Ranch Dip and Veggies
You guys are going to love this Healthy 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!
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 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 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.
- 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!
Thanks so much for reading. If you make this recipe, please come back and let me know by leaving a star rating and review!
Happy Cooking!
~Katie
PrintRanch Dip and Veggies
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 2 1/4 cup 1x
- Category: appetizer
- Method: small appliance
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Calorie
Description
This easy healthy Ranch Dip and Veggies is super easy and makes a quick and crowd-pleasing appetizer. It is also super for a snack.
Ingredients
- 1 16-ounce container fat-free cottage cheese
- 1 small shallot, chopped
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons powdered buttermilk, such as SACO, see *ingredient note
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon each chopped chives, dill and basil
- ¾ teaspoons salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- fresh raw and blanched and chilled veggies for serving
Instructions
- Puree cottage cheese in food processor fitted with steel blade attachment, scraping down sides occasionally, until completely smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Add shallot, mayonnaise, buttermilk powder, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper and process until completely incorporated.
- Serve with the vegetables.
Notes
Buttermilk powder is a great item for your pantry because it doesn’t spoil as quickly as fresh buttermilk. I love to use it in reduced-fat dressings and dips to boost the flavor without a lot of calories or fat. It works well here because it adds a more intense tangy flavor without thinning out the dip with liquid buttermilk. It’s available in the baking isle of large supermarkets and on amazon.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3 tablespoons
- Calories: 43 calories
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Fat: 1 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 4 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 4 g
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What a great idea to make ranch with cottage cheese. Yum! Such a perfect healthy snack recipe.
★★★★★
I am happy to hear you liked it.
Thiis is the absolute perfect dip for game day coming up! goes perfect with tons of veggies, but also salads to be honest lol
★★★★★
Thanks Peter. I’m so glad it appeals to you. Have a great rest of your week.
This is sooooo much better than that store bought junk. Will be making this for every group gathering!!
★★★★★
I’m glad you like it. Thanks Elly.
I didn’t think I actually like Ranch dressing until I stumbled over this. SO good! And not complicated to make
★★★★★
I’m glad you liked this dip Daniela. Thank you!