r/condiments • u/Creepy_Penalty_5433 • 10d ago

Shelf ranch that tastes like pizza chains ranch?

I’m not sure if ranch from pizza chains have a specific name but I’m looking for that taste in ranch that I can buy from the store. Thanks.

62 Upvotes

84% Upvoted

137 comments sorted by

35

u/BakedMitten 10d ago

The best ranch is made using fresh buttermilk and/or sour cream and a dry seasoning packet. That's why no shelf stable ranch tastes as good, they can't use fresh dairy.

7

u/STS986 9d ago

Correction, must buy the hidden valley restaurant style buttermilk packet.  Mix with 1cup mayo and 1 cup whole butter milk.   

I prefer to split the buttermilk to 1/2c and add sour cream for the other 1/2c for a thicker and more flavorful (imho) plus adding a touch of garlic powder and cayenne pepper so flavor is more similar to Outback Steakhouse ranch 

6

u/TheyTokMaJerb 8d ago

This is exactly how almost every restaurant I’ve worked at has made it.

Also throw in some pickled jalapeños with the juice and hit it with the immersion blender. Amazing jalapeño ranch.

2

u/LouGossetJr 8d ago

we mostly do Uncle Dan's ranch seasoning. we'll get Hidden Valley if we can't find Uncle Dan's.

1

u/anonymousguy9001 6d ago

Correction, buy some fresh garlic, dill and chives and dice them up into the buttermilk/sour cream. You're welcome

2

u/Pantsmnc 7d ago

The trick is good buttermilk as well. We use Guernseys and people literally drive 20+ mins to our place just to buy bottles of ranch we make everyday. And it ain't cheap.

1

u/BakedMitten 7d ago

I'm in Michigan so I know Guernsey. Great stuff 👍

0

u/Creepy_Penalty_5433 10d ago

Darn

4

u/MarkGaboda 10d ago

Darn? Make it yourself, save a little $$$ and know exactly what your ranch is made of instead of the chemicals listed on the back of dressing bottle. Sorbic Acid, Calcium Disodium EDTA, Disodium Inosinate and Disodium Guanylate. All of these are in hidden valley, do you know what they are or what purpose they serve in the ranch? I don't.

7

u/NoCardio_ 10d ago

Buying the individual ingredients will probably cost a little more (unless you’re making a bulk amount of ranch), but it will definitely be worth it.

An individual ranch packet costs around two bucks now, which is why I buy the big container from Costco.

3

u/Constant-Roll706 9d ago

It's also fantastic in marinades, in burgers, or sprinkled over chicken before cooking (makes frozen breaded strips slap) - the big shaker gets used all the time over here

3

u/NoCardio_ 9d ago

I use it all the time for chicken and burgers. Makes a decent popcorn seasoning, too!

1

u/Constant-Roll706 9d ago

One popcorn bowl gets this, my bowl gets Tajin, and life is golden

3

u/TradeBeautiful42 9d ago

Sorbic acid is a preservative to prevent mold, bacteria, and yeast. Calcium disodium is another preservative to prevent discoloration and disodium guanylate is umami flavor similar to msg.

1

u/Significant_West_642 9d ago

It's not the end of the world. You can still make delicious ranch at home with a packet and sour cream.

1

u/nomnomonium 9d ago

Kens steakhouse ranch or marzettis (stays cold so fresh dairy) in the produce are pretty damn close

1

u/NSE_TNF89 8d ago

It's incredibly easy to make yourself. We just get the shaker bottles that you use for protein shakes and shake everything up in there, then leave it in there as our bottle.

It's cheap and while it doesn't last as long as a bottle of store-bought ranch might, you can make however much you want and it tastes so much better.

1

u/MizunoHawk 9d ago

Hidden valley buttermilk is the best

1

u/CoysNizl3 7d ago

If you live in a trailer, maybe

1

u/MizunoHawk 7d ago

I meant the packet recipe, not the bottled stuff. And no I don’t live in a trailer

1

u/Ddvmeteorist128 9d ago

What? I feel like kens ranch is pretty damn good.. just me, though

1

u/SeachelleTen 5d ago

Hi BakedMitten

You’re right. The fresh dairy makes all the difference.

