Recipe: Greek Ranch Dip or Dressing

A student in "Luscious" recently asked if I had a ranch dressing recipe. I'm preparing a birthday party for my daughter this week, and since we're planning a veggie platter and a selection of dips at the party, now seemed a perfect time to try my hand at ranch dip. It's delish on veggies, or as a spread for sandwiches. If you're a fan of ranch dressing, it's easy to thin out this dip recipe, so you can enjoy it on your favorite salad.

I chose Greek yogurt as a base because of its high protein-low carbohydrate content. Greek yogurt is also wonderfully thick and creamy, even though it's low in fat. If you're not a fan of Greek yogurt, you can experiment with sour cream or plain yogurt instead.

I'll probably continue to tinker with the recipe, as I'd like to better approximate the tang of buttermilk without resorting to buttermilk powder. That said, this recipe is very similar to the light ranch dressing we usually purchase. Let me know what you think of it! :)

Greek Ranch Dip or Dressing

Ingredients:

2 cups Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar or sugar substitute
1 teaspoon dill weed
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 dash ground cayenne
Milk (I used unsweetened soy milk), optional

Directions:

To make dip, place all ingredients in medium bowl. Mix with a hand mixer, immersion blender, or combine in blender until smooth.

To make dressing, add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin out dip until it reaches desired consistency.