Homemade Ranch Dressing for Passover is a delicious tangy dressing or dip.
A perfect classic addition to any dairy table!
Great with raw veggies or over a salad.
Or use it to flavor food, such as fish!
Who doesn’t know the amazing commercials about Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing where everyone is gathered around a picnic table?
While every dressing company seems to have their own version of ranch dressing, it actually was created by the founder of Hidden Valley Ranch! I mean, there’s actually history to it!
While Ranch Dressing for Passover isn’t Hidden Valley’s, it’s delicious and, of course, kosher for Passover!
It makes a great dressing for salads or dip for your raw veggies!
Pour it over your fish before you bake it!
It also can be eaten on the day of the seder because there is no matzo meal in the ingredients!
Eating on the day of the seder
Jews who keep the laws of Passover do not eat matzo or any foods that contain anything from matzo (such as matzo meal or matzo cake meal) the entire day before the seder, which is in the evening.
Some people even have the custom of not eating such foods for two weeks before, beginning on Rosh Chodesh Nissan or even as far back as Purim, which is a month before.
Food on Passover
Torah-observant Jews do not eat chametz (the fermented products of five grains: wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye).
In addition, Torah-observant Ashkenazi Jews do not eat kitniyot (or kitniyos as pronounced in Ashkenazi Hebrew). These include legumes, corn, rice, and similar foods that were deemed forbidden to eat by rabbis in the medieval period and are still not eaten today. Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews do not follow this tradition.
Many observant Ashkenazi Jews will not even eat the derivatives of these kitniyot, while others do (each family holds their own traditions regarding this).
Then, there are Ashkenazim who don’t eat “gebrokts” (or gebrochts).
Gebrokts (gebrochts) means “broken” in Yiddish, and in this case refers to matzo that has absorbed liquid. Not eating gebrokts is observed by many in the Hasidic Jewish community and Ashkenazim who have taken on this tradition, where they basically don’t mix anything wet with matzo.
So, things like matzo sandwiches, fried matzo, and even matzo balls are a no-no for them.
There is a joke that sums it all up:
On Passover, we should remember people who have little to eat on this holiday. They are called Ashkenazim.
Over the years, I have learned to adapt “normal” food for Passover so that my family won’t complain about boring, tasteless, or repetitive meals.
What does it mean when recipes say “to taste” about an ingredient?
When recipes say “to taste,” it means that you can put in as little or as much as you like to your own taste. Some recipes have many ingredients that a cook can adjust to their own taste when cooking (not so much when baking though).
The best way to calculate what your taste is with a recipe that you are not yet familiar with is to first taste the dish and then add the “to taste” ingredient GRADUALLY, a little at a time—a splash of this or a pinch of that—until the dish is just the way you like it.
Make sure to stir the ingredient after each time you add it so that the flavor will distribute evenly and become part of the dish. Then taste again. Repeat until you reach your personal preference.
Note: If you plan on using the recipe again, it is highly recommended to make a note of what and how much you added so that you can refer to it next time.
What does it mean when a recipe says that an ingredient is “optional”?
If an ingredient is “optional,” it means that you can add it in or not based on your own preference. An optional ingredient can be flavor related (i.e., salty, sweet, spicy, etc.), appearance related (garnish), or even something like nuts or chocolate chips in baking.
Seasonings to keep in the kitchen for convenience
- salt
- ground black or white pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder
- onion powder
- ground cinnamon
- sugar (granulated)
- brown sugar
- chicken consommé powder
- onion soup mix
- various herbs
- additional spices to adapt taste to preference
Why are these pantry essentials beneficial to have on hand?
Personally, having the above ingredients in my kitchen is very advantageous, as I make a variety of dishes and use most of the items on the list regularly.
Whether or not buying a bunch of herbs, spices, etc., before you know what you are going to make for the week is workable for you depends on your own personal preference.
If you plan your meals ahead for the week, you will be prepared with whatever else you might need that you wouldn’t even normally keep in your Passover pantry.
If you do decide to keep them over from year to year, I would only do so if they can be sealed well (or better yet, stored in the freezer), because not only can weather have an effect on some of the spices and on the chicken consommé powder, but you will be surprised to know just how clever moths are at getting into sealed bags and how hot red pepper powder can attract little black bugs – YUCK!
Homemade Ranch Dressing for Passover
Easy and delicious homemade dairy ranch dressing, kosher for Passover.
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk *
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ tablespoon vinegar (or lemon juice)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chives
- 1/3 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/3 teaspoon dried dill
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Combine buttermilk (see notes), mayonnaise, and vinegar or lemon juice in a jar.
- Add onion powder, chives, parsley, dill, garlic powder, and salt, and mix well.
- Transfer to a bottle or something that is convenient to pour from.
Notes
MAKE SURE ALL INGREDIENTS ARE KOSHER FOR PASSOVER
* If you cannot find kosher for Passover buttermilk, try a possible substitution:1/2 cup buttermilk = 1/2 cup yogurt1/2 cup buttermilk = 1/2 cup milk PLUS 1/2 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice (let stand for 10 minutes before using in recipe)1/2 cup buttermilk = 1/2 cup milk PLUS 7/8 teaspoons cream of tartar1/2 cup buttermilk = 1/8 cup milk PLUS 3/8 cup yogurt
ADDITIONAL NOTE: If you want a thicker consistency, use a teaspoon or two of potato starch to thicken: Bring the buttermilk or substitute to a boil with the potato starch, then immediately turn off to cool. Then mix in the rest of the ingredients. If you want to thicken after you have mixed all of the ingredients, that's fine too.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 101Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 183mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g