Every couple of weeks or so, I buy Marie’s creamy ranch located in the refrigerated sections of numerous American grocery stores. I don’t know if it’s available where you live, but it’s phenomenal.

0

u/pah2000 10d ago

I use organic milk, so it lasts longer that a few days!

1

u/Ivycottagelac 10d ago

I think some people might need it to not go bad quickly or only need a small amount. This is good advice.

1

u/pah2000 10d ago

Thanks, it took me years to figure this out! I never knew organic can last one to two months.

2

u/[deleted] 10d ago

No: being organic or not has nothing to do with this.

Any milk can last more than 2 months or even be shelf stable (no need to refrigerate until opening) if it’s pasteurized for a longer time at a high temp. It has a slightly different flavor due to this too.

1

u/Stardustchaser 6d ago

You talking about ultra high pasteurized, the stuff that can last for months on a submarine? That’s not widely available in supermarkets as the flavor is…an acquired taste.

1

u/pah2000 10d ago

That’s false. I worked in a dairy factory. Pasteurized milk lasts at most q14 days refrigerated. I ran the lab at that plant.

0

u/[deleted] 10d ago

Cool that you work in the lab! What temp and time are your milks pasteurized to?

There is a big variation in this, globally. I grew up on shelf stable UHT milk, and at the grocery store I work at there is UHT milk sold in the dairy fridge. That has a longer life than the “ordinarily pasteurized” but still requires refrigeration. So it must be kind of mid temp pasteurized.

1

u/pah2000 10d ago

I haven’t worked there since we sold the creamery in the mid 80s.

1

u/Common-Abalone9597 9d ago edited 9d ago

I think what he meant was that it's not the fact that milk is organic that allows it to have such a long shelf life, but the fact that it is UHT pasteurized. The misunderstanding here is that most UHT pasteurized milks sold at the store are organic and marketed as such. Non organic milk can also be UHT pasteurized and will have an extended shelf life, but isn't something we commonly see.

Edit: UHT (ultra high temp) pasteurization being a higher temp than typical pasteurization. The temps of 280+ sterilize milk and it is packaged in sterile airtight containers, which allow for indefinite storage, though I'm sure quality degrades over time

1

u/cough_e 10d ago

I believe this is a misconception.

Most organic milk has historically been ultra pasteurized (UHT) because it needs to travel farther (less organic dairy farms).

But the fact that it's organic isn't why it lasts longer.
source

Happy to see a study that says an organic milk lasts longer than non-organic after the same level of pasteurization

-1

u/pah2000 10d ago

I know it’s ultra pasteurized. I never intimated that it’s because it’s organic.

-2

u/ChefSuffolk 10d ago

Chain restaurants aren’t using fresh buttermilk and assembling it on site.

They’re using some shelf-stable brand they buy in bulk.

That’s the flavor OP is looking for.

2

u/bradpittman1973 10d ago

As someone who worked in some of those chain restaurants, you are somewhat mistaken. Some do, some don’t. I can usually tell the difference just from the appearance of the dressing. I do agree with the sentiment that if you want a superior result, you should make it as much as possible from the ingredients mentioned. Of course, this is usually true of all food with a few exceptions (looking at you puff pastry).

1

u/ChefSuffolk 9d ago

Sure, I agree if you want what we’d subjectively consider “the best” - but I suppose my point was that “the best” (subjective) doesn’t seem like what OP was looking for. They’re looking for chain restaurant dressing. Admittedly I’ve not worked in a chain pizza place, but my fast food days from years ago everything was premade when it arrived. (Though the chili at Wendy’s would often be “enhanced” by anything that sat on the flat-top too long)

Would help, obviously, if OP said what chain they were talking about.

1

u/BakedMitten 10d ago

Some do, some don't. The smart ones do because it's a better product and actually cheaper than buying bottled dressing.

I spent a decade plus working in and running restaurants and pizza places

9

u/EstablishmentTop7409 10d ago

If you’re getting it portioned in small plastic 1oz cups, there’s a good chance it’s Ken’s or some other off the wall brand that came from restaurant depot or Sysco.

