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The 10 Best Store-Bought Ranch Dressings of 2024, According to Our Taste Test

Buffalo wings, anyone?

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best store-bought ranch dressing: various brands of ranch dressing on a blue background

What do chicken wings, French fries, pizza, salad and crudités have in common? They’re all exponentially more delicious when crowned with ranch dressing, a savory condiment that’s traditionally made from buttermilk, alliums, herbs and spices. Whether it’s mixed into mayo, yogurt, sour cream or another oil emulsion, ranch dressing is meant to be creamy, cooling, tangy and herbaceous. Before you buy the first one you see on the shelf, you should know: They aren’t all created equal. We tasted more than 20 types to find the ten best store-bought ranch dressings on the market for every need, whether you want one that’s shelf-stable, organic or vegan. Read on for our top ten picks, plus a few honorable mentions.

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The Best Store-Bought Ranch Dressings of 2024, at a Glance

1

Best Overall

Marzetti Classic Ranch

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2

Best Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing & Dip

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3

Best Shelf-Stable Ranch Dressing

Hidden Valley The Original Ranch

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4

Best Refrigerated Ranch Dressing

365 Whole Foods Market Organic Classic Ranch Dressing & Dip

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5

Best Organic Ranch Dressing

Good & Gather Organic Ranch Dressing

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best store-bought ranch dressing: bottles and jars of ranch dressing lined up on a kitchen counter
Taryn Pire

How We Chose the Best Store-Bought Ranch Dressings

We rounded up 23 varieties from 19 popular brands. We refrigerated them all, then tasted them each by themselves, on Ritz crackers and on sliced cucumber. After sampling, we determined our favorites for every palate by ranking them on the following five factors:

  • Value: Is the ranch dressing worth its retail price, given its ingredients and taste?
  • Quality: Is the ranch dressing made with authentic ingredients or weird preservatives? Does it contain herbs?
  • Flavor: Is the ranch dressing tangy and herbaceous?
  • Consistency: Is the ranch dressing creamy and thick? Is it excessively watery or clumpy?
  • Dippability: Does the ranch dressing cling onto fresh veggies and salty snacks alike? Or does it run off?

Read on for the ten best store-bought ranch dressings, according to our taste test.

Best Overall

1. Marzetti Classic Ranch

What We Like

  • Affordable
  • Thick and creamy
  • Good for dipping

What We Don’t Like

  • Could be more herbaceous

Marzetti

  • Value: 19/20
  • Quality: 18/20
  • Flavor: 18/20
  • Consistency: 20/20
  • Dippability: 19/20

TOTAL: 95/100

This refrigerated pick checked all our boxes. It has wonderful dippability and thickly clings to dippers without dripping. It’s made with real buttermilk, egg yolk and onion, and boasts both a thick, creamy texture and vinegary, oniony flavor. It’s only slightly herbaceous, but we think that’d make this one especially popular with picky kids. Finally, it’s one of the cheapest options on our list. You’ll likely find it in your grocery store’s produce section by packaged salads and crudités.

Runner Up: It was a close race between Marzetti and Marie’s Creamy Ranch Dressing & Dip. We loved this refrigerated ranch dressing’s punchy, tangy, buttermilk-kissed flavor, but found Marzetti’s to have better dippability.

Best Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

2. Litehouse Homestyle Ranch Dressing & Dip

What We Like

  • Tangy, acidic flavor
  • Contains real buttermilk

What We Don’t Like

  • A bit runny

Litehouse

  • Value: 18/20
  • Quality: 17/20
  • Flavor: 18/20
  • Consistency: 18/20
  • Dippability: 18/20

TOTAL: 89/100

If you’re seeking an acidic, rich ranch dressing, buttermilk-based ones should be your go-to. Of those we tasted, Litehouse’s refrigerated dressing hit the spot. Made with egg yolk, nonfat sour cream, vinegar and dried garlic, onion and scallions, it has an allium-forward flavor rather than herb-forward, so it’s neutral enough for picky eaters or to pair with spicy, boldly flavored mains. Our one note is that it’s a tad runny, but that’s to be expected because it contains real buttermilk instead of buttermilk powder, which likely thins its consistency. Nevertheless, it clings well to crudité and other dippers.

