy Classic Ranch
- Heinz Ranch Dressing
- Renee’s Ranch Dressing
- Hidden Valley Ranch
- Marzetti Classic
- Annie’s Organic
- Newman’s Own
- Wish Bone
- Trader Joe’s Organic Ranch
- Brianna’s Ranch
- Ken’s Steakhouse Ranch
- Mother Raw Organic Ranch
Easy Keto Ranch Dressing Recipe
Ingredients:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek Dressing
- ½ cup sour cream
- A squirt of lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon dried chives
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cashew milk
Instructions:
- Whisk all ingredients together in a medium sized mixing bowl.
- Gradually add the cashew milk until you reach desired consistency (For a thicker ranch-style dip, use less milk. For a thinner dressing, use more milk.)
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to mingle. This dressing can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Health Benefits
It is important to consume some fat in your diet because it helps the body absorb fat-soluble nutrients like vitamins D, E, and K. Fat also helps you keep you feeling satiated for longer periods of time, which may prevent overeating and snacking between meals.
Always check the product label and choose a brand that lists natural ingredients. Look for ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, onion, sea salt, dill, bell pepper, parsley, chives. These are all healthy ingredients that add some nutrients to your diet.
We recommend Mother Raw Organic Ranch Dressing. If your local grocery store doesn’t carry this brand, it can be purchased online on the Mother Raw web site and on Amazon.
Side Effects
Ranch dressing is high calories and fat, while providing little nutrients. This dressing doesn’t offer a significant amount of vitamins and minerals.
A diet high in saturated fat can lead to weight gain, so make sure to eat ranch dressing in moderation. The saturated fat in ranch dressing may contribute to heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Low fat brands may be healthier, however they can contain added sugar to improve the flavour profile. It’s important to check the nutritional information on the product label.
Bottled dressings contain preservatives and unhealthy flavour enhancers like MSG, so making your own homemade ranch dressing is a healthier option.
Dry ranch seasoning mixes may contain high levels of sodium which can raise blood pressure. You should limit your intake to around 1,500 and 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily.
There are many different types of oils and vinegars that can help stabilize glucose levels and control hunger. These can be combined with Greek yogurt, sour cream, mayo and herbs to create a more nutritious ranch style sauce.
Keto Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Recipe (No Mayo)
Not a fan of mayonnaise? Try this mayo-free ranch dressing recipe made with sour cream. If you’re following a low fat diet, you can use low fat Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sour cream or Greek yogurt (Regular or reduced fat)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried chives
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- A squirt of lemon juice
Instructions:
- Place sour cream and buttermilk into a medium sized bowl.
- Add in seasonings.
- Whisk ingredients together until fully combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
How to Make Spicy Ranch Sauce
Have you ever tried spicy ranch? Add a little fire to your dressing by mixing in herbs and spices into your ranch dressing. Chicken wings taste amazing dipped in this zesty sauce.
Whether you enjoy bottled ranch dressing or you make your own homemade, you can make it spicy by simply mixing in a few drops of hot sauce, Sriracha chili sauce or chipotle sauce into your ranch dressing. You can also throw in a pureed jalapeño pepper to spice it up!
Ways to Use Ranch Dressing on Keto
Ranch isn’t just for salads, you can put it on anything. Try incorporating this delicious, creamy dressing into your low carb diet in any of the following ways:
- Use ranch dressing as a rub for roasting chicken or pork.
- Use ranch as a dip for raw veggies. (You can add in low fat sour cream to lower the calories and add extra herbs, like dry chives and dill weed.)
- Dip cauliflower pizza in ranch dressing or spread it onto the crust before baking.
- Spread ranch on a lettuce leaf, along with black forest ham and cheese to make lettuce wraps.
- Use ranch in place of mayo for an extra tangy zip. Try it on turkey or beef burgers.
- Use it to season casseroles.
- Toss Brussel sprouts in ranch dressing before roasting to enhance the flavor.
- Add to potato salad along with mayo or instead of mayo.
- Puree chickpeas with ranch for a hummus style dip.
- Mix ranch with cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and bacon bits to make a cheese ball for parties.
- Add ranch dressing to jazz up mashed potatoes or creamy cauliflower mash.
- Dip chicken wings in spicy ranch sauce.
Related Questions:
Is Ranch Dressing Dairy-Free?
Ranch dressing is typically made with buttermilk, but some recipes also include sour cream or yogurt. All of these are dairy products, and are therefore potential sources of lactose.
If you suffer from lactose intolerance and want to eat a ranch-type dressing, look for non-dairy or vegan versions of ranch dressing in your grocery store. These will be lactose-free. Otherwise, you can always make your own ranch dressing, using non-dairy substitutes in place of the dairy products you typically find in ranch dressing.
Is Ranch Dressing Gluten-Free?
The makers of Hidden Valley Salad Dressings have added a “Gluten Free” logo to bottles and dry packets of its signature Original Ranch® dressing as well as much of its Farmhouse Originals product line.
Some
brands, like Heinz Ranch dressing, contain gluten. Always check the ingredients label to ensure
there are no wheat-based products or flour in the product.