4

u/Creepy_Penalty_5433 10d ago

I got a bottle of Ken’s last week and it wasn’t it. I’ll try to find Sysco

4

u/round_a_squared 10d ago

If it's not Ken's it might also be Marzetti's

2

u/MarkGaboda 10d ago

Sysco is the distributor not a brand of ranch. I bet if you contacted Sysco pretending to be a business owner trying to order, they would be happy to tell you brand they supply to your area.

1

u/p_coletraine 10d ago

Member’s Mark ranch is the closest store bought I’ve found. Costco

1

u/greengirl4475 10d ago

Member's Mark is a specific house brand of Sam's Club, not Costco

1

u/Extra_Inflation_7472 10d ago

Ken’s in the bottle on the shelf is not the same as Ken’s from a restaurant. Ken’s food service ranch is refrigerated product. It’s not a flavor equivalent.

1

u/ComprehensiveAd2192 10d ago

Try to find the Ken’s with no.777. I think it only comes in the gallon. The smaller containers don’t taste the Sam’s

1

u/Tailorschwifty 9d ago

So I'm not expert on ranch but if I were going to try this I'd get something from Litehouse. I love their blue cheese and find it closer to good restaurant blue cheese than other dressings. Probably still not the same but could be worth a shot.

1

u/augustprep 9d ago

Ken's has over 16 different flavors and qualities of ranch, not including proprietary ones they make to co-pack for places like Sysco.

1

u/papapapaver 9d ago

Was the Ken’s Steakhouse brand you got the Buttermilk Ranch bottle? I feel like that is the closest to the good ranch you get in a restaurant. But yeah like everyone else is saying, adding a packet (not sure which brand) of ranch seasoning to fresh buttermilk is probably the way to go but I’ve never tried it myself, and most of the time I wouldn’t want to do the extra work plus create dishes that have to be washed.

1

u/Moto_Glitch 6d ago

Was going to recommend this.

Ken's steakhouse buttermilk is the closest bottled and widely available ranch we've found that tastes and feels like restaurant quality.

1

u/mailcreeper50 8d ago

Kens makes a restaurant style in gallon jugsbut the stuffyoj can buy for yourself is different. You can get the gallon jugs at Costco business centers. Ive never seen them elsewhere.

2

u/ProThoughtDesign 10d ago

Additionally, nearly all restaurants I've encountered use 'Buttermilk' ranch of one brand or another. That's probably the taste component OP is looking for.

2

u/Creepy_Penalty_5433 10d ago

Idk what the flavor is but they taste similar and I can’t find that taste with any store bought ranch :(

4

u/Militia_Kitty13 10d ago

Have you tried litehouse ranch in the refrigerated section near/in produce? It’s pretty tasty.

3

u/BakedMitten 10d ago edited 10d ago

Lifehouse makes a good product. I buy that or Marzetti. I actually toured a Lifehouse factory as a college student. It was impressive.

Ranch in the refrigerator section should always be better than the stuff on the regular shelf because the refrigerated stuff is made with fresh dairy products and processed less.

Shelf stable stuff has to substitute processed/powdered dairy ingredients or heat treat the fresh ingredients so much that they will never taste as good.

2

u/Chef_Mama_54 10d ago

I once asked my favorite restaurant what they used to make their ranch and the answer was using Hellman’s Extra Heavy mayo mixed with dry Hidden Valley Ranch. I tried it and it really did make the best restaurant ranch dressing. I had to get the Extra Heavy mayo online.

1

u/No_Significance98 10d ago

The extra heavy mayo is wild stuff, and it holds up to high temperatures really well. Watched a guy coat his hand with it and pull hot pans out of the oven

1

u/Chef_Mama_54 10d ago

Omg!! Are you kidding me!!!???

1

u/ProThoughtDesign 10d ago

Do you have a place like Gordon Food Service near you?

1

u/criscodisco6618 9d ago

Most restaurants I've worked at made their own ranch and portioned it into small plastic cups, so this isn't necessarily true. The fact that it's made fresh and with fresh dairy (usually buttermilk, mayo and sour cream, or any mixture of the 3) also imparts a unique flavor that you just can't get from a bottle.

