Avocado Ranch Dressing

Name: Avocado Ranch Dressing
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 1/2 cups
Ingredients: 2 garlic cloves; 1 small jalapeño; 1/3 cup packed cilantro; 2 tomatillos; 1 avocado, peeled and pitted; 1/2 cup real mayonnaise; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/4 cup milk; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1 teaspoon white vinegar; 2 teaspoons dried parsley; 1 tsp EACH dried chives, dried dill; 1/2 tsp EACH salt, pepper, smoked paprika

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Prep Time
5 mins
Total Time
5 mins
Servings
1 1/2 cups
Course
Condiments
Cuisine
Mexican

Avocado Ranch Dressing

Victor Mills

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Avocado Ranch Dressing takes just 5 minutes in your blender and is about to become your new addiction - you will want to put it on everything! Avocado Ranch Dressing spiked with tomatillos, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime and smoked paprika to create a creamy ranch with a Mexican flair.

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Ingredients

Servings

2 garlic cloves peeled
1 small jalapeño seeds removed, roughly chopped
1/3 cup packed cilantro
2 tomatillos husk removed, roughly chopped
1 avocado, peeled and pitted (use large for more "avocado" taste)
1/2 cup real mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk plus more as needed
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons dried parsley or 2 TBS fresh parsley
1 tsp EACH dried chives, dried dill OR 1 TBS fresh chives and dill
1/2 tsp EACH salt, pepper, smoked paprika

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Instructions

Add all of the ingredients to a blender or food processor and "chop" then puree until smooth, scraping sides down as needed. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time to reach desired consistency. Taste and add additional salt, pepper and/or hot sauce to taste (I always add more salt).
Chill before serving.

Notes

This Avocado Dressing stores well for about 3-5 days.
Take care to store in a sealable, airtight container.
Press a piece of plastic directly onto the surface of the dressing. This will help prevent oxidation which turns the dressing brown.
The top of the dressing will darken sightly upon storing, but this doesn't mean it's gone bad - it simply means the surface of the dressing is oxidizing. Once you give the dressing a stir, you won't even notice.
It will thicken as it chills so you may need to whisk in additional milk before using.
Use ripe avocado. The star of this Avocado Ranch Dressing recipe is the avocado, so it is important to start with a beautifully ripe avocado for maximum flavor and creamy consistency. If your avocado isn't soft enough, it will leave you with hard chunks and a grassy flavor.
Ripen avocados quickly. If your avocado isn't cooperating, you can speed up the ripening process by adding it to a brown bag with a banana or apple. These fruits release a lot of ethylene which triggers ripening in the avocados.
Dry cilantro well. Wash then dry cilantro very well otherwise the leftover water will thin the dressing and make it less flavorful.
You can use some stem. You will use the top part of the cilantro bunch with the leaves and stems – no need to pick off individual cilantro leaves.
Don’t be afraid of tomatillos. If you aren’t sure where the tomatillos are at your grocery store, ask someone! They are super easy to use and sooo good! You'll want to remove the delicate paper husk and wash then dry the sticky surface. This stickiness is actually a natural deterrent against insects caused by a chemical compound that insects find bad tasting. This film comes off very easily with just a rinse of warm water.
Greek yogurt substitute. I prefer sour cream in this Avocado Dressing recipe but Greek yogurt works well because we are making a tangy dressing. You umay want to start with less lime juice if using Greek yogurt. If the dressing is too tangy, add a teaspoon or so of honey.
Store bought ranch seasoning. You can use store bought Ranch seasoning mix, such as Hidden Valley. I would start with 2 tablespoons and add more to taste if desired.
Customize heat. Always remove the seeds and white membrane of the jalapeno because these carry the most heat. I like to keep the jalapeno seeds and add them at the end if I want a spicier dressing. You can also spice up your Avocado Ranch Dressing with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
Customize tang. The cilantro, tomatillo, ranch seasonings and lime juice all add tang to this dressing. To customize the tanginess, keep all the measurements the same except the lime juice - add more or less to taste.
Control consistency. This Avocado Dressing is delightfully creamy due to the avocado. You can control the consistency by adding more or less milk. The amount of milk will depend on the type of milk, the size of the avocado, the consistency of your mayo/sour cream/Greek yogurt, the power of your blender and your desired consistency.
Turn into a dip. You can omit the milk and instantly turn this Avocado Ranch Dressing into a creamy avocado dip!
CHILL Dressing! Chilling your Avocado Dressing is HUGELY important - no wants warm dressing! If you taste the dressing right after making, you will be sorely disappointed. The fresh, vibrant tanginess only emerges after the dressing has had time to chill and the flavors have had time to meld.
Chill in freezer. If you are short on time, place the dressing in the freezer! You can chill in the freezer for up to 30 minutes to speed up the process then place the Avocado Ranch Dressing in the refrigerator.