The Best Two-Ingredient Snack Starts With A Ranch Packet And Jar Of Pickles

While the best kind of pickle is the one made at home with your own vegetables and pickling brine—of which there are endlessly delectable pickle recipe variations that Southern cooks have mastered—we'll never say no to a classic spear from the grocery store. It's a friendly addition to a burger night, outdoor barbecue, beach day, or any other occasion that favors a grilled meat or homemade sandwich. It's also the best snack on its own—no meal required.

Turns out, you can also customize any store-bought jar with a little imagination and packet of Southerners' favorite salad dressing mix: ranch. Here's why, especially if you love pickles, you need to try ranch pickles.

What Is A Ranch Pickle?

We're no strangers to using crowd-pleasing ranch seasoning to make unique and equally popular creations like our Bacon-Ranch Pasta Salad, but this hack is even easier, requiring no major prep and only two ingredients. Ranch pickles are simple and give extra flair to the store-bought staple. The result is a tangy, salty, savory, almost creamy flavor that will keep you coming back for more.

The Origins Of Ranch

Believe it or not, ranch dressing found its origins in rural Alaska. Fulfilling their own dream to live in the wild, Steve Henson and his wife, Gayle, moved from Nebraska to Alaska in 1949. His job as a plumbing contractor in the remote Alaskan bush forced Henson to pull double duty as a cook in order to feed his crew.

In an effort to get them to enjoy the salads they were being served, he made an experimental dressing with ingredients he had on hand: buttermilk, mayonnaise, and a handful of herbs and spices. Sure enough, the workers ate their vegetables.

After three years in the Alaskan bush, the Hensons moved to California, where they purchased Sweetwater Ranch in 1954. Changing the name to Hidden Valley, the property became a popular gathering place where the Hensons offered Steve's dairy-rich dressing. The condiment grew so popular at that Steve and Gayle began charging 75 cents for envelopes full of a powdered mix that would become popular across the country.

How To Make Ranch Pickles

This step-by-step will lead you into ranch pickle heaven. Once and for all, you will be convinced that ranch and pickles are the perfect pairing.

1. Grab a jar of your favorite dill pickle spears. We recommend choosing the larger 24-ounce jar.
2. Grab a packet of ranch seasoning mix—any brand you prefer.
3. Pour packet into pickle jar. Stir together using a fork.
4. Place lid back on the pickle jar, and shake vigorously until the seasoning is well-combined in the brine.
5. Allow to sit in the fridge for at least 24 hours. Enjoy until they're gone!

While we've only tried this recipe with dill pickles, there's no rule that you cannot try it with bread-and-butter or hot-and-sweet pickles, or even dill pickle chips as a perfect add-on to burgers. However, waiting at least 24 hours is important to let the flavors come together in the jar. We've always believed that ranch never does any wrong, but this feels extra right.