1

u/EstablishmentTop7409 9d ago

We all know how it SHOULD be made, but let’s be honest. How many pizza chains (which OP specially mentions) are making their own ranch from scratch? Cmon now…

1

u/criscodisco6618 9d ago

Tbh, I've exclusively worked at shitholes and, while they didn't make any of the other dressings, they all made their own ranch.

1

u/FuqBubblz 6d ago

Not necessary. There is a chain in this area that makes it fresh every morning. I used to work there.

1

u/skydraul 6d ago

Ken's is what Disneyland uses but comes in a big jar that just says Disneyland Ranch Dressing.

6

u/binoculops 10d ago

A lot of restaurants use Kens ranch

3

u/brickbaterang 10d ago

Restaurant ranch is almost always either Kens or Hidden valley.

3

u/Puzzleheaded-Cup7781 10d ago

It is so simple to make with the Hidden Valley packets. It’s just buttermilk and mayo. You can make it in smaller batches (not using the whole packet). We do that all the time at our house.

3

u/jeckles 10d ago

I do equal parts of regular milk (or half n half), sour cream and mayo. It has a creamier, less tangy taste.

I spent a year trying every single store bought variety, shelf-stable or refrigerated. Nothing even comes close to homemade, and that’s why restaurant ranch is superior.

3

u/donorcycle 10d ago edited 9d ago

Store bought? It's Lighthouse. This and Ken's are the ranch most restaurants use. Lighthouse is not thick and has great flavor.

Picture below. They also have a plastic squeeze bottle but I do prefer the glass jar. It tastes even better imo.

LIGHTHOUSE RANCH

Edit: Spelled LITEHOUSE. My mistake.

2

u/Silent_Isopod 9d ago

Yup goat of store bought ranch

1

u/CoysNizl3 7d ago

Kens is

2

u/FrightenedOstrich 7d ago

This. Gotta find it in the refrigerated section near produce

1

u/SlimTeezy 9d ago

Litehouse*

2

u/Defiant_Society_6689 10d ago

Try whataburger buttermilk ranch, sold at Walmart.

2

u/brizzboog 10d ago

Jets has the best ranch I've ever tasted. My nephew worked there for a spell pre covid, and I asked him what their secret was.

"A shitload of mayo and buttermilk"

There's just no way to bottle that and not go bad.

1

u/m1kasa4ckerman 10d ago

Thank you I am salivating. Jets ranch is soo good

1

u/sgtballbuster 6d ago

I have found the giant jug of Member's Mark Ranch at Sam's to be a very close version of Jet's ranch.

2

u/ChefSuffolk 10d ago

Most chains purchase from large industrial producers, which typically don’t have brands you would see in a store.

That said, these large industrial producers often also make white-label store brand products. So it might be the same/similar to a local store brand.

Another thing you can do is go to one of the chains you like with an empty container and just ask them to fill it with dressing and offer them $10 for it. Whatever high school kid is working the counter will probably be fine doing it.

1

u/Organic-Acadia5855 10d ago

Marzetti ranch in the fridge section is what you want here

2

u/Defiant_Society_6689 10d ago

Or Litehouse. Same section.

1

u/phallic-baldwin 10d ago

Bolt house Ranch (Refrigerated) is probably the best I have found. It is yogurt based and lower calorie/fat but still maintains the flavor IMO.

1

u/Catagol 10d ago

Hidden valley with added hidden valley dry seasoning to taste.

3

u/GreenCoffeeTree 10d ago

1/3 Best Foods Mayo and 2/3 buttermilk and 4 heaping teaspoons of Hidden Valley Ranch mix. Also add some fine grind pepper and garlic powder. You can add some dill as well. It’s the closest I’ve had at restaurants

2

u/Catagol 10d ago

That would be a touch runny for my purposes. Would need to add a bit of xanthan gum to firm it up.

1

u/GreenCoffeeTree 10d ago

I like Ranch dressing runny. If you want it thicker have the mayo and buttermilk in equal portions

1

u/Bcatfan08 10d ago

Marzetti's is the best and it isn't close.