Best Shelf-Stable Ranch Dressing

3. Hidden Valley The Original Ranch

What We Like

  • Affordable
  • Smooth consistency
  • Solid dippability

What We Don’t Like

  • A bit saltier than we wanted

Hidden Valley

  • Value: 19/20
  • Quality: 17/20
  • Flavor: 17/20
  • Consistency: 20/20
  • Dippability: 19/20

TOTAL: 92/100

Hidden Valley’s ranch dressing is the gold standard. While it wasn’t our top choice flavor-wise, it’s still certainly worth the spend—it has diehard fans for a reason. It’s mostly vegetable oil, water, buttermilk, sugar, salt and egg yolk, plus some spices, garlic and onion. It has a lush, smooth consistency and clings well to wet and dry dippers alike. It’s shelf-stable (meaning you’ll only need to refrigerate it once it’s opened), and pretty darn affordable, despite being a cult-favorite. (BTW, we tried the bottled kind for the sake of fair testing, but many of our editors feel the powdered Hidden Valley ranch seasoning that you mix yourself is tastier.)

Best Refrigerated Ranch Dressing

4. 365 Whole Foods Market Organic Classic Ranch Dressing & Dip

What We Like

  • Quality ingredients
  • Very garlicky and herbaceous

What We Don’t Like

  • Affordable, but comes in a smaller bottle than most ranch dressings
  • Smooth but a tad thin

365 Whole Foods Market

  • Value: 18/20
  • Quality: 20/20
  • Flavor: 20/20
  • Consistency: 18/20
  • Dippability: 17/20

TOTAL: 93/100

We were impressed by how many varieties of ranch dressing Whole Foods has, even the store brand alone. Its refrigerated Classic Ranch was our favorite, thanks to its simple, high-quality ingredients. We’re talking a mix of soybean, canola and sunflower seed oils, buttermilk, egg yolks and a flurry of spices (onion and garlic powders, black pepper, dried parsley, dill, chives and oregano). If you want a nuanced, allium-forward ranch that makes your guests question if you made it yourself, look no further.

Best Organic Ranch Dressing

5. Good & Gather Organic Ranch Dressing

What We Like

  • Most affordable on the list
  • Solid dippability
  • Smooth, creamy consistency

What We Don’t Like

  • Slight sweetness

Good & Gather

  • Value: 20/20
  • Quality: 18/20
  • Flavor: 17/20
  • Consistency: 19/20
  • Dippability: 18/20

TOTAL: 92/100

For an organic, shelf-stable ranch dressing that’s shockingly affordable, opt for this pick from Target. While we didn’t enjoy the store’s Market Pantry ranch dressing, Good & Gather’s was rich, smooth, dippable and vinegary, albeit a tad sweet compared to others on this list. A mix of soybean oil, vinegar, cane sugar, egg yolk, onion powder, garlic powder and lemon juice concentrate make for a savory, tangy dressing that’ll pair with just about everything.

Creamiest Ranch Dressing

6. Toby’s Ranch Dressing & Dip

What We Like

  • Thick and creamy texture
  • Very high dippability

What We Don’t Like

  • Pricier than others on this list

Toby's

  • Value: 17/20
  • Quality: 20/20
  • Flavor: 18/20
  • Consistency: 19/20
  • Dippability: 20/20

TOTAL: 94/100

If you’re looking for a super thick store-bought ranch dressing for dunking everything from kettle-cooked potato chips to chicken wings, this refrigerated, small-batch number is your best bet. Its ingredient list is the simplest of them all: cultured milk, canola oil, vinegar, eggs, onion, garlic, dill, salt, mustard flower and live milk cultures—and no stabilizers, preservatives or weird thickeners. Despite this, it’s still super rich, almost like sour cream or French onion dip, so be careful not to break your chips when dunking. It may cost a few dollars more than your usual, but we promise you’ll taste the difference.

