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The best part of eating at Popeyes is their Blackened Ranch dipping sauce – and now you can make it at home with my copycat recipe! It’s ranch dressing taken to the next level – zesty, with a slight kick that gives a depth of flavor to every bite!

Watch the Popeyes Blackened Ranch Recipe Video!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Tips
Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!
- buttermilk – You can use store bought buttermilk or make it at home by adding 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar or fresh lemon juice to 1 cup of whole milk! (1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice + 1 cup of whole milk = 1 cup of whole buttermilk)
- mayonnaise – I recommend using Best Foods / Hellman’s mayo (vs. my usual go-to Japanese Kewpie mayo, which I find to be too sweet and rich for this recipe).
- smoked paprika – if you want to kick up the heat, you can use hot paprika.
- cayenne pepper – you can halve this if you are sensitive to heat.
- mustard powder – Mustard powder is ground mustard seed and very potent! Regular yellow mustard cannot be used as a substitute for this. (Yellow mustard has other ingredients like vinegar and salt, which will throw off the ratio of flavors and texture in this.)
- msg – the official ingredient list for Popeyes Blackened Ranch includes msg but if you want to omit it, you can!
Blackened Ranch is perfect for Fried Chicken, Chicken Tenders (or Air Fyer Chicken Tenders)! I also love it for wings – make Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Baked Chicken Wings, or Grilled Chicken Wings!
It’s also great for roasted vegetables, like Honey Roasted Carrots, Roasted Cauliflower, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts (Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts).
How To Make Popeyes Blackened Ranch
Making any homemade sauce is so easy – simply add all of the ingredients together and mix together until fully combined.
The key tip is here what you do after – let the Blackened Ranch sit for at least 10 minutes (but ideally up to 24 hours, covered in the refrigerator) so the flavors can meld together. The longer it sits, the better it will taste!
I love homemade sauces – that’s why I have so many recipes for them! My favorites are my Chinese Chili Oil (or Chili Crisp), Dumpling Dipping Sauce, and Tonkatsu Sauce! However, my most popular recipes are Raising Cane’s Sauce, Chick-Fil-A Sauce, Homemade BBQ Sauce, and Spicy Mayo!
Key Tip
CJ’s Storage Tips
Making homemade sauces is the best but there are a few key tips to storing them:
- Store the Popeyes Blackened Ranch in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Make sure the container is sanitized beforehand and well-sealed to prevent any spoiling.
- Avoid dipping directly into the jar and only use clean utensils – any crumbs or bacteria from food or used utensils will make it go bad faster.
- Don’t leave the Blackened Ranch out – put it back in the refrigerator after opening or using, as the mayo or buttermilk can lead to it going bad if left out!
If you tried this Popeyes Blackened Ranch or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Popeyes Blackened Ranch – COPYCAT
Ingredients
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- ¼ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon msg, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, add the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, paprika, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, mustard powder, and msg. Mix together until fully combined.
- Store in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Notes
-
- You can use store bought buttermilk or make it at home by adding 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar or fresh lemon juice to 1 cup of whole milk! (1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice + 1 cup of whole milk = 1 cup of whole buttermilk)
-
- I recommend using Best Foods / Hellman’s mayo (vs. my usual go-to Japanese Kewpie mayo, which I find to be too sweet and rich for this.)
-
- If you want to kick up the heat, you can use hot paprika instead.
-
- You can halve the cayenne pepper if you are sensitive to heat.
-
- Mustard powder is ground mustard seed and very potent! Regular yellow mustard cannot be used as a substitute for this. (Yellow mustard has other ingredients like vinegar and salt, which will throw off the ratio of flavors and texture in this.)
-
- The official ingredient list for Popeyes Blackened Ranch includes msg but if you want to omit it, you can!
-
- Once mixed together, let the Blackened Ranch sit for at least 10 minutes so the flavors meld. It’ll get better as it sits in the fridge.
-
- Store the Blackened Ranch in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Make sure the container is well sealed to prevent spoilage.
-
- Avoid dipping directly into the jar and only use clean utensils – any bacteria from food or used utensils will make it go bad faster.
-
- Don’t leave the Blackened Ranch out – put it back in the refrigerator after opening or using, as the mayo or buttermilk can lead to your Blackened Ranch going bad if left out.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.