- 8 hours ago
Think ranch seasoning is just for salad dressing? Nicole has 15 ways to use it across breakfast, dinner, and snacks. Stir it into pasta or soup, season burgers and roasted vegetables, add it to breading, or mix it into dips and spreads. From biscuits and casseroles to marinades and snack mixes, these easy ideas will help you put that packet in your pantry to work.
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00:00One packet, 15 possibilities, and a whole lot of flavor.
00:03I'm showing you just how far
00:04our favorite pantry seasoning can go.
00:06Starting with pasta.
00:07Did you know your ranch can make a delicious pasta sauce?
00:10Well, we're doing it.
00:11We are doing ranch carbonara.
00:14Carbonara is a simple Italian dish.
00:16Starts with bacon or pancetta, which I've got cooking.
00:19And then the sauce comes together with just eggs,
00:22a little pasta water, Parmesan cheese.
00:24This version adds in a packet of ranch,
00:27and that's going to make that creamy sauce
00:29even more flavorful.
00:30Italians don't come for me.
00:32I know this in Italian.
00:33So I've got two eggs in here and I'm going to add in two yolks.
00:35No, it's not raw egg going into your sauce.
00:38Gets cooked by the heat of the pasta and the pasta water.
00:41This is a good, pretty inexpensive meal
00:43and a fast dinner you can whip up in under half an hour.
00:46To me, this is just comfort food.
00:48So you're going to whisk together the eggs
00:50with some Parmesan cheese, some black pepper,
00:53and today's star of the show.
00:55And you want to have this ready
00:56because once it all starts to come together,
00:58it happens pretty fast.
00:59Typically you would start this dish with pancetta,
01:01but when you're talking about ranch,
01:02bacon is its best friend.
01:04So I've got that cooked crispy.
01:06You're going to leave the fat in there,
01:07and then in goes your spaghetti.
01:10You want to toss that around to get it all coated.
01:12Then you're going to turn your heat off or really low.
01:15I'm going to add a little pasta water to our egg mixture.
01:18The starch from that pasta water
01:19is going to help this sauce get good and creamy.
01:21And then you want to act pretty fast.
01:22You don't want this to turn into scrambled eggs, okay?
01:25Pasta water will also help create a little barrier for that
01:27so it doesn't scramble.
01:29It's like magic.
01:30Ooh, I can smell that ranch.
01:32It is a different experience.
01:34And just be sure you're stirring it the whole time.
01:36You'll see how the sauce coats those noodles.
01:39The cheese will start to melt into it.
01:41A lot of people eat this as a really late night snack
01:43or slash early morning,
01:45because you can justify this as breakfast,
01:48bacon, egg, and cheese.
01:48And it's ready just like that.
01:51Starting off strong, people.
01:53See how it's just so creamy.
01:55We did not add any heavy cream for that.
01:57Probably shouldn't have worn black on ranch seasoning day,
01:59but too late.
02:01I pulled out a little bacon just so I could see it on top.
02:05Some fresh parsley and another crack of pepper.
02:08Did you know your ranch packet can make delicious pasta?
02:11Now you do.
02:13I could eat this every day.
02:18Mmm.
02:21Yes.
02:22Don't tell my Italian ancestors,
02:24but adding a little ranch to your carbonara,
02:26it's a home run.
02:28Grab that packet of ranch
02:29and make the most flavorful burgers ever.
02:32Ranch burgers are a thing.
02:34And this is the perfect seasoning
02:35because it just has so much in one packet.
02:38Things like this are good to take like on vacation
02:40when you don't want to pack a bunch of seasonings
02:42or something, but you want to create delicious food.
02:44This is kind of one of those like secret weapon tricks.
02:47Add it to whatever your favorite burger recipe is
02:49and then just go to town.
02:51This is the recipe we had on site for ranch burgers.
02:54Comes together with a little egg
02:55and a little bit of saltine crackers crushed up.
02:57So it's almost like a meatloaf.
02:58Just get it well mixed and then patty it up.
03:01You can take these to the grill.
03:02I'm just going to cook them in a cast iron skillet
03:03because it's nothing better than a cast iron burger.
03:06I'm going in with a little oil
03:07to help me get that good crust.
