Home Recipes Cooking Style Comfort Food
ByChristina Rivera
Taste of Home's Editorial Process
Updated: Jan. 05, 2022
If you're limiting your use of ranch dressing to a mere salad topping, you are seriously missing out. This collection of recipes with ranch dressing will show you what a bottle of ranch can really do!
1/29
Prep once and feed the family twice when you double this chicken mac and cheese and freeze half of it. I created it for the people I love most, using ingredients they love most. —Angela Spengler, Tampa, Florida
Go to Recipe
2/29
Chicken Tostada Salad
If I don't have any tostada shells on hand for this speedy salad, I just heat taco shells, break them in half and lay them flat on the plates. It works just as well. Great Southwest flavor! —Edie DeSpain, Logan, Utah
Go to Recipe
3/29
Cashew-Chicken Rotini Salad
I’ve tried many chicken salad recipes over the years, but this is my very favorite. It’s fresh, fruity and refreshing, and the cashews add wonderful crunch. Every time I serve it at a potluck or picnic, I get rave reviews—and ( always come home with an empty bowl! —Kara Cook, Elk Ridge, Utah
Go to Recipe
4/29
Creamy Herb Grilled Salmon
I have a huge herb garden and love using herbs in almost everything I cook. Living in the Pacific Northwest, we eat a lot of wild-caught salmon, so I use fresh herbs in this moist and delicious grilled recipe. On cooler days, bake it instead. —Michelle Glassmeyer Wunsch, Bothell, Washington
Go to Recipe
5/29
Bacon Pea Salad
My husband absolutely loves peas. My middle son isn't the biggest fan, but he loves bacon. So I decided to combine the two, and it was perfect! This salad is an awesome side dish, especially for barbecues. —Angela Lively, Conroe, Texas
Go to Recipe
6/29
Avocado-Ranch Chicken Wraps
My grandchildren love these wraps. My daughter gave me the recipe years ago, and now I make them as an afternoon snack or a light meal. I make the dressing from a simple ranch dressing mix. —Janice Stoltenow, Lebanon, Missouri
Go to Recipe
7/29
Chicken Chili Wonton Bites
Everyone needs a surefire, grab-and-go tailgate or picnic recipe. Wonton wrappers filled with chicken and spices make flavorful bites for fun on the run. —Heidi Jobe, Carrollton, Georgia
Go to Recipe
8/29
Cucumber Shell Salad
Ranch dressing is the mild coating for this pleasant pasta salad alive with the fresh flavors of crunchy cucumber, onion and green peas. Someone always seems to want the recipe! —Paula Ishii, Ralston, Nebraska
Go to Recipe
9/29
Buffalo Chicken Salad
Delicious, and even better—quick! This buffalo chicken salad is a summer staple at our house. Sometimes we cook the chicken on the grill, then sprinkle the hot sauce over it with the dressing, because you've gotta have that kick! —Cori Cooper, Flagstaff, Arizona
Go to Recipe
10/29
Loaded Potato Salad
Get a load of this loaded potato salad with sour cream, bacon, shredded cheddar, green onions and more. The ingredients come together to give you all the richness of restaurant potato skins at your next picnic. —Monique Boulanger, Greenwood, Nova Scotia
Go to Recipe
11/29
Tuna-Filled Shells
Hot tuna's a hit when you mix it with sizable pasta shells and a cheesy sauce. Dill also complements the fish nicely in this cream comfort food. It's a great change of pace from the traditional tuna casserole. —Connie Staal, Greenbrier, Arkansas
Go to Recipe
12/29
Bacon-Cheddar Potato Croquettes
Instead of throwing out leftover mashed potatoes, use them to make this potato croquette recipe. The little baked balls are yummy with ranch dressing, barbecue sauce or Dijon mayonnaise for dipping. —Pamela Shank, Parkersburg, West Virginia
Go to Recipe
13/29
Slow-Cooker Buffalo Chicken Dip
If you like spice, you'll love this slow-cooker Buffalo chicken dip. It's super cheesy and full of rich flavor, and really has that Buffalo wing taste! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Go to Recipe
14/29
Buffalo Chicken Pasta
