How to Make Fat-free Ranch Dressing

With a few nonfat ingredients, you can make your own fat-free ranch dressing.

Two tablespoons of regular ranch dressing can contain 150 calories -- up to four and a half times the amount of calories in the salad itself. But before you resign yourself to munching on dry lettuce, try making your own fat-free ranch dressing. There are numerous ways to create this low-calorie alternative using a yogurt or mayonnaise base and a packaged dressing mix. You can even mix up your own spice mix to share with friends.

Things You'll Need

• Packaged Mix:
• 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 1 oz. ranch dressing mix
• 2/3 cup nonfat mayonnaise
• 2/3 cup nonfat sour cream
• Homemade:
• 2 tbsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1/3 cup nonfat mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup nonfat milk

Instructions

Packaged Mix

1. Combine one cup nonfat plain yogurt and one cup nonfat milk for a yogurt-based dressing. To create a mayonnaise base, mix 2/3 cup each of nonfat mayonnaise, nonfat sour cream and nonfat milk.

2. Add a one-ounce package of ranch dressing mix.

3. Mix with an electric mixer until the dressing is smooth.

4. Add salt and pepper according to taste.

5. Chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. It will yield 2 cups, or approximately 20 servings of ranch dressing.

Homemade Mix

1. Combine 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1 teaspoon of dried dill, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper in a small bowl.

2. Prepare a dressing base as described above.

3. Add the spices to the base and mix with an electric mixer until the dressing is smooth.

4. Add salt to taste. Stir the dressing well.

5. Chill the dressing in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

References

• Yummly: Fat-Free Ranch Dressing
• Spark Recipes: Fat-Free Ranch Dressing
• $5 Dinners; Homemade Ranch Dressing Mix -- Kitchen Shortcut; April 2011
• TheCalorieCounter.com: Calories in Salad Dressing
• TheCalorieCounter.com: Calories in Fast Foods