03:08Place them in a hot skillet,
03:10leave them alone, let them get that good crust.
03:12Y'all ready for this?
03:14Da-da-da.
03:14Da-da-da.
03:19That's what you want.
03:21Now you can turn your heat down
03:22and then just let them cook
03:24till your desired degree of doneness.
03:26To cheese or not to cheese is the question,
03:30but not really.
03:31We'll let that melt and we will bite into these.
03:36There's no way that's not going to be good.
03:37I'm not going to eat all day,
03:38but I am going to take a bite of this.
03:44Mmm.
03:45You can taste that ranch.
03:46It does something different to the burger.
03:47The crackers in there did something magical
03:49to where it's like a super tender burger.
03:52And I mean, I don't have to justify how juicy it is.
03:55We're on a roll.
03:57This little packet is the secret to snack mix.
04:00That's my next trick.
04:01With the holidays coming,
04:02everybody makes a version of this.
04:04We're doing a ranch one today.
04:06Just got some cereal in here,
04:08some rice cereal,
04:09and then it goes,
04:10I mean, whatever you want.
04:12But this just all happens to go great with ranch.
04:14Cereal, cheese crackers, baby pretzels,
04:17and oyster crackers.
04:18You can just do a snack mix with just the crackers.
04:21That is like old school.
04:23But these crackers are going to soak the flavor up the best.
04:26Also going in with some peanuts.
04:27And you simply just take some oil,
04:29just a neutral flavored oil.
04:31And the other kind of Chex Mix stuff,
04:33you've got, you know, just other spices,
04:35garlic, you know, seasoned salt,
04:37and garlic powder, and Worcestershire, and all that.
04:39The ranch seasoning takes place of a lot.
04:41Also going to add in some garlic powder.
04:43And then just stir it up, pour it all over.
04:46And then you want to make sure everything is coated
04:49in the seasoning.
04:50And then you just pour it out onto a baking sheet.
04:52It just takes about 20 minutes in the oven.
04:54It's a low oven, about 275.
04:56Stir it halfway through.
04:57Just kind of helps bake that flavor in
04:59and get them extra crispy.
05:00Ranch snack mix is just a no-brainer.
05:02I love seeing the little green flecks from the seasoning.
05:05You know it's in there.
05:06You know what it is.
05:10And it's just a natural 10 out of 10.
05:12Ranch soup, I think so.
05:14This is a loaded baked potato soup.
05:16You need a new soup this time of year.
05:18This is your recipe.
05:19So I've just got some russet potatoes here.
05:21We're gonna mimic that baked potato flavor.
05:24Just chopped them up.
05:25I'm gonna toss them with a little bit of flour.
05:27That's just gonna help our soup get good and thick.
05:29This is a perfect dump, dump, and go.
05:32Go about your day.
05:34Okay, and then you're just gonna add everything else in.
05:37Some onion.
05:38Going all out with some pre-chopped and cooked bacon.
05:41A little bit of fresh garlic.
05:42Some chicken bouillon.
05:44This is just the granules, but you could also just do a cube or the paste.
05:51You know it was gonna happen.
05:53A little bit of seasoned salt.
05:54You know, potatoes are really starchy and they're big sponges.
05:58They will soak up all the salt.
06:00So this is pretty heavily seasoned, but in the end it's gonna be perfectly balanced.
06:04And now our ranch and a little bit of pepper.
06:07And then you just top it with water, and then you go to work.
06:10Okay, just let it go.
06:12This can cook on low for seven, eight, nine hours, or you can go high for half the time.
06:18See you soon.
06:20If only you could smell this, but look at it.
06:25It is creamy.
06:26It is looking good.
06:28At this point, during the last 15 to 20 minutes, you're gonna add in some half and half.
06:32I also am just gonna give it a slight mash with a potato masher.
06:36You don't have to do that.
06:37I just like it kind of both creamy and chunky.
06:41It's pretty much done.
06:41We're just gonna let it really heat back up about 15 minutes.
06:45There's like three things aiding in the creaminess of the soup.
06:48You've got, of course, the starch from the potatoes and the half and half.
06:51But the ranch seasoning also helps with that.
