You Need To Spice Up Your Store-Bought Ranch

Your ability to take your bottle of store-bought ranch from plain to downright spicy and delicious isn't reliant upon some culinary magic trick. Instead, all you need is a bit of ranch, plus your favorite spicy condiment like Tabasco, sriracha, or even packaged seasoning mix, like taco seasoning. For those who like just a little spice, a few drops of condiment or a teaspoon of seasoning is usually enough to add a weensie spicy nip to your dip.

However, there are those brave souls who exist on the opposite end of the heat spectrum and who love a mouth-on-fire version of spicy ranch. Those of you who fall into this category may have to experiment a bit to get the desired level of hotness. (Actually, this applies to those of you who fall in the middle, too, come to think of it.) For example, 2 tablespoons of sriracha to a half cup of ranch might be too fiery for some spice lovers but not enough for others. 

In light of this, it's better to start with smaller amounts of the hot condiment or spice mix in question and work up to larger ratios of pizzazz in a cup. If you're not sure how much spice you'd like, begin with a small condiment-to-ranch ratio. Adjust as you go, either by adding more spice to jazz the dip or dressing up or by putting in more ranch to cool your spicy dip back down in the event that you've added too much flavoring.

Which condiment or seasoning you put in your bottled ranch dressing or powdered dressing mix depends on what you intend to do with the dip (if it's thick) or dressing (if it's thinner). For example, store-bought ranch dressing combined with taco seasoning tops off your favorite taco salad deliciously. It brings the cool essence of ranch to the mix, with its overtones of fresh dill, buttermilk (sometimes), and garlic, while still honoring the spices that most taco salad fans love. This is an especially easy hack if you're making taco salad at home. The taco seasoning mimics the flavors that a restaurant salad taco would have without the price. But spicy ranch isn't just for a salad. Foods like shrimp tacos or your favorite chicken fajitas recipe get an extra flavorful kick when you top them with this spicy ranch.

Or if you're a lover of fresh veggies with dip as a snack, a few sprinkles of Sriracha or Tabasco livens up this otherwise tame treat. French fries are next level when they're dipped in this, and it's an especially good time for your tastebuds if you combine spicy ranch with sweet potatoes for a sweet-and-spicy flavor balance that's unbeatable. A good burger, battered onions, or even onion rings are even better with this doctored up condiment. Short of eating it straight out of the bowl, it's pretty hard to go wrong with this creamy and spicy flavor duo, no matter what you eat it with.