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Home » Dressings and Sauces

Four Ingredient Mexican Ranch Dressing

Modified: Jan 9, 2025 · Published: Jul 11, 2023 · by Venessa Mandelkow · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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Pour delicious, creamy Mexican Ranch Dressing over everything and anything! It has such a great flavor and adds a wonderful creamy note to taco salads and burgers! It is the best of both worlds - salsa and ranch dressing!

bowl full of mexican ranch dressing topped with chopped cilantro.

Don’t stop at only adding this dressing to salads! It is also a great sauce for quesadilla burgers. Pour it over a gluten free chicken burger. It is so versatile and can be used in so many ways.

Jump to:
  • Why You’ll Love It
  • Featured Ingredients
  • Step-By-Step Instructions
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Ingredient Swaps
  • Variations
  • Storing
  • How To Use Mexi-Ranch
  • Special Diet Options
  • FAQs
  • Additional Sauce Recipes
  • Love This Recipe?
  • Recipe

Why You’ll Love It

  • Comes together in minutes
  • Use homemade salsa
  • Works as a dip too!

Featured Ingredients

ingredients to make mexican ranch dressing.
  • Sour Cream - A full-fat sour cream will result in a creamy dressing. However, if you want a lower-fat option, use a reduced-fat sour cream. If you need a lactose-free sour cream, that will work too!
  • Salsa - Make a batch of restaurant-style salsa or purchase a jar. 
  • Taco Seasoning - Use homemade taco seasoning or use a premixed option.
  • Ranch Seasoning - Use homemade ranch seasoning or use a dry ranch seasoning option.

See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.

Step-By-Step Instructions

draining salsa in a fine mesh strainer.

Step 1: Using a fine mesh strainer, drain the salsa. This keeps the dressing from becoming too runny.

wide mouth mason jar with sour cream, salsa, taco and ranch seasoning.

Step 2: Add the sour cream, salsa, taco seasoning, and ranch seasoning in a mason jar or a wide-mouth container. Mix the dressing with an immersion blender or a food processor until smooth.

Tips and Tricks

For a more rustic style dressing, just stir the dressing. 

Save the drained salsa liquid and use it as a chicken marinade. 

Ingredient Swaps

  • Ranch Dressing - Skip the sour cream and use a homemade ranch dressing or your favorite bottled option for the sour cream. It will be less thick but also delicious. 
  • Salsa Option - Swap out the tomato-based salsa for a roasted tomatillo salsa verde. 

Variations

Spicy Mexican Ranch Dressing: Add a few dashes of hot sauce to make a spicy version.

Smoky Mexican Ranch Dressing: Add ½ teaspoon of chipotle powder to the dressing for a smoky, earthy flavor. 

Mexican Ranch Dip: Add ½ cup of sour cream after blending to make a thicker dip. Enjoy with tortilla chips or fresh veggies.

bowl with dressing and a side of tortilla chips.

Storing

Store: Keep the dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. A mason jar works great! Use within 4-5 days before it becomes watery.

Freeze: Do not freeze this dressing. The freezing and defrosting process is not great for this salad dressing. It is best to make a fresh batch when needed.

How To Use Mexi-Ranch

  • Quesadilla Burgers - Use it just like Applebee’s does as a creamy sauce for burgers.
  • Taco Pie - A great option to add to the top of a taco pie made with corn tortillas.
  • Shredded Pork Carnitas - Drizzle it over pork carnitas. 
  • Chicken Flautas - Use it as a dipping option for hand-held flautas.
  • Baked Chicken Tacos - Pour it over chicken tacos instead of using sour cream.

Special Diet Options

Dairy Free Mexi-Ranch: Use a dairy free sour cream and a dairy free ranch seasoning. 

Low FODMAP Mexi-Ranch: Use lactose-free sour cream, low FODMAP salsa, and certified seasonings. Purchase the low FODMAP ranch seasoning and the low FODMAP taco seasoning on Amazon.

For additional information on a low FODMAP diet, please visit Monash University or FODMAP Friendly. Both have websites and apps for additional guidance and testing results.

FAQs

What is the dipping sauce that is used for the Applebee's Quesadilla Burger?

It's called Mexi-Ranch Dressing. This is a great copycat recipe for a homemade version.

Can I use something other than salsa for Mexican ranch dressing?

Another great option is to use green taco sauce. It creates a beautiful light green color.

Additional Sauce Recipes

  • Homemade Buffalo Sauce - A buttery, not-too-spicy sauce that is easily customized.
  • Smash Burger Sauce - Another great burger sauce used on smash burgers.
  • Homemade BBQ Sauce - Sweet and tangy sauce.

Love This Recipe?

Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa

Recipe

bowl full of mexican ranch dressing topped with chopped cilantro.

Mexican Ranch Dressing

5 from 3 votes
A creamy, ranch-inspired sauce with salsa.
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 8 Servings
Author: Venessa Mandelkow
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Equipment

  • Immersion Blender
  • Mason Jar

Ingredients

  • ½ cup sour cream (Note 1)
  • ½ cup homemade salsa (Note 2)
  • 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon ranch seasoning
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Instructions

  • Using a fine mesh strainer, drain any excess liquid from the salsa.
  • In a mason jar or an airtight container, add the sour cream, salsa, taco seasoning, and ranch seasoning.
  • With an immersion blender or food processor, combine all ingredients until smooth. Or mix it up for a more rustic version.
  • Store dressing in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Notes

Note 1: Full-fat sour cream will result in the creamiest sauce however a lower fat option will also work. Use lactose-free or dairy free if needed.
Note 2: Use your favorite salsa for the best results. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 ServingCalories: 37kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSugar: 1g
Love this recipe?Tag Us @Loveable_Lemons or #loveablelemons

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Writer sitting on rocks

Hello, I'm Venessa! After a diagnosis that would change how I cook and eat meals, I had to adapt my favorite recipes to be low FODMAP—turning what was once a sour lemon into something loveable. So join me on a delicious journey to falling in love with food again.

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bowl of mexican ranch dressing, ingredients, mason jar before dressing is mixed.

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