Elevated Ranch Dip

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I recently hosted my friends for dinner, and about an hour before they were scheduled to arrive, I realized I didn’t have a salad. Not having a salad is not the worst thing in the world, but given that I was serving a luxurious French beef stew and mini cheese boards, something fresh and green sounded delightfully refreshing.

As I looked around my kitchen, I realized I just happened to have a magical combination of ingredients. This is a rarity in my home, the happenstance just-what-I-need ingredient moment. I am notorious for making multiple trips to the same store on the same day only to arrive home and realize I need a lemon. Or rice. Or broth. Or anything. But not tonight! Tonight, I saw the perfect opportunity before me, and Elevated Ranch Dip was born.

Elevated Ranch Dip is made using a Hidden Valley Ranch Dip seasoning packet, but we are going to bump it up a few notches and give it a shiny new flavor. There is absolutely nothing wrong with standard Ranch Dip. In fact, we love it in our home. But trust me. The elevated version is going to deliver something special.

How do we elevate the ho-hum dip packet?

First, instead of sour cream, we are going to use Greek yogurt. I happened to have fat-free on hand, but you can use any fat variation you like. My Greek yogurt happened to be the Siggi’s brand, which is technically skyr (Icelandic in origin) and not Greek. If you can find this brand of plain yogurt, I think it is particularly thick and silky.

Second, we are going to add some lusciousness to our yogurt by adding just a smidge of real mayonnaise. If you are not a mayo person, do not despair. You will not be able to taste it, but you will notice a textural difference that makes this dip special.

Finally, we are going to amp up the acid and zippiness by adding a generous amount of lemon juice and eight shakes of Tabasco. Eight shakes is enough to add that late-heat surprise without making the dip spicy. The Tabasco is going to be your secret ingredient. Trust me.

To serve Elevated Ranch Dip, let’s elevate the vegetables as well. Think outside the predictable box of sad carrots, soggy celery, and pale cauliflower. Start with a cucumber, but slice it on the diagonal. Add a vibrant red pepper, slicing it into elegant strips. Grab a bag of baby carrots, but choose the multi-colored variety if you can find it. And, for an unexpected vegetable surprise, add a handful of raw French green beans. They will add a snappy crunch and beautiful visual interest to your platter.

With all of our elevated players in place, it’s time to dive in! Prepare for your guests to be wowed, returning to the vegetable dip with wonder and aliveness, eager to figure out what makes this crudite platter so enchanting. The secret? Knowing how to take basic ingredients and dress them up a bit without putting forth any extra effort. Doesn’t that sound delicious?

Note: If you are opposed to using store-bought Ranch Dip packets, here is a recipe for making your own!