This healthy Greek yogurt ranch dip tastes like the real thing, not a watered-down "skinny" version. Made with Greek yogurt instead of mayo or sour cream, it's creamy, tangy, and just 36 calories a serving. Great for dipping veggies or thin it into a dressing, as I do for my grilled corn and avocado salad.
Healthy Ranch Dip At A Glance
- ✅ Recipe Name: Healthy Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip (Only 36 Calories!)
- 🕒 Ready In:~10 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 4
- 🍽 Calories: ~36 per serving
- 💪 Protein: ~5g per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Plain Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, fresh chives, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper
- 📖 Dietary Info: High-protein, naturally gluten-free, nut-free, vegetarian, easily dairy-free with a yogurt swap
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: All the classic ranch flavor, made lighter with Greek yogurt instead of mayo or sour cream, and easy to thin into a dressing.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
I have a habit of taking classic recipes that lean on mayo and making them lighter without losing what made them good. It's how I ended up with my no-mayo tuna salad, my Greek yogurt Caesar dressing, and my crispy potato salad. Ranch was the obvious next one.
The tricky part with any of these is keeping the flavor once the fat is gone. Greek yogurt gets you the creamy texture, but on its own, it just tastes like plain yogurt. The fix here is a little Dijon and lemon, which is what keeps this from tasting like seasoned yogurt.
Now I keep a batch in the fridge most weeks. It's the kind of thing I reach for without thinking, whether I'm dipping veggies, spreading it on a sandwich, or thinning it into a dressing for a salad. I love serving it with my air fryer pizza rolls and crispy air fryer smashed potatoes.
Jump to:
- Healthy Ranch Dip At A Glance
- Healthy Ranch Dip vs Ranch Dressing
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Substitutions and Variations
- Is This Ranch Dip Actually Healthy?
- How to Make Healthy Ranch Dip with Greek Yogurt (Step-by-Step)
- My Tips + Notes From My Kitchen
- What to Serve With Healthy Ranch Dip
- Healthy Ranch FAQs
- How to Store and Make Ahead
- More Healthy No-Mayo Recipes to Try
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Healthy Ranch Dip vs Ranch Dressing
The only difference between the two is thickness. A dip is thick enough to cling to a carrot or chip. A dressing is thin enough to pour over a salad.
To turn this dip into a dressing, add water a tablespoon at a time, stirring until it's as thin as you want. That's it, same recipe, no changes to anything else.
So if you came here for a healthy ranch dressing, you're in the right place. Make it thick for dipping or thin it out for drizzling.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No mayo or sour cream: Just creamy Greek yogurt, so it's lighter than classic ranch but still rich.
- Ready in minutes: A few pantry ingredients stirred together in one bowl.
- Tastes like real ranch: The Dijon and lemon keep it from tasting like plain seasoned yogurt.
- Kid-friendly: A genuinely easy way to get more veggies eaten.
- Dip or dressing: Thick for dipping, or thin it with water for a pourable ranch dressing.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Plain Greek yogurt: Use 0% or 5%, both work great. It's thick and creamy on its own, so it makes the dip rich without any mayo or sour cream.
- Lemon juice: Fresh is best. It adds the bright tang that keeps this tasting like ranch, not plain yogurt.
- Dijon mustard: My little secret for a zesty, savory edge that fills in for the mayo.
- Fresh chives: They bring a mild onion flavor and that classic ranch taste. If you like herby, creamy dips, my avocado green goddess dressing leans into the same idea.
- Dried dill weed: Dill is the signature ranch flavor. A little goes a long way, so don't overdo it.
- Garlic and onion powder: These add savory depth without overpowering everything else.
- Salt and pepper: Key for balancing the flavors. Season to your taste.
Scroll to recipe card for quantities!
Substitutions and Variations
- Make it dairy-free: Greek yogurt is the base, so swap in a thick dairy-free yogurt. I like the Cocojune Greek-Style Coconut Yogurt one for ranch.
- Fresh dill instead of dried: Use about three times the amount, since fresh is milder.
