Creamy Cottage Cheese Ranch Dip is a healthier, high protein Ranch using 4 simple ingredients. Takes 5 minutes to make and is a must have at parties!
Ranch cottage cheese dip is super convenient to make ahead and have on hand during the week for healthy snacks or lunches. Veggies are great but pita slices are my favorite vehicle for ranch dip. It never lasts long at our house!
This dip is made with cottage cheese just like my Caramelized Onion Dip, is super creamy, and packed with flavor. It has fewer calories than regular Ranch dressing and is quick to prep.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Taste: almost like regular ranch dip. The average person can't tell, especially when it's used as a dip on crackers or veggies.
- Ease: beginner recipe! All you need is a blender.
- Time: takes a couple of minutes to prep ingredients and 1-2 minutes to blend everything together. About 5 minutes, and another 5-10 to prepare some veggies to go with it. Super fast!
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Cottage cheese - low fat, fat free, or full fat are all fine to use.
- Ranch seasoning - found in the salad dressing section of most grocery stores.
- Liquid to mix in - I use dairy milk (can be 1%, 2%, or whole milk) homemade bone broth or unsweetened plant based milk.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Variations & Customizations
- Flavor enhancing - add in lemon zest or juice, garlic powder, or fresh herbs like dill, parsley, or chives. Yum!
- Greek Yogurt or Mayo can be added for a richer, more tart flavor.
- Flavor Twist! - Use spicy buffalo sauce, chicken taco seasoning for a fiesta ranch dip, or pickle juice/chopped pickles for pickle ranch.
- Fresh Herbs - basil, chives, parsley, dill, or fresh ground pepper are all amazing.
🧑🍳 Instructions
- Step 1. For smooth, party ready dip, blend together the cottage cheese and ranch seasoning mix for 2-3 minutes using a blender or handheld immersion blender (my favorite method).
- Step 2. Add in liquid of choice (I use milk) to thin out the dip to desired texture and thickness. Store refrigerated until the dairy expiration date.
PRO TIP: The longer you blend the cottage cheese, the smoother the texture. See Frequently Asked Questions below to compare blending times and types of blenders.
📌 Troubleshooting Common Problems
- Grainy Texture - could be under blended. Try blending for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Too Thin/Thick - Adjust by adding a thickener like more cottage cheese or greek yogurt, or add more liquid like milk or bone broth to desired thickness.
- Bland Flavor - Increase the ranch seasoning amount, add fresh herbs, or lemon for a bright zesty pop of flavor.
PRO TIP: Taste the dip after chilling and season more if needed-flavors can mellow when cold.
🥕 Serving Suggestions
- Dipping Options - veggies like peppers, celery, carrots, or broccoli are our favorites! Chips, pita bread, and crackers are also excellent.
- Salad or Sandwich Spread - You can add more milk to thin out the dip for a healthy salad dressing, or spread it on your favorite wrap or sandwich.
- Party Dip - serve inside a veggie boat like a large bell pepper or with meatballs, or make Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing (also uses ranch seasoning) to eat with chips and salsa.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Freezing cottage cheese can make the texture grainy and cause it to separate. Refrigerating is best!
My recommended blending time is at LEAST 1 minute. Keep in mind it depends on the type of blender you use.
High powdered blender: 30-60 seconds
Handheld immersion blender: 1-2 minutes
Make sure to check the package ingredients, most are gluten friendly. If you make homemade mix, make sure all of the ingredients are gluten free.
If you can't find a store bought brand, using a homemade mix is a great gluten free alternative.
❄️ Storage
- Refrigeration - Keep in an airtight container, the dip lasts 5-7 days (as long as dairy ingredients are fresh). It thickens chilled so you may need to add a Tablespoon or two of milk.
- Thinning After Chilling - The dip can thicken up after refrigerating. Stir and add milk or broth if needed before serving.
- Freezing - Not recommended (texture is compromised due to dairy separation)
🍽️ More Delicious Dip Recipes
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Cottage Cheese Ranch Dressing Dip
Equipment
- 1 Immersion blender or high powered blender
Ingredients
- 16 oz cottage cheese regular or fat free
- 2½ Tablespoons Ranch Seasoning Mix
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup milk fat free or whole
Instructions
- In a bowl, blend together the cottage cheese, ranch seasoning mix , and salt for 1-2 minutes using a blender or handheld immersion blender (my favorite method).
- Add in liquid of choice (I use milk) to thin out the dip to desired texture and thickness. Store refrigerated in an airtight container until the dairy expiration date, about 5-7 days. After chilling it can thicken a little, add a Tablespoon or two of milk.
Notes
- Grainy Texture - could be under blended. Try blending for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Too Thin/Thick - Adjust by adding a thickener like more cottage cheese or greek yogurt, or add more liquid like milk or bone broth to desired thickness.
- Bland Flavor - Increase the ranch seasoning amount, add fresh herbs, or lemon for a bright zesty pop of flavor.
Nutrition
Hi, I'm Sara!
Registered Nurse by day, food blogger by weekend. Perfect dip tester & snack quester. I love short walks on the beach and long naps. Sharing my love for food, one bite at a time.
Sara says
I put this in a ranch bottle to trick the kids. They didn't notice and it's a way healthier option than regular ranch!