Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe
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There’s simply no good reason to ever use store-bought! This homemade blue cheese dressing recipe is simple to make, has TONS of delicious uses, is WAY better than anything at the store, and is simply the BEST!!
It’s funny how tastes can change so dramatically over the years. As a kid I hated blue cheese and gagged at the thought of eating anything containing it no matter how cleverly disguised. But at some point in my 20’s I had a complete change of heart – a total conversion – and today I absolutely adore it. This homemade blue cheese dressing is just one of the many ways that I enjoy getting my blue cheese fix.
What is Blue Cheese Dressing?
Blue cheese dressing is a staple condiment in the United States where it has been popular since its origins in the early 20th century. It’s a sauce commonly consisting of blue, cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, buttermilk, either lemon juice or vinegar, garlic powder and/or onion powder, salt and pepper and sometimes a fresh herb like parsley or chives. It’s popular as a salad dressing, side sauce or dipping sauce.
Whether or not you’ve had it before, any blue cheese fan will find it hard to resist a good blue cheese dressing. And this blue cheese dressing recipe with it’s wonderfully creamy texture and exquisite balance of flavors is sure to win you over! I made a batch of this blue cheese dressing the other night and whereas most kids fight over who can lick out the cookie dough or cake batter bowl (mine do that too) both of my kids were ready with spoon in hand to salvage the last remaining drop of blue cheese dressing! Crazy kids :)
Tips for the Best Flavor
- Make sure to use a wedge of blue cheese versus the blue cheese that comes pre-crumbled. The pre-crumbled blue cheese you can buy at the store is dry and its flavor will not penetrate the dressing well. So use a wedge of it because it will be nice and moist inside and when you mash it up that blue cheese flavor will seep into your dressing for the ultimate flavorful blue cheese dressing.
- Add some fresh herbs. Parsley and chives are our favorite for this dressing. They add flavor, color and a nice fresh contrast to the bold flavor of the blue cheese.
- Be sure to wait for at least 3-4 hours before serving. The longer you keep it chilled before serving, the more time the flavors will have time to develop. For the best results let it chill overnight.
Ways to Use Blue Cheese Dressing
There are so many possibilities! Here are just a few tasty ideas to get you started. Serve it on, in or with:
- Wedge salads or other leafy green salads
- Buffalo chicken wings
- Sandwiches
- Sandwich wraps
- Baked potatoes
- A dip for veggies and chips
- Served with roasted veggies
- Served with grilled chicken or beef
- Added to your potato salad and pasta salad
- Add it to your coleslaw
- Drizzled on your buffalo-style pizza
- Dip for French fries and potato wedges
- and more!
How to Make Blue Cheese Dip
Whether you’re using this as a dip or a dressing, you can easily control its thickness by how much or how little buttermilk you add and whether or not you add the heavy cream. If want to make blue cheese dip and keep it on the thicker side you can start by omitting the heavy cream and reduce the buttermilk by a tablespoon or so. If it’s too thick, add some more buttermilk or heavy cream just a bit at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
How Do I Make This Low Calorie?
Looking to cut down on calories and fat? You can make a low calorie blue cheese dressing by using low fat mayonnaise and low fat sour cream.
Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe
Let’s get started!
Put the buttermilk and blue cheese in a medium-sized bowl.
Use a fork to mash the blue cheese to the desired degree of chunkiness.
Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, sugar, pepper and salt. Stir to combine.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, preferably overnight for the best flavor results. Taste it and add more salt if desired.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep for up to a week.
Enjoy!
For more phenomenal dressing recipes be sure to try our:
- Ranch Dressing
- Thousand Island Dressing
- Russian Dressing
- Strawberry Poppy Seed Dressing
- Orange Poppy Seed Dressing
- French Dressing
- Italian Dressing
- Asian Salad Dressing
- Creamy Cilantro Dressing
- Lemon Dill Mustard Dressing
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Blue Cheese Dressing Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ounces blue cheese (use a wedge, not pre-crumbled *see blog post "Tips")
- 1/3 cup quality mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup buttermilk (use less if you want it thicker for a dip)
- 2 tablespoon heavy cream (omit if you want it thicker for a dip)
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Place the blue cheese and buttermilk in a medium-sized bowl and mash the blue cheese with a fork until the desired degree of chunkiness is reached. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Cover and chill for at least 3-4 hours before serving to allow adequate time for the flavors to develop (for best results chill overnight). Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired. Keep stored in an airtight container in the fridge where it will keep for up to a week.Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
Notes
- For a low calorie blue cheese dressing use low fat mayonnaise and sour cream.
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Kimberly Killebrew and welcome to Daring Gourmet where you'll find delicious originals, revitalized classics, and simply downright good eats from around the world! Originally from Germany, later raised in England, world-traveled, and now living in the U.S., from my globally-influenced kitchen I invite you to tour the world through your taste buds!
You can make your own buttermilk by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Stir and let it sit for 5 minutes. I’ve been doing this for years, as I made a lot of cakes from scratch as my son was growing up.
Hi Sue, you can, but it won’t have the same flavor. That method works for baking because the acid in buttermilk (or the vinegar substitute) is needed to activate other ingredients but there’s nothing that needs to be activated in this dressing, it’s purely used for flavor. If you’d rather save yourself a trip to the store (I can’t blame you!) then yes, you can use that method.
I rarely have buttermilk on hand, but always yogurt. Can I use yougurt instead of buttermilk?
Hi Kate, yes you can. If it’s too thick thin it out with a little bit of milk.
Homemade dressing is so much better. I love this blue cheese dressing it is perfect on a salad or even with chicken wings.
I have never tried making my own blue dressing before! This looks perfect. :)
Love how easy and delicious this recipe is! Making it again and again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Katie, thank you!
This recipe looks delicious and will try it! Might you also have suggestion for modifying it using thick Greek yogurt to replace or reduce high calorie mayo & sour cream? Continually looking for ways to cut calories and increase nutrition, but still get great taste bang! Thanks for any suggestions.
Thanks, Patricia! Yes, you can use a low-fat mayonnaise or just swap the mayo out with the Greek yogurt. If the dressing is too thick just add a little extra buttermilk until you reach the desired consistency.
Thank you, Kimberly! I’ll play around with it; keep you posted:)
Also, if you’re omitting the mayo you may need to experiment with adding a little bit more sweetener to curb the tanginess and balance the flavors.
yes, good suggestion, thank you; figured I’d be adding a little mayo (and I love good mayo!), but just attempting to keep the dressing lighter, fewer cals, etc