Nicholas Gavin is the Culinary Creative Director of ChefSteps, where he develops recipes and is responsible for making all the food look beautiful. Nick has worked at ChefSteps for over a decade; he and ChefSteps co-founder Grant Crilly worked together at Modernist Cuisine. Nick has worked in professional kitchens both in the United States and abroad, most notably at Mugaritz in San Sebastian, Spain.

Nicholas Gavin

Who doesn’t love Hidden Valley Ranch? (Heathens, that’s who.) The iconic label with its rolling green hills and cloud-flecked blue skies is always a sign that you’re about to have a great time. We love it so much that we decided to give our homemade version a little something extra—bumping it up with both MSG and MSG-laced <a href="https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/japanese-kewpie-style-mayo">Kewpie mayo</a>, and then folding in some minced fresh herbs and a little fresh lemon juice for brightness. It’s just as rich and satisfying and goes with anything as the tangy, herb-flecked sauce that comes out of the bottle, but so fresh and so clean, like a gust of sweet-scented wind on a dewy spring morning. EDITORS’ NOTE: We’ve updated this recipe to simplify the ingredient list and reduce the number of herbs you have to buy at the store (we made a few optional); bump up the umami with added MSG; and increase the amount of lemon juice for a brighter flavor profile. If you prefer to use the original recipe, we’ve included it as a tip at the end of the recipe before the make-ahead and storage instructions.

Homemade Hidden-Valley-Style Ranch Dressing