Buffalo chicken is a favorite in our household. Combine it with pasta and you have the ultimate comfort food. If you prefer less spicy food, the addition of sour cream, ranch dressing and mozzarella provides a creamy texture and cooler flavor that nicely balances the spice in this buffalo chicken pasta dish. —Kathy White, Henderson, Nevada
Go to Recipe
15/29
Turkey Ranch Wraps
Here's a cool idea that's ready to gobble up in no time. It's a terrific use for deli turkey. Just add lettuce, tomato, green pepper, shredded cheese and ranch dressing for a flavorful blend. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Go to Recipe
16/29
Quick Bacon Potato Salad
My family was tired of the same old potato salad at family functions, so I created this potato salad with bacon. Now I'm always asked to bring it to potluck gatherings. —Tami Gallagher, Eagan, Minnesota
Go to Recipe
17/29
Creamy Herb Deviled Eggs
This variation of deviled eggs incorporates ranch dressing and Greek-style yogurt. The eggs fly from the serving dish at work. —Jenni Dise, Lakeside, Arizona
Go to Recipe
18/29
My favorite sandwich is turkey with avocado, so I created this healthy quesadilla with ingredients I often have in the fridge and pantry. —Karen O'Shea, Sparks, Nevada
Go to Recipe
19/29
Sausage Wonton Stars
These fancy-looking appetizers are ideal when entertaining large groups. The cute crunchy cups are stuffed with a cheesy pork sausage filling that kids of all ages enjoy. We keep a few in the freezer so we can easily reheat them for late-night snacking. —Mary Thomas North Lewisburg, Ohio
Go to Recipe
20/29
Ranch Potato Casserole
We operate a busy fruit farm. I cook every day for my family, so I appreciate this dish for another reason—I can put it together a day ahead and bake it just before we're ready to eat. —Lydia Schnitzler, Kingsburg, California
Go to Recipe
21/29
Provolone Chicken Pizza
Just pick up a ready-made pizza crust and rotisserie chicken on the way home, and enjoy a fresh, cheesy pizza in less time than it takes to order one not even half as good! —Shelly Fisher, Hermiston, Oregon
Go to Recipe
22/29
Nacho Cheese Beef Bake
My daughter came up with this recipe when she was visiting her fiancé's family. Her future father-in-law thought she was a pretty good cook after sampling it! —Kendra McIntyre, Webster, South Dakota
Go to Recipe
23/29
Zippy Breaded Pork Chops
Need a perky update for baked breaded pork chops? These chops with ranch dressing and a light breading will bring a delightful zing to your dinner table. —Ann Ingalls, Gladstone, Missouri
Go to Recipe
24/29
Grilled Potatoes with Bacon-Ranch Sauce
These potatoes are tender and good all by themselves, but pairing them with the sauce creates a perfect combination—a side dish compatible with any entree cooked on the grill. —Craig Carpenter, Coraopolis, Pennsylvania
Go to Recipe
25/29
Crumb-Coated Ranch Chicken
How do you get so much flavor out of a five-ingredient-or-fewer recipe? Ranch dressing is the key! Enjoy this simple dish on busy weeknights or with company for special occasions. —LaDonna Reed, Ponca City, Oklahoma
Go to Recipe
26/29
Chicken Ranch Flatbreads
To get my son to try new things, I revamped this mini pizza. Mr. Picky ate it, so it’s definitely family-friendly, even for those with fussy tastes. —Jenny Dubinsky, Inwood, West Virginia
Go to Recipe
27/29
We love skirt steak in our house. To make it a meal, I created a ranch-inspired bread salad with the best flavor combinations - creamy, tangy, sweet and fresh. — Devon Delaney, Westport, Connecticut
Go to Recipe
28/29
California Shrimp Tacos with Corn Salsa
After trying fish tacos, I fell in love. I wanted to recreate them at home and though Why not use shrimp? It's an affordable healthy way to feed my seafood-loving family. —Kayla Peters, Cecilia, Kentucky
Go to Recipe
29/29
Cheese Tomato Egg Bake
While making eggs, I wanted something different, so I created this egg bake. We loved it! I hope you will, too. —Jonathan Miller, Naugatuck, Connecticut
Go to Recipe
Originally Published: February 28, 2018
