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I really love ranch dressing. Anyone know of any sorta paleo ranch dressing products? All the ones I have seen have corn oil or canola oil high on the ingredient listing. I don't really mind buttermilk but I'd like to at least get away from the seed oils and long lists of creepy chemicals. And since I already spend tons of time cooking, I really don't want to take on any more cooking projects. I certainly admire all of you that home cook everything, but the intensive home cooking is really the one point of paleo that I could live without. One of these days, I'll just have to get rich and hire my own special paleo chef! But until that day, a decent paleoish ranch dressing would really make my day!
;-P -Eva

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8 Answers

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I have yet to find a commercial dressing that seems acceptable, health wise. I find it super easy to combine garlic powder, onion powder, salt and any dried herb (parsley, oregano, etc.) with some real yogurt (I use the organic European Style from Trader Joes); after sitting for fifteen minutes, it really is a delicious ranch dressing.

Not what you were looking for, but it's the best I got!

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sour cream with onion and/or garlic powder!

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Hi Scott. That sounds more like potato chip dip than ranch dressing. – Ed Aug 5 2010 at 23:51
you can throw in some milk to thin it out... – Scott Shapiro Aug 5 2010 at 23:58
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Here's a pretty quick, simple recipe, just mix the ingredients together and you're good to go! It'll take less time to make it than it would to drive to the store!

http://www.grouprecipes.com/18879/homemade-ranch-dressing.html

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Minus the MSG of course! – Drew aka CrossFit Junkie Aug 4 2010 at 4:36
I couldn't imagine actually adding msg to my home cooked food....crazy stuff. I like the recipe though. Real quick and simple. – Susan Aug 4 2010 at 4:40
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OK, then the question becomes, what mayo is not loaded with grain oils and creepy chemicals? Uh oh, let me guess, you have to make your own.. ;-) – Eva Aug 4 2010 at 4:51
Haha, yes I guess you would... :) paleoplan.com/2009/11-22/omega-3-mayonnaise – Drew aka CrossFit Junkie Aug 4 2010 at 18:53
Eva, you don't have to use mayo - you can use greek yogurt, which is low carb and fatty and yummy. It makes an excellent ranch dressing, just following your fave dressing recipe. – Corinne Aug 4 2010 at 22:50
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I am unsure if they use any stabilizers or preservatives in their mixes (I don't think they do) but Penzey's seems to have a bunch of spice mixes (ranch included) that are just seasoning without any of the bad stuff:

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/p-penzeysbuttermilk.html

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I am a huge fan of Penzey's!! They don't use MSG, just actual, high quality spices & herbs. Some of the salad dressings have a little sugar, however it doesn't seem to be much. I'd encourage everyone to check them out. The quality is out of this world, prices good and we are always being encourages to expand our spice racks!

I know things like this are borderline paleo, and not everyone will agree with consuming it. I've never liked dairy, and this is about the extent of my consumption...it doesn't seem to adversely affect me...that is all I know.

I make a dip/dressing from the low carb days & use it several places:

1-2 T Penzey's Creamy Peppercorn Dressing Base or French Vinegarette Base 1 T water 1/2 cup Helmann's Mayo 1/2 cup full fat sour cream some feta cheese crumbles (2-3 ounces, maybe?)

Combine the dressing base with the water to increase the mixability. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir and refrigerate.

I use it as veggie dip, a little in stuffed mushrooms to lend moisture, You could use it as a "crown" on steak. Thinned out, it could be a creamy salad dressing.

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Wish there would have been a magic dairy-free answer to this question. I cheat with ranch dressing as I find it hard to enjoy a salad without a creamy dressing to go with. I have tried making more Paleoish dressing but since I am also vinegar free it's hard to come up with much using olive oil, spices, and lemon. :(

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I've used eggs to "cream" up a sauce. Made a great caesar with it. – Stephen-Aegis Mar 27 2011 at 4:04
youtube.com/… <- she uses cashews to make a dairy free ranch. – Oranges13 Apr 17 2011 at 0:51
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Melinda you can do it dairy free! Just home make some mayo and add the spices that you like in Ranch, I also make a paleo, vinegar-free dressing that is creamy and delicious!

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I've made a great Paleo ranch dressing with olive oil and coconut milk and a ton of spices. It's great for dipping veggies or drizzling over salad. http://northwestcavegirls.com/2012/03/paleo-ranch-salad-dressing/

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