06:55Okay, and I said it's loaded baked potatoes.
06:58So I'm gonna load it up with some cheese and green onions.
07:01You know I love some pepper.
07:03Pretty good, eh?
07:09Yep, that's a home run right there.
07:12I've made potato soup a million times.
07:14I don't know why I've never thought to put the ranch packet in the soup.
07:17You can taste it right off the get-go.
07:19And it just pairs perfectly with everything else in the soup.
07:22I know you're gonna make a potato soup this year.
07:24This is the recipe you need to do it with.
07:26Thank you later.
07:28This next one is a little magic trick.
07:31Ranch for sauce is the secret weapon.
07:33So I'm making a perfect little dill ranch sauce to go with.
07:38Dill pickle chicken skewers.
07:40I have marinated these also in a little ranch dressing and pickle juice.
07:44If you have never made this, I did it a long time ago.
07:47And I just wanted another excuse to make it so I could show you the sauce that goes with these.
07:52One of the best things you'll have in your life.
07:55And a lot of it is thanks to the sauce.
07:57So you start by melting some butter and you want to let it go until it like almost starts to
08:01brown.
08:02While that works, I'm gonna go in with a little garlic.
08:04You're just gonna cook this together until the butter and the garlic start to become lightly brown.
08:08It happens kind of fast.
08:09You don't want it to get too brown or the garlic will become bitter.
08:12And once you get to that light brown, you're gonna turn off the heat
08:15and whisk in a little bit of chicken broth and the start of the show.
08:19The ranch dressing thickens it slightly.
08:21Finish it off with some fresh dill.
08:23I'm telling you, get ready for the best, most perfect bite over.
08:26So you can see how the sauce is thickened a little bit.
08:30It's not overly heavy.
08:32It's like, I don't know, I can't explain it.
08:35You can make the sauce with any delicious thing you pull off the grill.
08:38Doesn't have to be this exact recipe.
08:40So I don't look divine.
08:42Just gonna give me a little sample of this one.
08:50Ranch for sauce is the secret weapon.
08:52I mean, you could bathe in that.
08:54We're trying this next one together for the first time.
08:57Ranch scrambled eggs.
08:58Makes sense.
08:59It makes sense.
09:00Because of the ingredients in the ranch seasoning,
09:02I feel like it will make the eggs creamier.
09:06That's my expectation at least.
09:07We'll see what happens.
09:08Just gonna do a few eggs.
09:10I actually found this recipe on the Hidden Valley site.
09:16So this was their idea, not mine.
09:18Scramble it with the seasoning.
09:20And a little milk.
09:21And a little salt and pepper.
09:22Actually, I'll do the pepper at the end.
09:24Scramble them up.
09:26Alright, I've melted some butter.
09:27Non-stick skillet.
09:29Down with the eggs.
09:30I feel like this would be good with a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich.
09:33Again, the bacon and the cheese with the ranch.
09:36They are looking really creamy.
09:38It's like they're extra fluffy.
09:40Let's see how they taste.
09:41I feel like it changed the texture somehow.
09:47Mmm.
09:48The flavor is actually quite nice.
09:50The flavor is really good.
09:51I think the texture might take a little getting used to or maybe I use too much for just three
09:57eggs.
09:58It's like it breaks down the egg to where it just kind of like melts in your mouth.
10:02But the flavor is really good.
10:04I might work on the measurement a little bit, but I'd probably try this again.
10:07Ranch eggs.
10:07Who knew?
10:08These next couple might seem obvious, but I feel like you might need a reminder.
10:12Ranch seasoning makes the perfect component to your breading.
10:15You've got your crunch factor established in whatever breading you use,
10:18whether it be cornflakes like I'm using, crackers, chips, breadcrumbs.
10:22You can really flavor it up with a packet of ranch.
10:24So I've just got some crushed up cornflakes, a little Parmesan cheese, and a packet of ranch.
10:30Give that a mix.
10:31Then I've just got some chicken breast, buneless, skinless chicken breast,
10:34kind of pound it a little bit to get it in one even thickness.
10:38Coat it in some melted butter, and then into our breading.
