Name: Creamy Avocado Ranch Dressing
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 Hass avocado , ripe, pitted, flesh scooped from skin; 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce , such as Tabasco; 1 tablespoon lime juice , from 1 lime; 1/2 cup buttermilk; 1/4 cup mayonnaise; 1 tablespoon minced red onion; 1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro leaves; 1 medium clove garlic , minced; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; 3/4 teaspoon table salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Why This Recipe Works

We built our salad dressing recipes around ingredients not regularly used in dressings, including apples, raisins, carrot juice, and ruby port. We balanced these ingredients with fats such as cream, buttermilk, mayonnaise, nut oils, and yogurt and punctuated the dressings with condiments such as chili paste and orange marmalade. To give our dressing recipes more depth and intensity of flavor, we turned to the stovetop to reduce wine and juices and toast spices and sesame seeds.

Before You Begin

Crisp lettuces like iceberg and romaine are a perfect match for this creamy dressing. Shaved red onion, grape tomatoes, and crumbled bacon make excellent garnishes for greens tossed with this dressing. To calculate the amount of dressing needed, use 2 tablespoons per quart of greens, (one quart of greens will serve two).

Instructions

In food processor, puree avocado, hot sauce, and lime juice until avocado is broken down, about 30 seconds. Add remaining ingredients and process until dressing is completely smooth. (Can be refrigerated up to 1 week.)