If you want that old-school creamy buttermilk flavor without buying a bottled dressing every week, this simple pantry mix gets it done. Stir it together once, stash it in a jar, and you’re halfway to a quick salad dressing or an easy party dip.
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The flavor leans savory and herby, with minced onion, parsley, garlic, salt, and a little MSG for that familiar deli-style boost. It’s a handy one to keep beside other homemade staples like Italian Salad Dressing and Dip Mix or a batch from the full Dip Mixes collection when you need something fast.
Stored airtight in a cool, dry cupboard, the dry mix keeps best for about 6 months for strongest flavor, which is a practical estimate based on dried spice quality guidance from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service. Once you turn it into dressing or dip, treat it like any other homemade dairy-based mixture and keep it cold. That means it earns a regular spot in your weekly meal plan, not a permanent lease in the back of the fridge.
Buttermilk Dressing and Dip Mix Recipe
You’ll Need:
- 2 teaspoons instant minced onion
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
- 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
Combine the minced onion, salt, garlic powder, monosodium glutamate, and parsley flakes in a 1-pint jar, sealable plastic bag, or small airtight container. Shake or stir until the seasonings are evenly distributed.
Expert Tip: Crush the parsley flakes lightly between your fingers before mixing if they look especially coarse. It helps the herbs disperse more evenly, so you don’t wind up with one bite that tastes like garden clippings and another that tastes like plain mayo.
To Use:
For buttermilk dressing, combine the prepared mix with 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk, then blend well. For buttermilk dip, combine the mix with 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup mayonnaise, then blend until smooth. Refrigerate either version for at least 2 hours before serving so the dried onion softens and the flavor has time to settle in.
One batch of dry mix makes about 1 packet, enough for 2 cups of dressing or 2 cups of dip. That works out to roughly 16 servings at 2 tablespoons each, which is the standard serving size for dips and creamy salad dressings.
Store the dry mix in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months for best flavor. Prepared dressing or dip should be refrigerated promptly in a covered container and used within 3 to 4 days. If it separates a bit after chilling, just stir it well before serving.
For a thinner salad dressing, whisk in an extra tablespoon or two of buttermilk just before serving. If you want a thicker vegetable dip, start with the sour cream and mayonnaise version and let it chill the full 2 hours so the dried onion has time to soften properly.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Buttermilk Dressing and Dip Mix
Ingredient |
Walmart Item |
Pkg Price |
Amount Used |
Cost Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Instant minced onion |
$1.08 |
2 t. |
$0.06 |
|
Salt |
$0.62 |
1/2 t. |
$0.01 |
|
Garlic powder |
$1.24 |
1/8 t. |
$0.01 |
|
Monosodium glutamate |
$3.98 |
1/2 t. |
$0.06 |
|
Parsley flakes |
$1.24 |
1 T. |
$0.13 |
💸 |
Cost |
|---|---|
🧾 Total Batch Cost |
$0.27 |
👨👩👧👦 Cost Per Serving |
$0.02 |
📅 Walmart prices last verified August 26, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change. Learn how to calculate the cost of a recipe on your own!
Frequently Asked Questions about Buttermilk Dressing and Dip Mix
You can. Just leave it out and keep everything else the same. The mix will still taste good, but the flavor will be a little less rounded and savory, so if it seems flat after chilling, add a small pinch of salt or a tiny extra shake of garlic powder instead of dumping in more and hoping for a miracle.
Use less, not more. Swap the 2 teaspoons instant minced onion for about 3/4 teaspoon onion powder, since powder is finer and stronger by volume. The texture will be smoother, which works especially well in dressing.
That rest time matters. The dried onion needs time to soften, and the parsley and garlic need time to hydrate and spread through the mayo, buttermilk, or sour cream. If you serve it right away, it usually tastes sharper, grainier, and a little unfinished.
Use the dip version with 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup mayonnaise, then chill it fully before judging the texture. If you want it even thicker, reduce the mayonnaise by 2 to 4 tablespoons and replace that amount with extra sour cream for a sturdier scoopable dip.
Yes, plain Greek yogurt works, especially if you want a tangier dip. Use it as a 1:1 swap for the sour cream, but choose a thicker yogurt so the dip doesn’t go loose and sleepy on the platter after 20 minutes.
Start with exactly 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk, then chill it before adjusting. It often seems thinner right after mixing than it does after the dried ingredients hydrate. If it still pours too fast after chilling, whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons mayonnaise to tighten it back up.
It’s good with ridged potato chips, pretzels, chicken tenders, roasted potato wedges, and even as a spread on sandwiches or wraps. Think of it as a cool, creamy all-purpose dip that plays nicely with salty, crunchy foods.
Absolutely. Scale every ingredient evenly and mix it very thoroughly so the salt and garlic don’t settle in one corner of the jar. For larger batches, stirring in a bowl first works better than trying to shake everything together in a cramped container.
Toss it if it smells sour in a bad way, shows bubbling, separates into a watery mess that will not stir back together, or develops any pink, gray, or fuzzy spots. Homemade dairy-based dips are cheap to replace and not worth arguing with.
You can stir a little into potato salad, deviled egg filling, cold pasta salad, or softened cream cheese for a quick spread. Start with 1 to 2 teaspoons, taste, and build from there because it is easier to add more than to rescue an over-seasoned bowl.
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Buttermilk Dressing and Dip Mix
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons instant minced onion
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon monosodium glutamate
- 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the instant minced onion, salt, garlic powder, monosodium glutamate, and parsley flakes in a 1-pint jar, sealable plastic bag, or small airtight container.
- Stir or shake until the mixture is evenly blended.
- Seal tightly and store in a cool, dry place until needed.
- To make buttermilk dressing, blend the mix with 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk, then refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
- To make buttermilk dip, blend the mix with 1 cup sour cream and 1 cup mayonnaise, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Recipe Size Alteration
💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.
Notes
Dry mix shelf life is an estimate of 6 months in an airtight container stored in a cool, dry cupboard for best flavor.
Prepared dressing or dip should be refrigerated and used within 3 to 4 days.
is there a substitute for the msg? i would rather not have that in my food, but i know it tastes good.