Dill is often used to flavor buttermilk ranch dressing.
Fans of creamy salad dressings appreciate buttermilk dressing as a low-fat alternative to less healthy cream-based dressing options. Buttermilk is versatile, able to take on other flavors without giving up its own subtle qualities. Among the many types of buttermilk sauce are those that contain avocado, sour cream, or mayonnaise to add weight to the sauce.
Mayonnaise can be added to buttermilk sauce.
Although it has a slightly thicker texture than regular sweet milk, buttermilk is still too loose to use alone as a base for a salad or vegetable dressing. Cooks can give it more body by adding a tablespoon or two of mayonnaise, sour cream, or even cream cheese. Some cooks combine buttermilk and blue cheese in a blender to make a base for chilled sauces and a velvety pastry glaze.
Avocados are included in some buttermilk sauces.
Despite the name, buttermilk is not only butter-free, it is lower in fat than regular milk. Supermarkets often offer buttermilk made with 2% butterfat and a fat-free version. This means that buttermilk dressing not only adds a creamy texture and flavor to a salad, it offers a low-fat alternative to other dressings.
The flavor of buttermilk is often compared to that of yogurt and can be mild or strong, depending on how it was made. It takes an entire gallon of milk just to create a single cup of fermented buttermilk. Buttermilk can be easily combined with other flavors. For example, a buttermilk ranch style sauce is easily made using a buttermilk mayonnaise base to which is added dill, a little chopped pickle, green olives, capers, and a little dry mustard.
Sour cream can be added to buttermilk sauce to create more body.
A blended base of blue cheese and buttermilk can be supplemented with a handful of crumbled blue cheese and some chopped nuts. This dressing is particularly tasty when topped with a salad containing seedless grapes and chopped apples. A sour cream base can be mixed with an avocado, some fresh garlic, and a little cilantro to create a salsa verde. Not only is this sauce delicious with vegetables, it goes well with rice and beans.
Buttermilk sauce can be made with creamy yogurt and fresh herbs.
The sour cream and buttermilk sauce also offers numerous curry combinations. Whether the cook chooses curry powder, curry paste, or creates their own curry with cardamom, ginger, pepper, and other flavors, this dressing is perfect for a tomato and cucumber salad, as well as cereal dishes.