Wingstop Ranch Dressing is the thin, tangy, herb-flecked ranch that comes with a basket of wings, and the copycat takes five ingredients: dry ranch seasoning, mayonnaise, buttermilk, salt and pepper. Whisk it for 5 minutes, chill it for 30, and you have about 2 cups, or 16 servings of 2 tablespoons.
How to make it: Whisk the ranch seasoning to break up any chunks, whisk in the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and half the buttermilk, then add the rest of the buttermilk slowly until the dip is as thin as you like. Refrigerate it at least 30 minutes before serving.
Why You’ll Love It
- Five ingredients: all of them easy to find at any grocery store.
- 5 minutes of work: one bowl and a whisk, then the refrigerator does the rest.
- That Wingstop texture: medium to thin, made for dipping wings and fries.
- Easy to adjust: thicker for dipping, thinner for drizzling on a salad.
Ingredient Notes
Dry ranch seasoning: Three tablespoons of dry ranch dip and salad dressing mix. It carries all the herb and garlic flavor, and it’s the key to the copycat taste. A homemade mix works too (see Variations).
Mayonnaise: One cup, full-fat, for a rich, creamy base.
Buttermilk: One cup, full-fat if you can find it. It adds tang and thins the dressing to that pourable Wingstop consistency.
Salt and pepper: A quarter teaspoon of sea salt and an eighth of a teaspoon of black pepper.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons dry ranch seasoning (ranch dip and salad dressing mix)
- 1 cup mayonnaise, full-fat
- 1 cup buttermilk, full-fat
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
How to Make Wingstop Ranch Dressing
1. Break up the seasoning. Add the ranch seasoning to a large bowl and whisk it to break up any chunks.
2. Whisk in the mayonnaise. Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of the buttermilk and whisk until smooth.
3. Thin with buttermilk. Slowly whisk in the rest of the buttermilk until the ranch is as thin as you like it. Use all of it for a pourable dip, or only half for a thicker one.
4. Chill. Pour the ranch into a glass jar, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
How to Make It Taste Like Wingstop Ranch
Wingstop makes its own ranch, so any homemade copy is an approximation. These are the details copycat recipes agree on for getting close.
Use full-fat mayonnaise and buttermilk. Light mayonnaise and reduced-fat buttermilk work if you want a lighter dip, but the result is less rich than the restaurant ranch.
Don’t skimp on the seasoning. Dry ranch seasoning is what gives it the Wingstop flavor. For a milder batch, 1 1/2 tablespoons of seasoning with 1 cup of mayonnaise and 2 cups of buttermilk makes a lighter, thinner ranch.
Whisk the powder first. Breaking up the seasoning before anything wet goes in keeps little clumps of dry mix out of the finished dressing. Then mix it into the mayonnaise before the buttermilk.
Add the buttermilk slowly. Wingstop’s ranch is medium to thin. Pour in half the buttermilk, whisk, and keep adding until it runs off a wing the way you like.
Give it time. Chill it at least 30 minutes, or an hour if you can. The flavors come together, and the dressing thickens a little as it chills.
| You want | Do this |
|---|---|
| Thicker dip | Use half the buttermilk, or add a little more mayonnaise |
| Thinner dip | Whisk in more buttermilk |
| Salad dressing | Add extra buttermilk so it pours |
| Milder flavor | Use less seasoning and more buttermilk |
Tips for Success
No buttermilk?
Stir 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup of milk and let it sit 5 minutes. Plain milk also works, with a little less tang.
Making it for a party?
Double or triple the batch. Mix it early so it has time to chill before the wings come out.
Variations
- Three-ingredient ranch: whisk 1 cup mayonnaise with 1 1/2 cups buttermilk and 2 packets of ranch seasoning.
- Homemade seasoning: mix 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1/2 teaspoon dried dill, 1/2 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and use it in place of the packet mix.
- With sour cream: whisk 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/4 cup buttermilk with 1 teaspoon each of onion powder, garlic powder and dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice if you like, and chill 1 to 2 hours.
- Buffalo or BBQ ranch: stir in buffalo sauce or your favorite BBQ sauce to taste.
- Lighter or dairy-free: use sour cream or yogurt in place of the mayonnaise, or vegan mayonnaise and a milk alternative. The flavor and texture will be different.
Storage
Keep the ranch covered in an airtight jar in the refrigerator and use it within 5 to 6 days. Always use a clean spoon, and don’t dip food straight into the jar. It has to stay cold: USDA FSIS says to throw out perishable food left at room temperature more than 2 hours, or 1 hour when it’s above 90°F, so put the jar back in the refrigerator after serving.
Don’t freeze it. Mayonnaise is on FSIS’s list of foods that don’t freeze well, and the dressing separates.
What to Serve With It
Wings first: try caramelized baked chicken legs or wings or bacon brown sugar chicken tenders. It’s also good with baked zucchini fries, pizza, nachos, onion rings and raw vegetables. If you love ranch flavor, bake biscuit ranch bombs, roll up chicken bacon ranch pinwheels, or set up slow cooker creamy ranch chicken for dinner.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Wingstop’s ranch made of?
Wingstop makes its own ranch dressing. Copycat recipes like this one use mayonnaise, buttermilk and dry ranch seasoning, with a little salt and pepper.
How do I make my ranch taste like Wingstop?
Use full-fat mayonnaise and buttermilk, plenty of dry ranch seasoning, thin it to a medium-to-thin dip with buttermilk, and chill it at least 30 minutes before serving.
How long does homemade Wingstop ranch last?
About 5 to 6 days, covered, in the refrigerator.
Can I freeze it?
No. Mayonnaise doesn’t freeze well, so make only what you’ll use in a few days.
Can I use milk instead of buttermilk?
Yes. Use plain milk, or make a quick buttermilk with 1 cup of milk and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, rested 5 minutes.
Final Notes
Mix it before you start the wings so it has its full 30 minutes to chill. If you make it, tell me in the comments what you dipped in it.
Wingstop Ranch Dressing
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ranch seasoning dry ranch dip and salad dressing mix
- 1 cup mayonnaise full-fat
- 1 cup buttermilk full-fat
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the ranch seasoning to a large bowl and whisk it to break up any chunks.
- Add the mayonnaise, salt, pepper and 1/2 cup of the buttermilk and whisk until smooth.
- Slowly whisk in the rest of the buttermilk until the ranch is as thin as you like it. Use all of it for a pourable dip, or only half for a thicker one.
- Pour the ranch into a glass jar, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
