Creamy Salsa Ranch

This is one of those recipes I’ve been wanting to get on the website for a while, but life kept getting in the way.

I made this ranch for the first time years ago for a taco night (along with this Chuy’s copycat jalapeño sauce), and now I can’t make tacos for the family without making those sauces!

And for good reason… this salsa ranch is so easy to make, yet so incredibly delicious.

Plus it’s so customize-able, you can truly make this to your tastes and preferences!

What do I need to make this recipe?

• Salsa – please feel free to use your favorite salsa for this recipe. Picante sauce (such as Pace brand) will also work well.
• Mayonnaise – this recipe works well with full fat or low fat mayonnaise.
• Ranch – this recipe was designed to use ranch seasoning, not bottled ranch dressing.
• Lime juice – bottled or fresh, both work well in this recipe.
• Milk – I typically use whole milk since that’s what we keep in the house, but it should work well with lower fat milks as well.
• Black pepper – this image shows a large amount (just so it’s clear what it is), but you only need a pinch.

How to make creamy salsa ranch?

This is just an overview; the full ingredients and directions are in the recipe card toward the bottom of this post.

1. Blend salsa. We like a smoother sauce, so we blend it until it’s pretty smooth. You can adjust this to your tastes and make it as smooth or as chunky as you’d like.
2. Combine. Whisk the blended salsa with all the other ingredients.
3. Transfer and chill. This sauce tastes best when it’s chilled for an hour or so.
4. Serve. Serve this sauce cold.

Variations of this recipe

• Salsa – you can use your favorite store-bought or homemade salsa. If I don’t have any of my homemade salsa on hand, I like to use Chi-Chi’s restaurant style salsa (in medium).
• Sour cream – instead of using mayo, you could try using sour cream, or a combination of mayo and sour cream. I haven’t tested using plain Greek yogurt, but I think that would work as well.
• Ranch – if you want to use a homemade ranch seasoning, you certainly can (just use about 3 Tbsp). Don’t use bottled ranch dressing, this recipe was designed to use the seasoning packet.
• Lime – fresh lime juice is best, but bottled will work just as well.
• No food processor – if you don’t have a food processor, you could use a blender, or use a salsa that’s not so chunky and skip the blending all together.

Making salsa ranch ahead of time

I love this recipe because it’s actually better when you make it ahead!

The flavors really get a chance to meld together this way. I like to make this sauce the day before, or early in the morning of the day we want to use it.

Storage

Leftover salsa ranch should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and enjoyed within 1-2 weeks.