Kefir Dressing

Make your own homemade kefir dressing with just few simple ingredients like kefir, mayonnaise, shallot and chives. This creamy dressing tastes like Ranch!

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I think one of my first kitchen tasks as a kid was mixing Hidden Valley Ranch seasoning mix with mayonnaise and buttermilk. I don't even remember another type of salad dressing being served when I was growing up!

I poured Ranch dressing over iceberg lettuce, used it as a dip for raw carrots and cucumbers, and as a condiment for chicken, steak and french fries...was there anything we didn't put Ranch dressing on?

These days, I eat Ranch dressing much less often. But when the craving hits, I love this creamy, easy homemade kefir dressing made from a few simple, fresh ingredients.

It's delicious on regular salads, crunchy slaws or veggie chicken salad.

Kefir Ranch Dressing Ingredients

• Plain, unsweetened kefir
• Mayonnaise
• Shallot
• Chives
• Garlic
• Salt and black pepper

Why Use Kefir?

I use kefir because I have it in my refrigerator more often than buttermilk. I like the tangy, creamy flavor of plain kefir and it's the perfect consistency for creamy salad dressing.

What is Kefir?

Traditional kefir is a fermented, probiotic beverage made from milk. Kefir is like a yogurt drink with a pourable, drinkable consistency. Some brands are quite tart and tangy, and others have a less tangy flavor. Kefir is sold plain and unsweetened or in a variety of sweetened flavors like strawberry, raspberry and peach.

In addition to cow's milk kefir, stores now sell goat's milk and non-dairy milk versions of kefir. There is also water kefir.

Add More Flavor

In addition to chives, you can add more fresh herbs to this dressing. Parsley is especially good, and mint gives the dressing a lighter flavor.

A squeeze of lemon gives the dressing a brighter, tangier flavor.

You can cut down on the amount of mayo in this recipe a little if you prefer, but honestly, the dressing needs at least some mayo to taste like Ranch.

How to Use Up a Bottle of Kefir

For a long time, I made this recipe with buttermilk but inevitably leftover buttermilk sits in the back of my fridge until I have to throw it away. Kefir not only boosts the nutritional content of Ranch dressing, it's also easier to use up.

I add kefir to smoothies and oatmeal, or eat it with fresh berries and nuts or granola and a drizzle of maple syrup. Some mornings I just chug it out of the container. Kefir keeps a long time in the refrigerator, so there's no rush to use it up.

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