I have not had the best of luck with Trader Joe's refrigerated dressings. The Green Goddess was nightmare fuel when I tried it, and there was one I only remember as ... brown (it tasted... brown). So I didn't have the highest hopes for the new Buttermilk Ranch Dressing from TJs. But I like ranch, my family likes ranch, so I had no excuse not to give it a go.
@traderjoeslifestyle There’s a new #ranchdressing in town! #TraderJoes understood the assignment with their #buttermilkranch salad dressing. Herby, garlicky, buttermilky - it’s a winner. #simpleingredients #traderjoesfoodreviews #traderjoesmusthaves #salad ♬ Fast Car - Luke Combs
What Is in Trader Joe's Buttermilk Ranch Dressing?
The good news is that most of the ingredients seem to be actual food — the first was sour cream, followed by buttermilk, mayo, white wine vinegar, water, red wine vinegar, and a bunch of seasonings including garlic, shallot, and dill. I was actually pleased that the only ingredient that seemed less like food was xanthan gum, which is in a lot of things and came in dead last anyway. So far, so good.
How Does Trader Joe's Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Taste?
My first reaction was that it was far too sour, but my husband helpfully pointed out it wasn't just ranch but buttermilk ranch so, duh, it was going to have some tang. What he didn't argue about was that we both agreed the ranch was a little thinner than we liked. That might be best for a salad, admittedly, but be honest — you use ranch as a dipping sauce, and not only for vegetables.
That being said, it wasn't bad. My kids thought it was an acceptable option for veggies and anything else that might be ranch-friendly, like French fries or chicken nuggets. One said it was "too spicy" but she still liked it, while the other gave it a thumbs-up for having a pickle quality.
Is Trader Joe's Buttermilk Ranch Dressing Worth Getting Again?
Given that the hands-down best ranch by Hidden Valley has a nightmarish list of scary additives, this is a better option by far. Yes, it was too thin, but I am thinking to add a dollop of sour cream to any amount I might choose to dip in the future.
At $3.99 for 11 ounces, it's pricier than the $5.99 my local grocery store charges for a 20-ounce container of Hidden Valley, but the first ingredient in the latter option being soybean or canola oil (and MSG coming in later on the list) makes the higher price of the Trader Joe's dressing worth it to me. I'm in.
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