This easy homemade chipotle ranch dressing combines tangy buttermilk, smoky and spicy chipotle, and a combination of fresh herbs and dried spices. It’s simple to make and your salads will love the upgrade!

I follow lots of great chefs, home cooks, and food enthusiasts on twitter, and find it a constant source of kitchen inspiration. This recipe was inspired by one of my favorites, Patricia Jinich, also known as Pati of Pati’s Mexican Table.

Pati posted a photo of a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce the other day and it reminded me that I had an open container of them in the fridge.

I rarely use more than one or two chipotle chiles at a time, so when I open a new can, I store the extras in a small tupperware container in the refrigerator, or freeze them.

I mentioned to Pati that I had some to use up and she told me that she finds ways to use them every single day. That made me think that maybe I should start adding a bit more smoke and spice to my daily life as well.

Since I was planning on eating a salad for lunch that day, I decided that I would start with a chipotle ranch dressing.

In case you aren’t familiar with the delicious chipotle chile, let me fill you in. A chipotle is a ripe jalapeño chile pepper that has been smoke dried.

The dried chiles are very wrinkled and dark brown – not the prettiest things to look at, but they have an intense, delicious smoky flavor.

You can find them whole, ground, or canned in adobo—a combination of vinegar, spices, and tomato puree. I always have at least two forms of chipotle on hand—McCormick Gourmet Chipotle Chili Powder and cans of Chipotle Chiles in Adobo.

Someday I’d like try my hand at making my own chipotle chiles in adobo with a little help from Pati.

I used a combination of fresh and dried herbs in my chipotle ranch dressing. I included lots of fresh cilantro along with roasted cumin, dried oregano, and garlic powder.

Although I do sometimes use fresh garlic in dressings, I often turn to garlic powder if I’m going to make a quantity that won’t be used in one meal.

I find that using fresh garlic makes the dressing too pungent if it sits for a day or two, so I chose garlic powder for this chipotle ranch dressing.

Buttermilk chipotle ranch dressing is easy to make and it was wonderful drizzled over this simple salad of fresh greens, leftover grilled tri-tip, and cherry tomatoes.

A perfect lunch. Thanks, Pati!

I have been chosen by McCormick to participate in the McCormick Real Gourmets program. I have been paid by them and I received a big box full of McCormick Gourmet spices. I have been using McCormick Gourmet for years, and am thrilled for the opportunity to explore more of their spices and blends. I used McCormick Gourmet Mediterranean Oregano leaves, roasted ground cumin, and garlic powder to create this dressing recipe.

If you’re a fan of Mexican cooking or think you’d like to learn more about it, I highly recommend you do the following:

• Follow Pati on twitter
• Check out the fantastic recipes on her blog
• Watch her wonderful cooking show Pati’s Mexican Table on Public Television

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Chipotle Ranch Dressing

Yield: approximately one cup of salad dressing

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 chipotle chile from a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender; cover then blend until smooth. Use immediately or refrigerate in a covered container. Dressing may be kept, refrigerated, for up to one week.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 108Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 259mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g