10:41Good thing about packet seasonings,
10:43it takes the place of maybe a binder to help things adhere or thicken,
10:47but also it's loaded with lots of other seasonings.
10:49And in result, we want it to be both flavorful and crunchy.
10:54To the oven, we'll see when it opens.
10:56If you can get a good breading without having to deep fry, you won.
11:00Look at this ranch breaded crunchy chicken.
11:02That looks so good.
11:04And I still love every time I put ranch on anything, the little green flecks in there.
11:09Remember, there's two components.
11:10We've got to have crunch, and we've got to have flavor.
11:12The crunch, crunchy.
11:14You know, when you pound your chicken breast, it looks twice as big.
11:18Still just a regular-sized, boneless, skinless chicken breast.
11:22So I wouldn't mind a little ranch-flavored butter now on top.
11:25All right, let's see the taste.
11:30One thing you can't deny about a packet of ranch, it has a ton of flavor.
11:35It's proven right here in the breading.
11:38Another obvious oldie but goodie, using your ranch seasoning for roasting.
11:42In particular, roasted vegetables.
11:44This is one of those things I've been doing for years, because why not?
11:48Take whatever veggies you want to roast.
11:49There is no rhyme or reason here.
11:51You first go down with your oil to give the seasoning something to stick to.
11:55Add on just a little more salt and pepper.
11:57And then toss to make sure everything's coated.
11:59Just makes things easier than pulling out a bunch of different spices from your cabinet.
12:03You know the drill. Crank your oven up and let them go.
12:06I'm going 425, probably about 25 to 30 minutes.
12:10These veggies smell divine, like everything else so far.
12:14They're beautiful, golden.
12:16Might be the perfect little way to upgrade your side for the holidays.
12:19Take the parchment off after the first half.
12:22This is just a little side tip when you're roasting veggies.
12:25You won't get great color with parchment, so I take the parchment out about halfway through,
12:30but that way it doesn't stick as bad.
12:31This is one you already know about, but here's your sign to use it.
12:34Ranch for roasting.
12:36For my next trick, ranch butter to make the best ranch garlic bread.
12:41And sometimes you just want just a little something extra.
12:44Just got a French loaf cut in half to make the butter.
12:48I bet you can guess what I'm going to do.
12:50Soften butter.
12:51It's got to be softened so everything will mix well.
12:53Got to add a little garlic because it is garlic bread.
12:55And our hero.
12:56I'm also going to add in just a little bit of olive oil and mix away.
12:59If you're using salted butter, you might not need salt.
13:02I have unsalted, so I'm going to add a little.
13:06That's going to be good.
13:07It has like a little tang to it.
13:10So when you think about your garlic bread, you know, you just taste the garlic, the salt,
13:13and the butter.
13:14But adding that little ranch in there is a good little trick.
13:19Shmear it down on your French loaf.
13:22This would also be really good on a grilled cheese or steak.
13:26Another no-brainer.
13:27This is what heaven smells like right here.
13:31Look at that.
13:32All that flavor sucked into the bread.
13:34We did this for the first time together.
13:36Break this garlic bread out at your next dinner.
13:39Everyone's going to love you.
13:40And look at the layer of flavor.
13:43Here it goes.
13:50Yep.
13:51Ranch butter should be in your arsenal at all times.
13:53An obvious 10 out of 10.
13:56Of course, this packet is for dips, but not just a veggie dip, okay?
13:59It is good for various cold and hot dips.
14:02So I'm starting with cold dip, and it doesn't just have to be ranch.
14:05In case you didn't know, this seasoning packet is a key ingredient in any recipe that starts with the word
14:12Mississippi.
14:13So I'm showing you my Mississippi dip, and it is just a crowd pleaser.
14:19So with the holidays, with the tailgates, this is one you need to have in your back pocket.
14:23Starts with a 16-ounce sour cream, a little bit of mayo, the ranch seasoning,
14:27and then half a pack of au jus gravy mix, which is the other key ingredient in the Mississippi everything.
14:34And then some pepperoncinis, which completes the Mississippi combo.
14:38Also need a little brine from the jar.
14:40It's as easy as that.
14:42It's in just your average cold dip.
14:44It's way better.
14:45The best dip.