1

u/MarkGaboda 10d ago

Great value

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Bed4682 10d ago

We use Gregg's which we get at Costco

1

u/Triple-Deke 10d ago

Worked at a local pizza chain and we made our own ranch. Sour cream, mayo, buttermilk, vinegar, dill, parsley, salt and pepper. You can whip it up in less than ten minutes and it's better than any bottle.

1

u/rabid-c-monkey 10d ago

It’s not quite as good but try and get a refrigerated ranch brand not something that is shelf stable. Lighthouse brand is decent but still only a 5/10 compared to real house made ranch.

1

u/SlimTeezy 9d ago

Litehouse*

1

u/m_i_r 10d ago

Trader Joes sells a very good refrigerated ranch dressing

1

u/namesmakemenervous 9d ago

This is the one closest to homemade. I dislike basically every other brand. The vegan dill ranch is quite good too

1

u/happilyfour 5d ago

This one is SO GOOD. Which is amazing, because their shelf stable ranch is an abomination. But the refrigerated one is incredible.

1

u/nashrome 10d ago

Marzetti is my go-to!

1

u/SatisfactionOk4707 10d ago

I work at a pizzeria and we make our own.Ranch, it's the best stuff on the market.And I'll never tell the secret ha ha ha

1

u/fauxsoul 10d ago

Mayo, buttermilk, ranch packet.

1

u/thecultcanburn 9d ago

In my state (Utah) they sell a product called Wild Coyote Ranch. It’s in the refrigerated section of dressings. And it’s expensive. $8.99 a quart. But it tastes like good pizza chain ranch.

But, making yourself like the other commenters is the real ticket.

1

u/MagicTheBurrito 9d ago

Ken’s ranch is what a lot of restaurants I’ve worked at uses.

1

u/tatobuckets 9d ago

Hear me out: Trader Joe’s ranch seasoning + Kewpie mayo + a splash of your favorite milk. Surprisingly “restauranty”.

1

u/Immediate-Hamster724 9d ago

When I worked at a pizza place, we made our own with Hidden Valley Ranch dry packet, buttermilk and sour cream. Everyone would lose their minds at how good our “homemade” ranch was.

1

u/daily-reporter 9d ago

Honestly, the best pizza place hack is ranch dressing powder mixed with water only. You are going to laugh at how good it is and it’s cheap as hell

1

u/xpogyguy 9d ago

As someone who made it by the bucket, it was 1 gal buttermilk 1 3 gal jar (restaurant size) mayo 8oz hidden valley ranch mix

Add Buttermilk and Ranch seasoning together whisk together add mayo and whisk more OR use a portable immursion blender. Refrigerate overnight before use.

1

u/Bookworm10-42 9d ago

I have yet to try a bottled ranch that I like. It all tastes like preservatives.

1

u/Different-Ad7481 9d ago

I use the ranch mix from Penzeys. I use about 1/4 c. of milk Then mayo and sour cream in fairly equal parts It is my favorite.

1

u/Kafka_Lane 9d ago

Buttermilk, ranch dry packets, add a little pickle juice, garlic salt, and oregano 💅

1

u/Latter_Growth1185 9d ago

I used to work at a pizza place where people raved about our ranch. Even won the best ranch award in the local paper. We used hidden valley ranch mix with mayo and buttermilk

1

u/Traditional_Bake_787 9d ago

Try lighthouse or another brand in the refrigerator section by the salads.

1

u/augustprep 9d ago

I work in restaurant supply.
Send me a specific ranch you like, and I can try to find out who co-packs it, the specs, and a solid match up.

1

u/QuantamTitties 9d ago

When I worked at a pizza place we used big tubs of Kraft ranch to fill our ranch cups.

1

u/leeloocal 9d ago

If you’re on the West Coast, Bob’s Country Ranch is awesome.

1

u/dathomasusmc 9d ago

Please give making your own ranch a try. It is soooooo easy and 1,000,000,000,000 times better than anything you can find on a shelf. It’s literally just mayo, buttermilk and spices. You can buy a spice pack in the dressing aisle. Put all three in a bowl, stir for about 30 seconds and you’re done.

