Low-Calorie Ranch Dip and Veggies

You guys are going to love this Healthy Low-Calorie Ranch Dip recipe I made for you today. It is super easy and makes a quick crowd-pleasing appetizer and it is great for snack time! It’s a bonus that it is only 43 calories per serving! You’d never know that it was secretly healthy.

I originally shared this recipe on August 2nd, 2011. I have updated the text, photos and added a video to share it again with you today.

Ingredients For This Low-Calorie Dip Recipe

This recipe has not one but two secret ingredients. And you’re probably thinking that one of them is Greek Yogurt, but it’s not! While I do love Greek Yogurt whole heartedly, I wasn’t looking for that tart taste for this Ranch Dip.

Low Fat or Nonfat Cottage Cheese

Instead of Greek Yogurt, I turned to pureed fat-free cottage cheese.When it’s pureed it is completely smooth, and very thick. It has a mild neutral taste that is not too sour.

I love it because it can stand in for full fat sour cream with far fewer calories. [I used pureed cottage cheese for my Peppermint Pattie Cheesecake and my Pumpkin Gingerbread Cheesecake too and both are ultra creamy.] Nutrition Bonus: Fat-Free cottage cheese is a great source of protein.

Mayonnaise

For a little richness I only had to add a little bit of mayonnaise. [Don’t worry. This recipe is still low in saturated fat and calories.

Powdered Buttermilk

Then I amped the flavor with powdered buttermilk. That’s the second secret ingredient! It really gives it that Ranch dressing taste that we all know and love.

If you’re thinking you don’t want to go out and find a special ingredient like this, first of all, it isn’t a special ingredient. You can easily find it in the baking isle or near the other powdered milks at the grocery store.

It’s a great ingredient to keep on hand because it doesn’t go bad like fresh buttermilk. It works great in dressings like my Low-Calorie Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing and dips like this, baking and I even add it to my Oatmeal Pancakes.

White Wine Vinegar

To give the Ranch Dip tangy ranch dressing flavor I used white wine vinegar, which isn’t as acidic as white vinegar. You can read more about the different kind of vinegars here.

Shallot

Shallot is like a small strong onion, and makes a great addition to dips and salad dressings.

If you have read my tips on how to make a great salad dressing in my post about Apple Cider Vinaigrette, then you know that I believe that the allium family, of which shallot is a member, is an important part of making a good dressing. Dips are no different!

One shallot, peeled and chopped makes a big impact on the flavor of this dip!

Herbs, Salt and Pepper

• One of the hallmarks of Ranch is the flavor of the herbs added to it. I like to use a blend so that no one stands out too strongly. I used a blend of basil, chives and dill.
• While dry dill (aka dill weed) is a fine substitute for fresh, do not try to use dry basil here. It has a very different flavor from fresh and would really overpower the flavors.
• Other herbs that would be good in this are tarragon and chervil.
• I also added in salt. Feel free to add it just to taste if you are salt sensitive. Make sure to read this if you do not use table salt, as it can’t be substituted one for one for other types of salt.

Veggies For Dipping

One of my goals here at Healthy Seasonal Recipes is to inspire home cooks to use locally sourced seasonal produce. Did you know that eating locally grown produce can help reduce your carbon footprint?

That’s why the types of veggies you serve this with will depend on the season. In the summertime you can use any locally grown veggie that is growing or available in the Farmers’ market. In the winter, stick with locally grown storing crops, and those that can be grown in hothouses in your area.

Spring/Summer Veggies To Serve with Dip

• Asparagus
• Cooked and chilled fiddlehead ferns
• cucumbers
• bell peppers
• cherry tomatoes
• zucchini and yellow summer squash
• radishes
• Snap peas
• Green Beans
• Celery
• Carrots

Winter Veggies To Serve with Dip

• Kohlrabi cut into sticks or half moons
• Carrots
• broccoli
• blanched brussels sprouts
• watermelon radishes
• cauliflower
• salad turnips
• Celery
• Cooked and chilled fingerling potatoes

To learn more about the seasonality of veggies make sure you check out my Produce Spotlight series! It is bursting with information about many of the above veggies.

How To Make this Healthier Ranch Dip Recipe

Puree The Cottage Cheese

Set up your food processor with the steel blade attachement. Then add in the container of cottage cheese. Puree it for a minute or so. Then scrape down the sides and puree it again to make sure it is smooth. You don’t want any grittiness left.

By the way, I have added cottage cheese to my Vitamix when I made these Tangerine Protein Pancakes and these Apple Protein Pancakes and it gets completely smooth. So if you’re wondering if you can make this Ranch Dip in a high powered blender, the answer is yes.

Add in the Remaining Ingredients

Now you can add in the rest of the ingredients and process it again.

Don’t be afraid to let it run for a little longer than you think. That will help to break up the shallot and to keep the buttermilk powder from clumping.

Serve with the Veggies

Add the dip into a bowl and set it in the center of a platter. Fill it in with all the veggies. Don’t be afraid to make it abundant!

Step By Step Photos How to Make This Recipe

Make-Ahead Tips

• You can make this ahead or keep leftovers too. Keep it in a re-sealable container in the refrigerator.
• While the color of the green herbs will fade a bit, the flavors of this dip will be great for 4 days.
• Just stir before serving as there may be a bit of moisture on the top.

More Ranch Recipes and Dip Recipes To Try

• This Vegan Pate is another sneaky healthy appetizer that is made with walnuts and lentils. It has a tad bit of truffle oil in it that makes it a real show stopper.
• If you love the shape shifting nature of this ranch dip then you will definitely appreciate this Cauliflower Hummus recipe. It is made with cauliflower so it is low in carbs but tastes just like hummus made with chickpeas!
• If you love ranch, try it with horseradish! My Horseradish Ranch Dressing is so good! Try it over greens, radicchio, cherry tomatoes and grilled steak!
• This spinach salad has a Maple Ranch Dressing that’s lightly sweet and pairs well with the beets in it.
• Another version of Ranch Dressing is this Horseradish Ranch Dressing. It is great with green salads with cucumbers and tomatoes.
• Speaking of dipping veggies, I am a big lover of dipping vegetables into hummus. This being the case I have several here on Healthy Seasonal Recipes including Edamame Hummus, Black Bean Hummus, Roasted Garlic Hummus and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus.
• In the fall I love to use canned pumpkin to make this Pumpkin Pie Dip with fresh apple slices. It is a healthy kid friendly snack. I have another sweet dip for fruit too: Maple Greek Yogurt Dip. I love it with berries!
• And check out these Healthy Superbowl Recipes too!

At Healthy Seasonal Recipes, we specialize in cooking with fresh veggies and creating weeknight meals. Sign up HERE to get more produce-forward dinner ideas for FREE! If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought! Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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