Deep-fried ranch a big hit at Minnesota State Fair: ‘I wanted to hate it’

With the Minnesota State Fair in full swing, one particular food item has proven to be a hit: deep-fried ranch. 

Served at Lulu’s Public House, the deep-fried ranch has drawn lines hundreds of people deep, as customers – perhaps out of curiosity – wait for the fair dish that has gotten everyone talking. 

Described by the Minnesota State Fair as “ranch dressing filling made with ranch seasoning, buttermilk and cream cheese in a panko shell, deep-fried and dusted with ranch powder,” deep-fried ranch is accompanied by “a side of hot honey sauce crafted with Cry Baby Craig’s hot sauce.” 

A sign on Lulu’s Public House indicates the item is made of Hidden Valley Ranch and ranch flavorings. 

“People in Minnesota love their ranch dressing,” Charlie Burrows, co-owner of Lulu’s, told Fox News Digital in an email in July, noting that “diners will ask for a side of ranch with almost everything.” 

Burrows worked on the concept of deep-frying ranch dressing for more than a year and a half, he told Fox News Digital in July.

Despite the unusual nature of the dish, Burrows predicted that people were going to love it, saying he was “really excited.” 

“We wouldn’t have done it if we didn’t think it tasted great,” he said.

As it turns out, Burrows was correct. He told Fox News Digital that just two days after the fair opened on Aug. 22, he had to place an order for 150% of what he’d originally planned.

The item has been described by Lulu’s marketing team this way: It’s as if “Hidden Valley Ranch and a cheese wonton had a baby.” But Burrows told Fox News Digital that he likened his dish to a fried ravioli tossed in panko breadcrumbs. 

The dish has been tasted – and enjoyed – by ordinary fair-goers as well as politicians and celebrities. 

Olympic gymnast Suni Lee, a native of Minnesota, posted a video recap of her trip to the fair on Aug. 26, when she tried various food items. 

Her first taste of deep-fried ranch left her wide-eyed and saying, “Oh my God.” 

One of her security guards can be heard in the background saying, “Deep-fried ranch was awesome.”

Country singer Blake Shelton also enjoyed deep-fried ranch, even giving it a shoutout during his Sunday night concert at the fairgrounds.

“I ate it and it’s awesome,” Shelton said. “I mean, look at – What is wrong with us? I loved it.”

Shelton added that a person has “gotta be a hillbilly” to like something like that. 

Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., who had previously referred to ranch as “the Midwest’s most sacred condiment,” also sampled deep-fried ranch. 

“It’s really good,” she said. “The hot honey makes it.”

“Ranch is a condiment for pretty much everything, but this might be its best execution yet,” she said. 

Kelly Morrison, a congressional candidate for Minnesota’s 3rd District, posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “LuLu’s deep-fried ranch dressing was even better than advertised,” along with a picture of herself holding a half-eaten triangle. 

“Chef Reactions,” a TikTok food creator with more than 3 million followers, also found himself among deep-fried ranch’s fans – even if a bit unwillingly. 

“I just had deep-fried ranch and I must begrudgingly admit it was not bad at all. I wanted to hate it. But I don’t,” he said in an Aug. 23 post on X.