All the Ways to Love Ranch Dressing
NPR alerted us to the crucial news that ranch dressing continues to dominate the other salad dressing contenders on the market: “The NPD Group reported Tuesday that bottled ranch dressing is the No. 1 dressing shipped to the country’s cafeterias, restaurants and institutions.” Ranch is, two to one, smoking the closest contender, blue cheese dressing.
NPD even declares ranch “the new ketchup,” and although we wouldn’t go that far, it’s true that Americans have no fear when it comes to inventive ways of applying ranch dressing.
And staffers here have a yen for the stuff. Our resident Texan is responsible for the cheese fries contribution below; the editor who attended college in Oregon admits to a late-night penchant for pizza drizzled with ranch.
Here are all of the ways we love to love you, ranch dressing:
Photo credit: Greg Rannells, StockFood
The Lone Star State classics are piquant, salty and can only be improved by ranch.
Breadsticks
Yeah, we went there. Give marinara the boot. Forget the butter. Ranch forever.
Photo credit: Everyday Food
Chicken and ranch are like peanut butter and jelly, y’all.
Photo credit: Everyday Food
Few things better than tiny little beautiful potatoes coated in ranch and topped with a chiffonade of fresh herbs.
Fritters
Is it fried? Was it once a vegetable of some sort? Maybe squash, or zucchini? Who cares! Ranch!
Pizza
Photo credit: Jon Edwards, StockFood
In Oregon, in the 90’s, an order of a pizza would come with a side of ranch dressing, often whether or not you requested one. Withhold judgment.
Cheese Fries
Go to a restaurant. Order cheese fries. They’re ugly, and delicious, and often come with bacon sprinkled on them, or scallions. Go further. Go ranch. (It’s not like you came in here feeling like you were gonna order, like, green juice.)
Frog Legs
Photo credit: Carmen Troesser, StockFood
Haven’t tried it, but bet it would rule. Because ranch, you can do no wrong. Even, we guess, by the fancy frog leg.
Ranch Dressing
from Everyday Food
Serves 3-4
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 small garlic clove, pressed or very finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced scallion
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sour cream, and vinegar; stir in garlic and scallion. Season with salt and pepper.
