Ranch dressing is a type of salad dressing made of some combination of
buttermilk,
salt,
garlic,
onion,
herbs (commonly
chives,
parsley, and
dill), and spices (commonly
black pepper,
paprika, and ground
mustard seed), mixed into a sauce based on
mayonnaise or another oil emulsion.
Sour cream and
yogurt are sometimes used as a substitute by some home cooks or to create a lower-fat version. Ranch dressing has been the best-selling
salad dressing in the
United States since 1992, when it overtook
Italian dressing. It is also popular as a
dip.