- Dried chives instead of fresh: Use half the amount, since dried is more concentrated.
- No Dijon? A little plain yellow mustard works, or skip it and lean on the lemon for tang.
- Make it spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce.
- Turn it into a dressing: Thin it with water, a tablespoon at a time, until it's pourable.
Is This Ranch Dip Actually Healthy?
Yes, this version is. Most store-bought ranch is built on mayo and buttermilk, which is why a couple of tablespoons can run 130 calories or more, mostly from fat. This one swaps all of that for plain Greek yogurt, so a serving is about 36 calories with 5g of protein and almost no fat.
"Healthy" depends on what you're comparing it to, and I'm not going to pretend a dip is a health food. But as a swap for bottled ranch, this is a real upgrade: fewer calories, more protein, no added oils, and a short list of ingredients you can actually pronounce.
That's why I make it instead of buying it.
How to Make Healthy Ranch Dip with Greek Yogurt (Step-by-Step)
- Step 1: Stir together all the ingredients until smooth.
- Step 2: Chill for 15 to 30 minutes to let the flavors blend, then serve.
My Tips + Notes From My Kitchen
- Make it ahead: This is better the next day. The herbs soften in the yogurt overnight, so if you have time, mix it a day in advance.
- Taste before you serve: Greek yogurt brands vary in tang, so start light on the lemon and salt, then adjust once it's mixed.
- If it's too tangy: Add a spoonful more yogurt to mellow it out. If it's flat, it usually needs salt, not more herbs.
- For a thicker dip: Use 5% Greek yogurt and skip the water. For a pourable dressing, thin it with water a tablespoon at a time.
- Don't overdo the dill: Dried dill is potent. Too much and it tips from ranch into something more herbal.
What to Serve With Healthy Ranch Dip
- Veggies: Carrots, celery, cucumber, and bell peppers are the classics.
- Crispy sides: This is my go-to for crispy air fryer carrot fries and crispy smashed fingerling potatoes.
- As a dip: Spoon it alongside this healthy pizza recipe or healthy turkey cheddar meatball poppers for an easy crowd-pleaser.
- As a dressing: Thinned out, it's great drizzled over a salad or grain bowl. I use it on my grilled corn and avocado salad.
Healthy Ranch FAQs
You can, but it'll be much thinner, since regular yogurt has more liquid. It'll work fine as a dressing, but for a thick dip, stick with Greek. If regular is all you have, strain it for an hour or two first to thicken it up.
Yes. Greek yogurt swaps out the mayo and buttermilk that make bottled ranch high in fat and calories, and it adds protein. You get the same creamy texture for a fraction of the calories.
About 4 to 5 days in an airtight container. Give it a stir before serving, since a little separation is normal. If it's thickened up, thin it with a splash of water.
Yes, and it's actually better that way. Making it a few hours ahead, or even the day before, gives the herbs time to soften into the yogurt, and the flavor deepens.
Just thin it with water, a tablespoon at a time, until it's pourable. Same recipe, no other changes.
How to Store and Make Ahead
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container up to 5 days. Stir before serving if it separates, and add a splash of water if it's thickened.
- Make ahead: Even better, make a few hours early or the day before. The herbs soften into the yogurt, and the flavor deepens.
- Freezing: Skip it. Greek yogurt separates and turns grainy once thawed.
More Healthy No-Mayo Recipes to Try
If you loved this healthy ranch dip, here are a few more lighter, no-mayo recipes worth making next:
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don't forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
📖 Recipe
Healthy Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 0% or 5%
- 1 - 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
- 1 teaspoon dry dill weed
- ¼ - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Combine Ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix together the Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, chives, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Add a splash of water to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- Taste & Adjust: Taste, and if you want a stronger garlic flavor, adjust by adding a bit more garlic powder.
- Chill and Serve: For the best flavor, refrigerate for 15-30 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy: Serve with your favorite veggies, chips, or as a spread!
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.
Sammy says
Yum! Delicious.
Tati Chermayeff says
Thank you, Sammy! Thrilled you loved it 🙂