NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — Ranch is the best-selling salad dressing in America, and it has been since it took the crown from Italian near the close of the 20th century.
It’s still jazzing up iceberg and romaine. But ranch now competes with the likes of ketchup and other condiments, serving as a creamy dip for everything from hot wings to fried pickles — and perhaps most controversially — pizza.
Ubiquitously available, ranch dressing is a versatile staple of American foodways, easily found in grocery stores, recipes, and on menus across the nation.
Beloved and maligned, ranch dressing also pervades the culture with writers labeling it the “Great American Condiment,” and, on the flip side, “extravagant and trashy.” It also evokes nostalgia, as noted by Nick Higgins, an executive for Hidden Valley Ranch’s parent company, who suggests that this emotional connection fosters a fandom around ranch.
The journey of ranch dressing from a humble recipe to a culinary staple showcases the entrepreneurial spirit of America. Hidden Valley Ranch, where ranch dressing was born, started as a mail-order business in the 1950s, later becoming a household name after being sold to Clorox in the 1970s.
As it stands today, ranch dressing’s impact on American cuisine and culture affirms its presence in homes and restaurants alike, reflecting trends and shaping palates across the country.
Ranch is not just a condiment, it’s a symbol of togetherness, a flavor enjoyed across generations and a testimony to American culinary creativity.
