Homemade Fiesta Ranch Seasoning Recipe
Homemade Fiesta Ranch Seasoning Recipe
After releasing my homemade Ranch seasoning recipe, I received multiple requests for the Fiesta variation. It’s also a seasoning packet from Hidden Valley, but it’s full of Tex-Mex flavor and is dairy-free (no buttermilk powder in this one!).
After analyzing the ingredient list per usual and doing a little experimenting, I nailed down a seasoning blend that’s even better than storebought. Once you taste homemade seasoning, the stuff from the store tastes grossly artificial.
Here’s how to make DIY Fiesta Ranch seasoning packets!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple to make: drying out the sundried tomatoes is the only “work” you have to do for this recipe – the rest is just mixing the ingredients together in a mason jar. Super easy!
- Tastes better than Hidden Valley: in a side-by-side comparison, the homemade version tastes so much better! You get all that Tex-Mex flair without the unsettling artificial aftertaste.
- No weird ingredients: skip the MSG, “natural” flavors, modified corn starch, soybean oil, calcium stearate, and gum arabic! This homemade recipe is full of spices you probably already have in the pantry. Nothing funky.
- Multi-purpose: my family killed an entire tub of sour cream mixed with this seasoning blend – it’s an incredible dip. We also used it in a 7-layer dip appetizer, and I’ve used it as taco seasoning. It’s very versatile.
Recipe Testing Notes: How We Got to a Winning Recipe
It took me a few tries to nail this seasoning blend. First, I assumed that the base was buttermilk powder, just like the regular Ranch seasoning. But I was wrong!
The base is actually dried tomato, so I went back to the drawing board.
Sundried tomatoes seemed like a good way to get that tomato flavor without needing any special supplies or complicated steps.
But the sundried tomatoes weren’t dried out enough – they gummed up and didn’t incorporate into the powder. I decided to dry them out further in a low-heat oven, and voilà!
The sundried tomatoes blitzed up into a powder that blended perfectly with the other spices. It also added a hint of sweetness that balanced all the flavors.
How to Make Homemade Fiesta Ranch Seasoning Mix
The only real work required with this recipe is drying out the sun-dried tomatoes. They are dry-packed to begin with, but they need to be even drier to blitz up into a powder.
I preheated my oven to a low heat and let the tomatoes bake on a quarter sheet tray for about 40 minutes to an hour.
Then, I used a small personal blender to turn them into powder, but a coffee grinder would also work. I imagine a mortar and pestle would work, too.
The rest of the ingredients are just spices you might already have in your pantry. Well, aside from the umami blend (affiliate link), which, if you don’t already have it, I think it should be a staple. I use it in so many recipes!
Mix everything up in a bowl and you’re done!
How to Use Homemade Fiesta Ranch Seasoning Mix
This Fiesta Ranch seasoning mix makes an amazing chip dip! Mix 31g of the seasoning with a 16-ounce tub of sour cream. That’s it!
I’ve also used this seasoning mix as part of a 7-layer dip appetizer, but it’s basically the same thing – mix the Fiesta Ranch seasoning with sour cream, and that’s your layer.
Finally, I’ve used this as a pseudo taco seasoning on ground beef, and it was incredible. It has that Tex-Mex flair, but with all the flavors of taco seasoning that we know and love.
You can use this seasoning mix on roasted vegetables, meat, popcorn… whatever floats your boat!
How to Store Homemade Fiesta Ranch Seasoning
This seasoning blend can be stored in your pantry or other cool, dry place, for about a year.
If you’re concerned about the sundried tomatoes, you can also store this seasoning in the fridge to prevent any mold or spoilage.
I like keeping this seasoning mix in an 8-ounce mason jar fitted with a spice shaker lid. You can buy these special mason jar lids (affiliate link) on Amazon. It’s also available directly on their website.
If you wanted to store these as if they were packets from the store, put 31g of seasoning in each zip-top baggie. The recipe as written would make four “packets”!
Another pantry staple recipe: Easy Vanilla Extract Recipe
Homemade Fiesta Ranch Seasoning Recipe
Equipment
- Personal blender or coffee grinder
Ingredients
- 30 g sundried tomatoes dry-packed
- 20-30 g salt (to taste)
- 16 g garlic powder
- 16 g onion powder
- 9 g umami seasoning
- 9 g paprika
- 7 g chili powder
- 5 g cumin
- 5 g sugar
- 2 g cayenne
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°F (93°C). Put 30 g sundried tomatoes on a parchment-lined quarter sheet tray. Bake for 40 minutes, or until tomatoes are fully dried out and hard to the touch.
- Blend dried-out tomatoes in a small blender or coffee grinder for 1-2 minutes, or until the mixture is a powder with no large pieces.
- In a bowl, combine the powdered tomato, 20-30 g salt (adjust to taste), 16 g garlic powder, 16 g onion powder, 9 g umami seasoning, 9 g paprika, 7 g chili powder, 5 g cumin, 5 g sugar, and 2 g cayenne.
- Store in a mason jar in the pantry. You can also portion the seasoning mix into small zip-top bags – 31 g equals 1 standard packet of this seasoning from the store.
- To make a dip, combine 31 g of the seasoning with 16 ounces sour cream. For even better flavor, let it rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour before enjoying.
Video
Notes
Conclusion
If you try this Fiesta Ranch variation, let me know what you think! My kids can be picky eaters, but even they ate up our sour cream dip, which is always a good sign.
Happy baking, friends!
Other pantry staples to make from scratch:
I’m looking forward to trying this one! I live in the mountains and can’t always get the fiesta seasoning. I wonder if purchasing sun-dried tomato powder would taste as good as making it fresh at home?
Heck yeah! That’d save you a step, too