Most Herbaceous Ranch Dressing

7. Tessemae’s Organic Creamy Ranch

What We Like

  • Very herb-forward flavor
  • Dairy free

What We Don’t Like

  • Pricier than others on this list

Tessemae's

  • Value: 17/20
  • Quality: 20/20
  • Flavor: 18/20
  • Consistency: 17/20
  • Dippability: 18/20

TOTAL: 90/100

With lemon juice, mustard, onion powder and garlic powder in the mix, it’s no wonder this refrigerated, organic pick tastes so lip-smackingly tangy and bright. A generous dose of dill and parsley makes this dairy-free option taste grassy, peppery and earthy. Decent dippability and a semi-smooth consistency (courtesy of black peppercorns and herbs) make this milkless spin on ranch a tasty substitute. While it’s a few dollars more than the standard, it’s worth it for those who are allergic to dairy or cutting back.

Best Value Ranch Dressing

8. Trader Joe’s Organic Ranch Dressing

What We Like

  • Most affordable on the list
  • Approachable and kid-friendly

What We Don’t Like

  • A bit thin (but not runny)

Trader Joe's

  • Value: 20/20
  • Quality: 18/20
  • Flavor: 17/20
  • Consistency: 19/20
  • Dippability: 18/20

TOTAL: 92/100

Another organic dressing that will only cost you $3, TJ’s shelf-stable iteration is smooth, mild and oniony. Made with organic soybean oil, cane sugar, vinegar, egg yolk and a buttermilk blend, as well as onion and garlic powders, onion and garlic purées, ground mustard seed, lemon juice, parsley and oregano, its flavor is balanced, mellow and approachable without being bland. Its consistency is super smooth, and it clings well to dippers.

Best Dairy-Free Ranch Dressing

9. Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing & Marinade

What We Like

  • Tangy and herbaceous
  • Smooth and dippable

What We Don’t Like

  • Pricier than others on this list
  • Unexpected initial taste due to ingredients

Primal Kitchen

  • Value: 16/20
  • Quality: 18/20
  • Flavor: 17/20
  • Consistency: 18/20
  • Dippability: 18/20

TOTAL: 87/100

This shelf-stable gem is made without dairy, but still contains eggs, which are the key to its rich, thick consistency and decent dippability. It’s very vinegary and garlicky; dried parsley, chives and dill drive home that signature ranch flavor you crave, while nutritional yeast plays up its cheesy notes without the help of milk. We did detect a unique flavor at first taste that was slightly sweet and unexpected, which we’re guessing is the avocado oil and potato starch. The biggest con is its price, but a slight splurge is expected when you’re shopping for a dairy-free ranch dressing.

Best Vegan Ranch Dressing

10. Follow Your Heart Vegan Ranch

What We Like

  • True to dairy- and egg-based ranch in flavor
  • Solid dippability

What We Don’t Like

  • Pricier than others on this list
  • Not as smooth as others on this list

Follow Your Heart

  • Value: 18/20
  • Quality: 19/20
  • Flavor: 18/20
  • Consistency: 17/20
  • Dippability: 18/20

TOTAL: 90/100

A veganaise base (made from canola oil, brown rice syrup, apple cider vinegar and soy protein) makes this plant-based delight dippable and creamy. This refrigerated dressing’s texture a bit less smooth than classic ranch, but its flavor is on point: vinegary, punchy and acidic, thanks to lemon juice concentrate, garlic and mustard flour. Hemp seeds help thicken the dressing in egg’s absence.

Runner Up: We were also *very* impressed with JUST Ranch, a refrigerated, plant-based dressing that tastes shockingly like the O.G. Its flavor was a bit milder than Follow Your Heart, but it had a smoother, creamier texture. If you’re seeking plant-based ranch, you can’t go wrong with either.

Honorable Mentions

We tested many more store-bought ranch dressings than those listed above. While the aforementioned brands are our top picks, here are some honorable mentions that are also worth adding to your cart, in alphabetical order:

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The PureWow100 is a scale our editors use to vet new products and services, so you know what’s worth the spend and what’s total hype. Learn more about our process here.


taryn pire

Food Editor

  • Contributes to PureWow's food vertical
  • Spearheads PureWow's recipe vertical and newsletter
  • Studied English and writing at Ithaca College