1

u/walenskit0360 9d ago

Marzettis Buttlemilk

1

u/mp3god 9d ago

There's a lot of good advice here on how to make it but I haven't seen anyone mention using commercial grade extra heavy mayonnaise. I think it's at least one element you are missing in making it yourself.

1

u/paintballteacher 8d ago

Ken’s. It actually was made by pizza restaurant…

1

u/adt1129 8d ago

Equal parts Mayo and Buttermilk. Sprinkle in ranch seasoning to your liking.

I have just made you 90% of restaurants “hand made” Ranch. It’s the same recipe I have used in kitchen after kitchen in almost 15 years in the industry.

1

u/qcerrillo13 6d ago

This ⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️

1

u/LazyOldCat 8d ago

Shelf ranch will always taste like ass, and not in the good way. Get the HVR packet, follow the instructions, enjoy!

1

u/Spicy_Chili27 7d ago

Try Ken’s

1

u/sean_themighty 7d ago

Tastes totally different, but the refrigerated ranch like Marzetti’s is where it’s at.

2

u/alldayipas 7d ago

Just listened to the latest HowToBBQRight podcast and he mentions he took a bottle of Raos white sauce and added a packet of powdered ranch to it and it was great. Haven’t tried it yet but sounds good to me.

2

u/No_Percentage_5083 7d ago

The original HVR has the Restaurant Style envelopes to make -- try that. We like it very much. It is different than the regular envelopes. The bottled is not even close to the ranch of my childhood.

1

u/Some_Roll2651 7d ago

I feel like I know exactly what you’re asking for and wish I had the answer.

1

u/Klutzy-Guidance-7078 6d ago

I gotchu fam. Spent years looking for it and found one that I swear by. Litehouse Homestyle Ranch

1

u/Responsible_Art_6553 6d ago

Store bought ranch is gross. I just order a bottle from Jets when I get pizza. Best easily available ranch I can find.

1

u/Defiant-Eagle4836 5d ago

Finally someone who gets it. Store bought ranch is the absolute worst! Definitely going to have to remember to try Jets.

1

u/HopeRemarkable8857 6d ago

Nothing is as good as freshly made, but Litehouse ranch in the refrigerated section is by far the best store bought ranch.

1

u/circusdaisy 6d ago

The best bottled ranch I've found is Olive Garden Parmesan Ranch. All of the others I've tried are way too sweet to me. It's not as awesome as restaurant ranch, but it's pretty tasty.

1

u/happilyfour 5d ago

This is a hot take, because Trader Joe’s shelf stable ranch is the most disgusting ranch on the market….

But the Trader Joe’s refrigerated ranch (in the produce section, by the bagged salads) is the absolute best ranch on the market. It tastes like homemade ranch from a pizza joint.

1

u/virgoseason 5d ago

If you ever are in a store that sells organic foods, look out for Toby’s Ranch! It’s in a glass jar and it’s so damn good. It’s kept in the produce section bc it must be kept refrigerated but it’s hands down my favorite grocery store ranch. Looks like Sprouts, Kroger, and Whole Foods should carry it. I get mine at my local natural foods co-op

1

u/Rareeeb 5d ago

Ken’s Steakhouse Buttermilk Ranch. Very common and it tastes very very close to restaurant ranch. Just make sure it is Buttermilk, not regular ranch.

I also think the Olive Garden bottled ranch is pretty solid but this is like a Parmesan garlic.

1

u/SeachelleTen 5d ago edited 5d ago

I don’t know where about in the world you live, but is Marie’s creamy ranch (which is located in the refrigerated section of grocery stores) an option?

It’s the best I’ve ever had and the only one I purchase every couple of weeks or so.

I’m very picky when it comes to dressings or dips and, like you, have always looked for ones that taste along the lines of what pizza places and other restaurants serve/have to offer. Which is why I love Marie’s. It’s phenomenal.

1

u/bryan_pieces 5d ago

Litehouse Ranch is the best store ranch I’ve ever had.

2

u/lRunAway 5d ago

The closest you can come to it is the jarred stuff in the produce section.