14:46It's good if you let it refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
14:49Top it with some more pepperoncini for the perfect bite.
14:52Obviously, you've heard about ranch for cold dips, but have you ever made this dip?
15:03Still my favorite food, chips and dip.
15:06Mmm.
15:07I gotta stop.
15:09You've seen the cold, now the hot dip.
15:11And maybe you've seen ranch in hot dip, but probably most popular is the buffalo chicken dip.
15:16We're changing that up a little bit with chicken bacon ranch dip.
15:21CBR, as the kids call it.
15:23One of the most popular combos.
15:25And like all good dips, a block of cream cheese.
15:27That's really soft so that it will mix well with the ranch seasoning.
15:30So just get this well incorporated and then everything else goes in.
15:33Chicken, horse.
15:35I've chopped it really small so that, you know, it's better for a dip.
15:40So that it all fits on your chip or your cracker.
15:42Sour cream, scallions, and cheddar cheese.
15:47And you gotta go in with the B, the bacon.
15:50I mean, I know you can already taste it, can't you?
15:53Just a little pepper.
15:54And you're gonna transfer it to a baking dish.
15:57It's a good tailgate dip right here.
15:59I'm just gonna put a little more cheese on top.
16:01I think when you cook the ranch seasoning, whether it be on the roasted veggies or in a dip like
16:06this,
16:07I feel like the flavor is more mellow.
16:10It kind of mellows out and just kind of blends in with everything else.
16:12Versus like in a cold dip, it's very pronounced.
16:15Into the oven, till hot and bubbly.
16:18Look at here, look at here.
16:19Hot out the oven.
16:21Topped it with some bacon during the last couple minutes.
16:23Some green onion.
16:24Can serve it with some veggies.
16:26Might be nice.
16:27Some carrot sticks or celery sticks.
16:29Or chips.
16:29I'm going crackers.
16:31Like I said, I know you've done this before.
16:33But maybe I just needed an excuse to eat another dip.
16:38Mmm.
16:40Mmm.
16:43Maybe like 15 out of 10.
16:46The ranch is subtle.
16:47The cheesy crust is the perfect complement.
16:51The chicken in there makes this a hearty dip.
16:52You're getting your protein in.
16:54So it's almost healthy.
16:55Ranch packet plus hot dip.
16:57Perfect combo.
16:58Any guesses into my next move?
17:01Casseroles.
17:02So I'm doing a sort of like the creamy chicken enchilada inspired chicken and rice casserole.
17:08I've got chicken and rice in the bowl.
17:10Adding some cream of chicken.
17:13Also some sour cream.
17:14Can of diced green chilies.
17:16Surprise, surprise.
17:17The ranch.
17:18There's salt in the ranch seasoning, in the green chilies, and in the cream of chicken.
17:23So you'll want to taste it before you add any salt.
17:27You may not need any.
17:29Because we're also adding in some cheese.
17:35You don't.
17:35You don't.
17:36And I'm going to end with some Mexican blend cheese.
17:38Half the pack on the inside, half on top.
17:40And I like to kind of have like a craggly top.
17:43Just so you get a little more browning.
17:45You know the drill from here.
17:46It's still hot and bubbly.
17:48Something about the smell.
17:50It hits you right when you take this out of the oven.
17:52Because I have those southwestern flavors in here.
17:54I'm going to top it with some cilantro.
17:57You could also just top it however you would top like your enchiladas.
18:01Mmm-hmm.
18:02Usually I would serve this with a salad.
18:04But to have some little cold crunch on top.
18:07That's going to make for a perfect bite.
18:09Some cilantro.
18:11Diced tomato.
18:12A little bit of serrano chili.
18:13It's a good looking kicked up chicken and rice casserole.
18:16Thanks to the ranch.
18:21Mmm.
18:21I mean by this point you should be thinking that little packet is pretty magical.
18:26Because I am.
18:28One of the best chicken and rice casseroles I've made in a long time.
18:33Bet you've never used it for biscuits and breads.
18:36Well that changes today.
18:37I'm making cheddar ranch butter swim biscuits.
18:40You can add in a little of this magic potion into your favorite biscuit or bread recipe.
18:47Just for a hint of what is that in there that's so good.
