Cheesy Ranch Dressing
Cheesy Ranch Dressing
This easy Cheesy Ranch Dressing comes together in a snap and is packed with protein—without all the preservatives and additives found in many store-bought dressings.
Made with Daisy Cottage Cheese as the creamy base, this dressing is rich, flavorful, and surprisingly light. It’s perfect for salads, dipping veggies, or drizzling over grain bowls and roasted veggies. Once you try it, you’ll never go back to bottled ranch again!
Cheesy Ranch Dressing Ingredients
- Daisy Cottage Cheese (1 cup): Provides the dressing with its creamy texture and adds a subtle tangy taste with a boost of protein.
- Buttermilk (1/2 cup): Tangy in taste, it adds a touch of acid to the dressing and thins it out.
- Mayonnaise (1/4 cup): Adds a creamy richness to the dressing.
- Fresh Chives (2 tablespoons, chopped): Small, thin, and wispy onions, perfect for adding a touch of mild onion flavor with a taste similar to leeks.
- Parmesan (2 tablespoons, grated): Best when freshly grated, it adds a nutty saltiness to the dressing.
- Garlic (1 clove): Fresh garlic gives a pungent, sharp flavor that compliments the herbs.
- Onion Powder (1/4 teaspoon): Adds a concentrated, punchy onion taste without adding texture of fresh onions.
- Kosher Salt (1/4 teaspoon): A large-grain salt that is less refined than table salt and contains no additives. It helps enhance the other flavors of the dressing.
- Cracked Black Pepper (1/4 teaspoon): Adds a round and deep flavor than ground pepper. Highly fragrant and earthy in taste with citrus and slight floral notes.
- Dried Dill (1 teaspoon): One of the traditional flavors of ranch dressing, this concentrated dried herb packs a bright, sweet, citrusy, earthy punch.
Substitutions, Variations, and Tips
- Substitute ½ teaspoon jarred minced garlic for the fresh clove if you’re short on time.
- Want a little heat? Add a small diced jalapeño or 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- No buttermilk? Make your own by mixing 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar into 1 cup milk—let it sit for 10 minutes.
- Swap green onions or leeks for the chives.
- Use 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill instead of dried for a brighter flavor.
- Customize the texture! Blend until smooth or leave a bit of chunkiness for a rustic feel.
How to Make Cheesy Ranch Dressing
- In a food processor, combine all ingredients except the dill and blend until smooth.
- Stir in the dill.
- Serve immediately, or refrigerate for a few hours to let the flavors meld.
This dressing keeps well in the fridge for several days—perfect for meal prep! Once you try this protein-packed twist on ranch, you may never go back to the bottled stuff.
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Perfect for game-days, game-nights, parties, and holiday gatherings, this deliciously creamy, rich, cheesy Spinach Artichoke Dip is sure to be the star of the party. It is the perfect hot dip! And it is so easy to make – just mix and pop in the oven for 20-ish minutes and serve. Grab your favorite dippers and get ready for some creamy goodness.
The special ingredient? Daisy Sour Cream Creamy Ranch Dip. It brings extra creaminess and richness to the dip, adding a complex depth of flavor not found in most one-note artichoke dips.
Spinach Artichoke Dip Ingredients
- Daisy Creamy Ranch Dip (1 cup): Contains the traditional spices and herbs of ranch dressing built in with delicious homemade tastes. It provides a creamy richness and depth of flavor to the dip.
- Mayonnaise (1/2 cup): Helps bind the other ingredients together.
- Softened Cream Cheese (4 ounces): A mild cheese that helps bind the dip together and adds a velvety texture to the dip.
- Shredded Mozzarella (1 1/3 cups): A mild stretchy cheese that is perfect for melting. It adds the classic cheesy goodness to the dip.
- Garlic Powder (1/2 teaspoon): Adds to the savory profile of the dip.
- Onion Powder (1 teaspoon): Adds a concentrated, punchy onion taste without adding texture of fresh onions and readily found in most spice cabinets.
- Frozen Chopped Spinach (1/2 cup, thawed and drained): This superfood is packed with vitamins and minerals. It adds a vibrant color to the dip.
- Drained and Chopped Artichoke Hearts (14 ounce can): The classic flavor that is mild, nutty, and earthy. They are great for creamy dips with just the right amount of bite.
- Freshly Grated Parmesan (1/4 cup): Best when freshly grated, it adds a nutty saltiness to the dip and is the classic finishing touch.
Substitutions, Variations, and Tips
- Sautéed onions and garlic may be used in place of the powdered onion and garlic.
- Feel free to add additional spinach if you prefer more veggies.
- You can spice up your dip more by adding a dash of hot sauce, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes, or a few diced up jalapenos.
- No oven space? You can also make the dip in a slow cooker on low. Just be sure to give it a good stir every so often.
- Other cheeses may be substituted for all or part of the mozzarella such as pepper jack, fontina, asiago, Manchego, or parmesan.
- Drained canned crab and a dash of Old Bay Seasoning® may be added to make an even richer dip.
- If baking in cast iron, line with parchment paper to prevent discoloration of the artichokes.
- Any left-over dip may be reheated in the microwave at 50% power in 30 second intervals until warm.
How to make Spinach Artichoke Dip
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Mix Daisy Creamy Ranch Dip, mayonnaise, softened cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, onion powder and spinach until smooth. Stir in chopped artichoke hearts until just combined.
- Spray an 8-cup or 8×8” baking dish with non-stick spray. Spread the dip evenly over the bottom of the dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese evenly on top.
- Bake 20-25 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with your favorite dippers.
