Ranch dressing was invented by Steve (Steven) Henson, a Nebraska-born plumber and contractor who first created it in Alaska in the early 1950s and later popularized it at his Hidden Valley Ranch in California.

Quick Scoop: Who invented ranch?

  • Inventor: Steve (Steven) Henson, originally a plumber and contractor from Thayer, Nebraska.
  • When: Early 1950s, while he was working as a cook for his work crew in the Anchorage, Alaska area.
  • How it spread: He and his wife Gayle later bought a guest ranch near Santa Barbara, California, renamed it Hidden Valley Ranch, and began serving the dressing to guests, then selling packets of the dry mix so people could make it at home.
  • Fun context: Earlier buttermilk-based dressings existed (at least since the 1930s), but modern ranch as we know it in the U.S. is widely credited to Henson’s recipe and the Hidden Valley brand.

Over time, that simple herb-and-buttermilk mix turned into one of America’s favorite salad dressings and dips, used on everything from wings to pizza.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.