18:50Well it's going to be ranch.
18:52So I've got flour, baking powder, and salt in there.
18:55Adding in the ranch seasoning.
18:57Also going to add in some cheddar cheese.
19:01I have loved butter swim biscuits.
19:02If you have not made one of my recipes yet, you need to.
19:07I'm not really a baker.
19:08So those are like the easiest kind of biscuits to make.
19:10And they're so like melt in your mouth.
19:13Crispy edges.
19:14Mmm.
19:15Just microwave your butter.
19:16I'm going to coat the cheese in the flour mixture.
19:19So you want to get all that mixed together so that once you add your buttermilk, you only have to
19:23do minimal stirring.
19:24And you're going to make a little well in here.
19:26Buttermilk goes in.
19:27And then you mix it until just combined.
19:29And you spoon your biscuit dough into the butter.
19:34And it's really thick.
19:35Don't be scared.
19:36Just want to spread it out best you can to the edges.
19:39Don't worry about the butter.
19:40Take a sharp knife and you score it into 9 or 12 biscuits.
19:46It's going to allow the butter to swim in between each biscuit.
19:51And then these go into the oven.
19:52High temperature.
19:53You're going 450 for just about 20 minutes.
19:55You've never had biscuits so fast.
19:57Oh my gosh, I love these things.
20:02Come on, Nicole, hurry.
20:03All right.
20:04These are the best kind of biscuits.
20:07Let's see how we did.
20:08You see that little ranch confetti in there?
20:16Mm-hmm.
20:17It's a cross between a biscuit and a cheese straw.
20:20Get that little crusty cheese in that ranch.
20:23The ranch just gives it the overall, like, savory note.
20:26Ranch for your bread.
20:27It's just a good hack.
20:29And now we are in the home stretch.
20:31Okay, okay.
20:32I know you know this one, but I need it for my final trick.
20:36We can turn that ranch packet into the best ranch dressing ever.
20:40We call this one Wingstop Ranch because it's all they use.
20:45You think their ranch is so good because they add some other ingredient.
20:49They don't.
20:50It's three ingredients.
20:51Mayonnaise, the hero, and buttermilk.
20:55Now, buttermilk over regular milk, yes.
20:57I promise you it's all it is.
20:59I mean, this is way better than what you get in a bottle.
21:02And this is better than the bottled version of this.
21:07It does not, it's not the same.
21:08You got to get that dressing consistency.
21:10The most popular use for the packet is right here in this jar.
21:14The best ranch dressing.
21:16And I'm going to taste it with my final trick.
21:19Marinades.
21:20And I'm doing a marinade for chicken wings that I will dip in my ranch.
21:24Again, it's an ingredient that takes the place of multiple ingredients.
21:30So if you're making your marinades and you put a little onion powder, a little garlic powder,
21:34a little blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, just add a packet of ranch.
21:39Call it a day.
21:40Going in with a little Worcestershire.
21:41Just a touch of something sweet in our packet.
21:44It's sort of like you're marinating your wings in ranch dressing, which is what my brother does.
21:50A little acid.
21:51And the mayonnaise is acting as my oil.
21:53You could also just do oil in here.
21:55The only thing the ranch seasoning doesn't have, in case you haven't noticed today, is pepper.
21:59Got some wings.
22:00These are those kind of wings that are going to be so good, you don't need sauce.
22:04A little miracle marinade.
22:06Going to let them marinate for about an hour and then pop them in the air fire.
22:10Ooh, look at those beauties.
22:11Told you.
22:12They're so good.
22:12You do not need to sauce them up.
22:15A little bit of honey that I add in my marinades.
22:18Help caramelize it so you get that good brown color.
22:21This is a ranch packet, two for one special.
22:24Ranch wings with ranch dressing.
22:26I can dip it in the ranch, but first, I know I don't need to.
22:34And you can tell by the color that the flavor is locked in.
22:38This is mine, so I can go.
22:43Mmm.
22:46Looks like double the ranch.
22:47It's so good.
22:48If you haven't added a packet of ranch to your marinades, here's your son.
22:54Okay, I'm ranch down.
22:55You can do the ranch down.
22:56Ooh, where's the S?