This easy homemade Ranch Dressing with chopped salad and crispy bacon is the ultimate simple salad for lunch, dinner or as a side. I’m eating this all summer long.
I LOVE Ranch dressing. Not only is it great for salads, but it’s insanely good as a dip for crudités, chips or crackers. I love it in wraps and sandwiches too – it’s especially amazing with halloumi and red pepper in a toasted tortilla.
The best part – it’s SO easy to make your own Ranch Dressing at home with a few ingredients which I would consider to be pantry staples. I love using fresh herbs but dried work almost as well and are easy to keep on hand. I’ve even made this with a mixture of fresh and dried herbs.
I go for 50/50 Mayo and Greek yoghurt, but if you like it tangy then you can use all Greek Yoghurt or even a 25/75 split. I use full-fat for both, but you can definitely swap them for reduced fat versions. A lot of Ranch recipes call for Buttermilk, which is delicious, but not something I use a lot of or typically have to hand. Greek yoghurt and Mayo are literally always in my fridge.
My chopped salad has crispy bacon and cubes of fresh mozzarella, but I also love swapping out both the bacon and mozzarella for some grilled halloumi instead. Part of the beauty of this salad is that you can pretty much use whatever you have. Peppers are a great addition, as well as black olives or some red onions. I also love to mix in some cooked and cooled orzo or fusilli for a quick and easy pasta salad.
How to Cook the BEST Crispy Bacon
Let me tell you a secret – it’s the BEST way to cook delicious crispy bacon. All you need to do is line a baking tray with baking or parchment paper. Lay out your strips of streaky bacon evenly on the tray (this won’t work with back bacon rashers). Then place the tray in the middle of a COLD oven, turn the heat to 200c/180fan/400f/gas 6 and cook the bacon for about 20 minutes. That’s it! Perfect crispy bacon every time.
Looking for another easy salad recipe? Why not try my Lemon Dill Potato Salad or Strawberry Spinach Salad with Poppyseed Dressing. And make sure you check on my guide to the Best Chopped Salad!
I hope you like this Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing with Chopped Salad. Please leave me a comment if you try it!
Easy Homemade Ranch Dressing with Chopped Salad
Ingredients
- 8 rashers streaky bacon
- 250 grams cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 125 grams fresh mozzarella, cubed
- ½ a cucumber, diced
- 100 grams radish, thinly sliced
- 100 grams salad leaves or chopped lettuce
For the Ranch Dressing
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise - 4 tbsp
- ¼ cup Greek Yoghurt - 4 tbsp
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Apple Cider or White Wine Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Fresh Chopped Parsley - or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tbsp Fresh Chopped Dill - or 1 tsp dried
- 1 tbsp Fresh Chopped Chives - or 1 tsp dried
- ½ tsp Garlic Granules
- ½ tsp Onion Granules
- ¼ tsp Salt
Instructions
- To cook the bacon, line a baking tray with baking or parchment paper and lay out the bacon rashers.
- Place in the middle of a COLD oven and turn the heat to 200c/180fan/400f/gas 6. Cook for about 20 minutes or until the bacon is at your desired crispness. Place on a plate lined with kitchen roll and allow to cool slightly.
- To make the dressing, simply whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl or jar. Add a little pepper to taste if desired.
- Combine the tomatoes, radish, cucumber, lettuce and mozzarella in a large bowl or split between 4 individual bowls.
- Roughly chop the bacon and scatter over the salad.
- Drizzle with some Ranch Dressing, toss together and enjoy!
- The dressing will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
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