Ranch Vs Blue Cheese: Which Is Better For Keto?

The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that has gained popularity in recent years. While this way of eating can be restrictive, advancements in food science and culinary creativity have made the diet easier to follow.

When it comes to keto-friendly salad dressings, it can be tricky to find tasty, low-carb options beyond plain oil and vinegar. While ranch and blue cheese dressings are usually keto-friendly, it's important to check the labels to avoid hidden sugars and inflammatory oils.

Here's a comparison of ranch and blue cheese dressings to help you decide which one is better for your keto diet:

Ranch Dressing

- Ingredients: Buttermilk, sour cream, mayo, heavy cream, chives, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

- Taste and Texture: Creamy and tangy with a fresh flavour from the herbs.

- Keto-Friendliness: Most store-bought ranch dressings are very low in carbs, but they often contain inflammatory fats and preservatives. Making your own ranch dressing ensures better control over the ingredients.

- Brands: Hidden Valley Ranch, Ken's Steakhouse Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, and Sir Kensington's Classic Ranch are popular options.

Blue Cheese Dressing

- Ingredients: Mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese, lemon juice, milk, salt, and pepper.

- Taste and Texture: Thick, creamy, and chunky with a strong, tangy flavour.

- Keto-Friendliness: Blue cheese dressings are typically keto-friendly, but watch out for added sugars and soy. Making your own allows you to control the ingredients.

- Brands: Ken's Steakhouse Chunky Blue Cheese is a classic low-carb option, while Primal Kitchen's Green Goddess Dressing offers a dairy-free alternative.

Both ranch and blue cheese dressings offer creamy, tangy flavours and are generally keto-friendly. However, making your own dressings or choosing high-quality brands can ensure better ingredient quality and avoid hidden carbs. Ultimately, the choice between ranch and blue cheese comes down to personal preference, as both can be delicious additions to your keto diet.

Ranch and blue cheese dressings are keto-friendly

Ranch dressing is a popular choice for those on the keto diet, as it is usually very low in carbs. However, store-bought ranch dressings can be loaded with inflammatory fats and preservatives, so it is often better to make your own. You can find many keto-friendly ranch recipes online, and some even suggest using buttermilk ranch powder to control what other ingredients you mix it with.

Blue cheese dressing is also keto-friendly, as it is usually low-carb. However, it is important to watch out for hidden sugars and soy in store-bought blue cheese dressings. As with ranch, you can find many keto-friendly blue cheese recipes online.

When making your own keto-friendly dressings, it is best to use healthy oils/fats as the primary ingredients, such as avocado oil, extra virgin olive oil, and MCT oil. You should also aim to use minimally-processed foods and keep net carbs per serving to a minimum.

Check the label for net carbs

When it comes to determining whether a food is keto-friendly, the most important thing to do is to check its nutritional label. This is especially true for those following a ketogenic diet, as the keto diet is very strict about the number of carbohydrates consumed.

In general, when looking at nutritional labels, it is recommended that you look for foods with healthy oils/fats as the primary ingredients, a list of minimally-processed foods, and a minimal amount of net carbs per serving.

When it comes to salad dressings, it is important to note that most store-bought dressings contain carbohydrates and added sugar. Therefore, it is crucial to read the nutrition labels carefully to find keto-friendly options. Some popular keto-friendly salad dressings include Primal Kitchen Greek Dressing, Tessemae's Organic Creamy Caesar Dressing, Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing, and Ken's Steakhouse Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing.

While it is convenient to purchase store-bought dressings, you can also make your own keto-friendly dressings at home. For example, a simple combination of oil and vinegar, with vinegar making up 1/3 of the mixture, can serve as a keto-friendly salad dressing. You can also add spices or herbs to this mixture to enhance the flavour.

Make your own keto-friendly ranch dressing

Ranch dressing is a popular choice for salad lovers, but store-bought options often contain unhealthy oils and added sugars. Making your own keto-friendly ranch dressing is a great way to ensure your dressing is both delicious and aligns with your dietary needs. Here's a simple recipe to get you started:

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup heavy cream or nut milk (for a thinner dressing)
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced, or 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (you can use avocado mayo or regular mayo)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (you can use more mayo instead to lower carbs)

Instructions:

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl or mason jar. Whisk or shake until well combined. You can use it right away, or let it sit in the refrigerator for about an hour to enhance the flavour. Store your keto ranch dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Tips:

• If you're using fresh herbs, feel free to adjust the amounts to suit your taste preferences.
• You can also add a pinch of paprika for extra flavour.
• If you want a thicker dip, omit the heavy cream or nut milk. For a thinner dressing, use more milk.

Variations:

Once you've mastered the basic recipe, you can experiment with different flavours:

• Spicy ranch: Add 1-2 teaspoons of sriracha sauce or hot sauce.
• Jalapeno ranch: Mince 1 jalapeno pepper and stir it into the dressing.
• BBQ ranch: Add 2-3 tablespoons of low-carb BBQ sauce for a smoky twist.
• Dairy-free ranch: Use dairy-free yogurt or coconut cream instead of sour cream, and replace the heavy cream with nut milk.

Enjoy your homemade keto-friendly ranch dressing!

Ken's Steakhouse Chunky Blue Cheese is keto-friendly

Ken's Steak House Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing is a keto-friendly option, with only 0.5g net carbs per tablespoon. It has a big, classic blue cheese taste with big chunks of real blue cheese. It is gluten-free and can be used as a salad dressing, dip, or marinade.

The dressing contains soybean oil, water, distilled vinegar, blue cheese, salt, sugar, and other ingredients, with milk being the main allergen. It has 13% saturated fat and 0% total carbohydrates.

This blue cheese dressing is versatile and can be used in various ways. You can pour it over a wedge of cold lettuce for a delicious salad, spread it on sandwiches, dress up a burger, or use it as a dip for fresh, crunchy veggies. If you're making wings, be sure to get an extra bottle!

So, if you're following a keto diet, Ken's Steak House Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing is a great option to add flavour to your meals while keeping your carb intake in check.

Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing is keto-friendly

Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing is a keto-friendly option for those looking to add flavour to their food without compromising their diet.

The dressing is made with avocado oil, a keto-friendly fat, and has just 2g of carbs per 2-tablespoon serving. It also contains 15g of fat, making it one of the highest-fat brands of ranch dressing.

Primal Kitchen's entire ingredient list is all-natural and all-organic, with no chemicals, cane sugar, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, seed oils, soy, or canola. The dressing is also gluten and dairy-free, and the eggs used are pasteurised and cage-free.

Primal Kitchen Ranch Dressing is a tasty and healthy option for keto dieters, but it is important to remember that, as with any salad dressing, it is easy to over-indulge. Be mindful of your portion sizes to ensure you stay within your macronutrient limits.

Frequently asked questions